Undertone Series: Why Do Computers Play out of Tune? (Game Audio Bytes #4)

Let's talk about undertone series: What it is, how it can be used and how it should NOT be used!
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Game Audio Bytes repository
github.com/adam-sporka/game-a...
0:00 Amtrak train horn an udertone series?
0:20 Undertone series definition
0:46 Overtone series mirror undertone series
1:05 Frequency division for digital control of pitch
2:17 Constraint 1: Limited resolution of high-pitched tones
2:33 Approximating chromatic scales using undertone series
3:57 Constraint 2: Counter range limits the bass
4:30 POKEY chip of ATARI 400 and newer computers
4:50 Pitch discontinuity is what makes the sweeps crisp
4:46 SOUND 3,A,14,5: The "A" is the undertone series member index
5:14 ATARI 2600: Even more constrained
5:28 Surprise Kingdom Come: Deliverance cameo
5:35 The Undertone Organ in Gradrigo
5:48 Shameless self-promo
6:04 Nerdy encore
adam.sporka.eu
Studio2600 for the Atari VCS by Norbert Landsteiner:
www.masswerk.at/rc2018/04/stud...
Keywords: #gameaudio, undertone series, acoustics, intonation, cheap hardware, sound effects, retrocomputing

[@tabor503]

Sweet vid

[@chasemarangu]

Very cool educational video! I love the visualization at 3:57, about how a high enough clock speed can give as high enough accuracy needed! I also appreciate that you kept the video short/concise/visual in general.

[@millennial_bug]

"out of tune", it is beautyfully in tune in its own right, perhaps it ia just intonation and has plenty of just intervals. Btw thanks for the insight, really cool to know, i dig undertones

[@Barnaclebeard]

Explaining mysteries that have befuddled me for 40 years!

[@user-ix5qy7um6o]

Can you hear missing fundamental in undertone series like in overtones?

[@Arycke]

I am looking into this. I would say no at a glance, due to how sound is processed by our ear/brain, but I am no professional nor am I a psychoacoustician.