Chris Warren: EchoThief: Impulse response measurement in noisy spaces

ABSTRACT

There are many methods for impulse measurement, including mechanical impulses, swept sinusoids, and maximum length sequences.  Each of these struggles when presented with substantial environmental noise.  I am proposing a novel technique based upon the work of information theorist Marcel Golay which uses extended complementary sequences to offer improved accuracy and robustness in noisy conditions.  Musical applications of the impulse responses generated by the new method are presented, focusing on their use in artificial reverberation.  This technique has led to the creation of the EchoThief Impulse Response Library.  This library contains measurements taken in the noisiest of conditions: rush hour underpasses, bustling cityscapes, and rushing rivers.

 

ABOUT CHRIS WARREN

Chris Warren is a sound artist, musical instrument inventor, and signal processing researcher.  He is the lead inventor at SuperHoax, a developer of unique audio plugins, and the bassist/composer with A Hundred Ghosts.  Dr. Warren earned a Ph.D. in Computer Music from UC San Diego and an M.A. in Music, Science, and Technology from Stanford University.  He is a Lecturer of Composition at San Diego State University and a resident artist at Space4Art.

www.echothief.com

 

Chris Warren EchoThief