transient

Sure, this is absolutely correct in a musical context. So, let's agree
on expanding the original definition a bit by including the case of
abruptly changing parameters during playing of the instrument to also
produce transients. That would include volume, pitch etc. and should
give us what we need. :-)

I think we should omit the attack/decay/sustain/release phase
discussion altogether since it's a definition coined by the music
industry to label playback phases when simulating instruments. Since
they usually treat successive notes separately for technical reasons,
the transition between notes isn't actually a problem - the release
phase of the old note would be where the attack phase of the new note
is...

And I'd say that for the definition of "transient" the playback phase
isn't relevant anyway.

--smb


Jerry Avins <jya@ieee.org> wrote:
> But Stephan, That is how a piano is normally played. It's the sound
> we've come to expect. Whether it's best thought of an ending transient
> or a new attack would be an interesting discussion over a glass of beer.
> Of course, pianos have sustain pedals, but releasing the pedal damps
> many notes simultaneously. Even guitar and viol strings are rarely
> allowed to decay completely before the next notes on them are played.
> Consider even a trill on a flute. There is only one air column, so one
> note must stop as abruptly as the other note starts.
> 
> Jerry