Objective
The objectives of this research have been chosen to address weaknesses identified by core SMEs in the quality and performance of pipeless organs, and to reduce the costs of production, installation and maintenance. The benefits to SMEs of this will be better organs at lower cost, resulting in increased market share. The work is directed mainly towards pipeless classical organs based on synthesis technology, but the results obtained will be applicable to other instruments and to other technologies. Its principal scientific and technical objectives are in three quality interlinked areas: - to identify shortcomings in the sound synthesis mechanisms of pipeless classical organs that affect the quality of their sound and to propose and evaluate remedies. - to study the output and distribution of the sounds of pipeless classical organs in a variety of acoustic environments and to propose sound quality enhancing improvements. - to explore ways of improving the sound specification interface and, as a result, the sound quality of a pipeless organ. Its principal industrial, economic and social objectives are: - higher quality sound at lower costs, to produce increase in sales. - shorter times for production, maintenance and sound specification, and increased reliability. - increased enjoyment and utilisation of pipeless organs. The approach adopted to meet these objectives is as follows: - tests to quantify the effects of a wide range of physical variables on pipeless organ sound. - appraisal of available and projected electronic component technology. - detailed recommendations for the design of improved synthesis system in the light of the above to achieve better sound quality and higher performance to cost ratio. - study of how pipe organs distribute their sounds, in particular the effects of organ chambers. - formulation of loudspeaker characteristics for use with pipeless organs. - study of acoustic effects of buildings and of organ chambers on pipeless organ sound. - investigation of electronically simulated ambience and spatial effects. - creation of guidelines for loudspeaker placement and provision of ambience and spatial effects. - implementation and testing of improvements to sound specification interfaces, which aim to improve ease of use and reduce the time taken in translating tonal concepts to sound.
Call for proposal
Data not availableFunding Scheme
CRS - Cooperative research contractsCoordinator
BD1 3EA Bradford
United Kingdom