"Correcting" output of a filter

Jerry Avins <jya@ieee.org> wrote:
(snip)

>> That sounds right.  The modes of many instruments are not exactly
>> harmonically related, so harmonic isn't the right word.
 
> I refer to them as overtones. I too wonder "partial" of what?

According to wikipedia, a well known authoritative source,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harmonic_series_(music)

"An overtone is any partial except the lowest."

It also says: "This can lead to numbering confustion, when comparing
overtones to partials; the first overtone is the second partial."

It seems to me that this does not follow the EE usage of overtone,
specifically in:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crystal_oscillator

there is mention of odd numbered overtones for crystal oscillators,
which I believe are odd multiples of the fundamental.  By symmetry,
even multiples don't generate a piezoelectric voltage.

Otherwise, it seems to me that "partial" is similar to the 
mathematical "component", that is, part of the musical sound.

-- glen

glen herrmannsfeldt wrote:
> Jerry Avins <jya@ieee.org> wrote:
> (snip)
> 
>>> That sounds right.  The modes of many instruments are not exactly
>>> harmonically related, so harmonic isn't the right word.
>  
>> I refer to them as overtones. I too wonder "partial" of what?
> 
> According to wikipedia, a well known authoritative source,
> 
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harmonic_series_(music)
> 
> "An overtone is any partial except the lowest."
> 
> It also says: "This can lead to numbering confustion, when comparing
> overtones to partials; the first overtone is the second partial."
> 
> It seems to me that this does not follow the EE usage of overtone,
> specifically in:
> 
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crystal_oscillator
> 
> there is mention of odd numbered overtones for crystal oscillators,
> which I believe are odd multiples of the fundamental.  By symmetry,
> even multiples don't generate a piezoelectric voltage.
> 
> Otherwise, it seems to me that "partial" is similar to the 
> mathematical "component", that is, part of the musical sound.

I think that the EE's tracked the usage of the word "harmonic" when they 
chose "overtone" -- erroneously, if they wanted to match musical usage.

-- 
Tim Wescott
Control system and signal processing consulting
www.wescottdesign.com