Audio Compression Techniques 2. ADPCM (Adaptive Differential Pulse Code Modulation) • Use a Larger Step-Size to Encode Differences Between High-Frequency Samples
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Introduction • A file format for storing digital audio data on a computer system. • Can be stored uncompressed, or compressed to reduce the file size. • Can be a raw bitstream • It is usually a container format or an audio data format with defined storage layer. History PHONOGRAPH • Thomas Edison's phonograph (invented in 1877) • Emile Berliner's Gramophone (patented in 1887) RADIO • This technology has only been around since the 1920s. • The theoretical basis of the propagation of electromagnetic waves was first described in 1873 by James Clerk Maxwell in his paper to the Royal Society A dynamical theory of the electromagnetic field, which followed his work between 1861 and 1865. History TRACKS • Invented in the early 1960s by William Powell Lear, and heavily marketed and used in the '70s. • The 8-track was the premier portable audio format for almost 15 years. • The 8-track was designed around a single reel with the two ends of the plastic recording tape joined with a piece of conductive foil tape to make one continuous loop. History CASSETTE TAPE • Not popular until the late 1970s. • Magnetic tape recording got used in music studios around 1950. • Musicians could record in longer sessions then select and combine the best cuts into polished songs. COMPACT DISK • Used for storing digital data. • Originally invented for digital audio and also used for data storage • Frequently included as a component in personal computers. • Personal computers can generally play audio CDs. Parameters of Sound File 1. SAMPLING RATE • Most digital sound files save information as a long series of sound samples (like frames in moving pictures). • The quality of a sound file can be increased by taking more of these samples in the same amount of time; that is, increasing the “sampling rate”. • Its effect is increasing the file size. Parameters of Sound File 2. BITS PER SAMPLE • Commonly, either 8 or 16 bits are used to represent each sample. • Using 16 bits provides for much better quality (files twice as large as 8-bit files.) 3. NUMBER OF CHANNELS • Stereo files uses two separate audio channels & are usually about twice the size of mono files. • It is theoretically possible to record any number of channels. • For example, a file intended to be played on a surround-sound system may record seven or more channels, and will thus be about seven times the size of a mono version of the same sound. Types of Sound File There are three major groups of audio file formats: 1. Uncompressed audio formats • such as WAV, AIFF, AU or raw header-less PCM. 2. Formats with lossless compression • such as FLAC, Monkey's Audio (filename extension APE), WavPack (filename extension WV), TTA, Apple Lossless (filename extension m4a), MPEG-4 SLS, MPEG-4 ALS, MPEG-4 DST, Windows Media Audio Lossless (WMA Lossless), and Shorten (SHN). 3. Formats with lossy compression • such as MP3, Vorbis, AAC, ATRAC and Windows Media Audio Lossy (WMA lossy). Audio File Formats 1. WAV (Waveform Extension) • Very good sound quality. • Widely supported in many browsers with no need for a plugin. • You can record your own .wav files from a CD, tape, microphone, etc. • The very large file sizes severely limit the length of the sound clips that you can use on your Web pages. • Microsoft ADPCM compressed waveform forma consists of 4-bit per channel compressed data. • Each 4-bit sample is expanded to 16-bits when loaded. • The 16-bit data can still be quickly converted to 8-bit during playback on cards that don't support 16-bit. Audio File Formats 2. AIFF (Audio Interchange File Format) • Format for storing digital audio (waveform) data. • Supports a variety of bit resolutions, sample rates, and channels of audio. • Very popular on Apple platforms. • Widely used in professional programs that process digital audio waveforms. • uses the Electronic Arts Interchange File Format method for storing data in "chunks" A) The commom Chunk • Describes fundamental parameters of the waveform data such as sample rate, bit resolution, and how many channels of digital audio are stored in the FORM AIFF Audio File Formats B) Sound Data Chunk • The Sound Data Chunk contains the actual sample frames (ie, all channels of waveform data). C) Marker Chunk • The Marker Chunk contains markers that point to positions in the waveform data D) The Instrument Chunk • The Instrument Chunk defines basic parameters that an instrument, such as a MIDI sampler, could use to play the waveform data. E) The Text Chunks, Name, Author, Copyright, Annotation • These four optional chunks are included in the definition of every Standard IFF file. Audio File Formats Chunk Precedence Audio File Formats 3. VOC (Creative Voice) • Created by Creative and is generally associated with their 8-bit line of cards (Sound Blaster, Sound Blaster Pro). • Initially limited to unsigned 8-bit PCM(Pulse Code Modulation) and ADPCM (Adaptive Differential Pulse-Code Modulation) data. • Eventually expanded to handle 16-bit formats with the introduction of Creative's 16-bit cards. • Format is composed of a file header followed by one or more data block. Audio File Formats 4. AVI (Audio Video Interleave) • Audio Video Interleaved is a multimedia container format • Introduced by Microsoft in 1992. • AVI files can contain both audio and video data in a file container. • AVI files support multiple streaming audio and video. • It is derivative of the Resource Interchange File Format (RIFF), which divides a file's data into blocks, or "chunks." • Each "chunk" is identified by a FourCC tag. • An AVI file takes the form of a single "chunk" in a RIFF formatted file, which is then subdivided into two mandatory "chunks" and one optional "chunk". Audio File Formats 5. RMF (Rich Music Format) • Audio file created in the Rich Music Format. • Created by Beatnik. • Used as a container format for MIDI files and other standard audio formats. • Can be encrypted to protect original music. • used by some older video games. • The original RMF editor released by Beatnik, is no longer available. • Still supported by Java Sound and the Java Media Framework. Audio File Formats 6. WMA (Windows Media Audio) • WMA is both an audio format and an audio codec. • Competitor for the MP3 and RealAudio audio formats. There are 4 versions of the WMA codec: • WMA is the original codec, and was initially released in 1999. • WMA Pro is an improved lossy codec intended for audio professionals • WMA Lossless is a lossless codec intended for archival and storage purposes. • WMA Voice is a lossy codec that was designed for low bandwith voice playback applications. PSYCHO-ACOUSTICS Psycho-Acoustics • In harnessing sound for various musical instruments & multimedia applications, effect of sound on human hearing need to be analyzed. • Psycho-Acoustics is branch of acoustics which deals with human auditory perception from the biological design of ear to the brain interception. Factors to be Analyzed.. 1. Decibel (dB) A unit for measuring loudness of sound. • It is comparison of intensity of sound with the lowest sound audible by human ear. • It is expressed as a ratio of logarithmic value Pdb = 10log10(PA/PB) where, PA : is power of energy content of a signal PB : corresponding value for reference signal Factors to be Analyzed.. 2. Sound Measurement Two popular ways for acoustical measurement 1. Direct Method: • Measuring a set of environmental factors like temp, humidity, viscocity, echo timing, etc. 2. Comparision Method: • Measuring sound pressure levels of reference soudn of known energy levels & compering it with sound being measured. Factors to be Analyzed.. 3. Hearing Threshold & Masking Two fundamental phenamon that governs human hearing are: 1. Threashould: • Minimum threshould : least auidable sound that normal human ear can detect & hear. • Max Sensitivity occurs at 1 to 5 kHz. An equal-loudness contour. Note peak sensitivity around 2–4 kHz, the frequency around which the human voice centers. Factors to be Analyzed.. 3. Hearing Threshold & Masking 2. Amplitude Masking: • Originates due to limitation of human ear. • This limitation prevents us for hearing two sounds of different loudness but colse in freq. or time. MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) MIDI • MIDI doesn’t directly describe musical sound • MIDI is not a language • It is a data communications protocol • 1900s: electronic synthesizers developed (monophonic) • 1970s: digital synthesizers developed (monophonic) • Each manufacturer used different design scheme, with their own keyboard / panel MIDI • With a particular input device, each player can only run one or two synthesizers at the same time • To use a wide range of synthesized sounds, many players were needed • 1983, full MIDI 1.0 Detailed Specification released by Yamaha, Korg & Kawai. • It standardized the control signal and inter-machine communication between synthesizer devices. MIDI Interface MIDI In • MIDI data enters each item of MIDI equipment through the MIDI In port. MIDI Out • All the MIDI data generated by individual pieces of equipment are sent out through the MIDI Out port. • A common error for MIDI setup is: inverted connection of MIDI IN/OUT MIDI Thru • These are used to re-transmit all information received at the MIDI In port using the MIDI Thru port connections. • Often these ports are used to create a chain of connected devices in a single MIDI data path, called a 'daisy chain'. MIDI Hardware A. Pure Musical Input Devices 1. Most common: Keyboard i. Note Polyphony: Nowadays, most keyboard have polyphony ii. Touch response :A keyboard can sense different levels of input pressure MIDI Hardware A. Pure Musical Input Devices 2. Other possible pure input MIDI I/O devices: Guitar, Flute, Violin, Drumset MIDI Hardware B. Other Musical Input Devices 1. Keyboard + synthesizer = keyboard synthesizer • have real-time audio output • Some keyboard synthesizers support DSP (Digital Signal Processing) Which gives more available effects e.g.