PADsynth in MATLAB

Update, February 15, 2019: Try PADsynth in your browser.

PADsynth is a synthesis technique that generates a lush sound with a simple algorithm. The algorithm begins with additive synthesis, where you build a timbre with a sine wave at the fundamental and each overtone. A frequency magnitude plot of this would show several thin spikes. PADsynth adds a twist. You can make the sound much more organic by broadening the harmonics with an ensemble of detuned sine waves. It was designed by Nasca Paul, and you can read more about PADsynth at his site.

Instead of this:
We get this:

Here's a simple implementation of PADsynth in MATLAB.
PADsynth.m
fconv.m - fast convolution
profile.m - generates a Gaussian profile
church_ir.wav - the impulse response of a church is used to add some reverb

Sample sounds produced with MATLAB:




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