[chuck-users] Filters and filter education

[Stuart McDonald]

I've been periodically fussing over trying to construct a phaser (the
effect, not the fictional weapon) and while there's a working ChucKian
example at http://electro-music.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=23264 , I'd
like to understand more about what's going on.

The example uses a PoleZero filter, which may as well be called
PixieWand for all I know what it actually does. There are numerous
other filter UGens as well; I think there may be a whole world of
filtration out there I can't even imagine.

The ChucK documentation doesn't provide descriptions of the mechanics
of these filters. I get the impression that they're things you're
expected to understand if you have a formal background in DSP, and if
you don't, well, it's a bit of a leap to get there.

For now I'm optimistic I can get educated in some way. A 2006 post on
this subject on this list
(https://lists.cs.princeton.edu/pipermail/chuck-users/2006-June/000763.html)
suggested reading Real Sound Synthesis for Interactive Applications
(http://www.amazon.com/Real-Sound-Synthesis-Interactive-Applications/dp/1568811683)
by Perry R. Cook.

The book looks promising, but I'm not sure if it tackles the subject
to a depth that would be helpful. Has anyone read it and could
recommend? Perry, what do you reckon? =D

Many thanks,


Stuart