Not Just More FMS: Taking IT to the Next Level

This paper describes a system for composition, sound design, pedagogy, and sound analysis using FMS (Feature Modulation Synthesis). FMS employs a synthesis by analysis approach for sound manipulation focusing on salient acoustic features that capture timbral dimensions corresponding to relevant characteristics of sound perception. These feature vectors are then analyzed and modulated for re-synthesis. We discuss updates and introduce the current salient feature extraction algorithms and their respective modulation modules that have been developed and implemented. We also present a new software system called “FMS Toolbox” which is a GUI-based Matlab application that allows for the analysis, modulation, and re-synthesis of the sound objects.