Convention Paper
Psychophysical Calibration of Sharpness for Multiparameter Distortion Effects Processing
AES Convention 114 · Paper 5739 · March 2003
Abstract
Previous studies attempting multidimensional perceptual control of distortion effects have shown that the perceived sharpness is a salient timbral attribute that varies with changes in distortion effects processing parameters. In order to provide perceptually-based (psychophysically-calibrated) control over multiparameter distortion effects processing, a prediction equation for sharpness was derived from the results of listening tests. Though sharpness may be predicted as a weighted first moment of the critical band rate distribution of specific loudness, this first approximation is not sensitive to variation in the low-frequency spectral envelope of the sound stimulus. A model was developed that extends the standard sharpness prediction equation to include dependence upon additional parameters that were shown to modulate perceived sharpness of the guitar sound stimuli employed in this study.
