[gmpi] Re: Topic 6: Time representation


A tick is not an abstraction (what does it abstract?), it is an imposed limitation. I have yet to see any reason, let alone a compelling one, for imposing this limitation.

Well, humans can't perceive infinitely resolved times. Our most sensitive time resolution is in our binaural hearing, where our "just noticeable difference" is about 10 microseconds - very impressive considering the speed of neurons. But in terms of musical onset detection, our perception is far less resolved, on the order of milliseconds, I can't remember exactly.

So there isn't any point in resolving to exactly rational sub-divisions of a beat - imperceptible quantization is just that: imperceptible.

Bill


At 03:49 PM 4/30/03 -0700, you wrote:


-----Original Message-----
From: Tim Hockin [mailto:thockin@xxxxxxxxxx]
>
>A tick is the hosts finest level of granularity.  This abstraction allows
>for hosts to have very fine or very coarse accuracy, depending on the needs
>of the situation.

But that is exactly the point. There _is_ no finest level of granularity to musical time.
Musical time is infinitely divisible.

A tick is not an abstraction (what does it abstract?), it is an imposed limitation. I have yet to see any reason, let alone a compelling one, for imposing this limitation.

-Frederick Umminger


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----------------------
Bill Gardner
Wave Arts, Inc.
99 Mass. Ave., Arlington, MA 02474
Tel: 781-646-3794   Fax: 781-646-7190
billg@xxxxxxxxxxxx


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