Very interesting observations, David. Yes, I thought it sounded synthetic also. Very little of the nuance you'd expect out of nearly any stringed instrument. I've heard DX7 patches that sounded remarkably similar to this! haha
 

perhaps these simulations wouldn't seem so synthetic if they included modeling the instrument being damaged as they were knocked against the chair of the musician and included the the fact that the player had a slight headache. after all coca cola doesn't taste like sweet coffee.
 

"Intuitive Acoustic Archeology" was a title of one of my pieces on my Metal Box cd - thats the bit thats missing from the research examples - the "intuitive' bit - ive heard dx7 seven samples that sound better. :-))
mike cooper
 

i've listened the "Epigonion sound reconstruction example" files with my monitors and also with a head set.
in fact the sound its self is pretty good. lower part is rich and powerful. even too much powerful ; too much sub bass..... and we can hear strange flatter echos behind, at the place of early reflection. it makes sound cheep, and somehow a bit "plasticky".
i mean the recording is not so good here.

i, myself, use sometimes modeling synthesis for some kind of timbers, like reeds or bowed instruments. it is quite difficult to make higher sound rich and realistic, to be honest. because of the computer architecture : the program should run faster than the cycle of sound demanded, if real time.
and also there is a parameter question. as mr. psignal pointed out, it's hard to find the frequency response of thin spruce wood aged for several hundred years (or plus. ... laughter).

they are technical matters and could be avoidable.

then, one question came to me :
"what is the "modern sound"?
or
what makes the sound "ancient"??
???
 

I was reading recently about the controversy over Stradivarius - did the chemicals with which he treated the woods to protect them from worms act as a chemical noise filter, so giving them a unique sound? Then again, I was watching the BBC's guitar documentary last night, and somebody made the point that despite the mystique that has collected around very early Fender guitars, they were machine assembly products put together quickly by poorly paid Mexican labour, rather than hand-tooled craft items. But there's a very interesting debate raised here by id_a, partly from the technical point of view, but also his pertinent question: what is a modern sound, and what makes the sound ancient? I'm going to go away and think about this.
 

Very interesting question re what makes a sound ancient and another modern. I guess being in the room when it is all happening helps. Listening to a recording brings in 'modern' technology which can also influence the sound we hear. Perhaps I am at a bit of an advantage here playing ancient instruments - many from the 12th century - but then the cultural context comes into play also and what might be termed extra-musical considerations.
In the context of Nada Yoga all derives from the One Sound and is ever-present somewhat removing time and bringing in the eternal Now where ancient and modern may well have no meaning - apart from keeping the sound alive!
 

I think the modern and the ancient meets in transcendental; for example when i look at the ancient Japanese sculptures of the Tang Dynasty i experience this feeling of timeless technology that makes me feel incredible happy. The happiness of a very long life that is not only mine but is the old age of the world.
Modern is not only about advanced; it rather apply for what is really ahead of its own time (avant garde), now, what we are talking here is comparing the sound of this old instrument with patches of vantage keyboards, which at this point are considered old; comparing a DX7, a 30 years old keyboard with a Korg Radias, the latest model of Korg keyboards, it makes the Yamaha DX7 to look and sound "ancient".
However the DX7 is also at this point a timeless piece of engineering.
What makes the ear to consider that the DX7 is old and the Radias is modern...?
Did you know that the Yamaha Motif has the option of installing a chip with the sounds of the DX7?
Modern and Ancient meets in the same way as a snake that holds its tail into its mouth, you don't know where the snakes begin, all you see is a circle.
Ancient and Modern meets in transcendental.
I remember when i was kid, at elementary school, the teacher ask us how we imagine the year 3000.
The first image that came to my mind was a group of ducks on a pond in the middle of a forest.
Good questions have no answers.
 

The Goodiepal has some similar points regarding this, it is quite interesting I would say. In this video he explains why computers should not be used for storing/reconstructing cultural heritage (among other things). It is in danish however...

http://www. dr. dk/DR2/Den11time/Goodiepal/
 

Hmmm "Der Kleine Mozart", could you do a small translation of this ?


Talking about ancient and modern sounds is hard. As defining "modern" is hard by itself. What is modern, the last Madonna song, using effects and instruments used 20 years ago, but judging by what listeners say, is the last top modern song of the century ? Or that small kid doing songs with matches inside a loudspeaker, recording himself on it's plaything cassette recorder (that may be selled with the Madonna song, and intended to be used as a Karaoke box maybe) ? (Disclaimer: I've no auction in Karaoke boxes or matches trust).

I've heard theirs demo sounds and that really reminds me of those old synths too. But wouldn't an old Stradivarius computer model sounds like a synth if the model is only here to reflect vibrations of wood on a precise place ? An instrument cannot be taken without its environnement, player and listener.

I would like to compare the sound of an "modern" harp in an anechoic chamber, played by small pneumatic jacks with the sound of the harp played by a human in a traditional room.