What is PsySound3?

PsySound3 is software for the analysis of sound recordings using physical and psychoacoustical algorithms. It is an easy to use platform that does precise analysis using standard acoustical measurements, as well as implementations of psychoacoustical and musical models (such as loudness, sharpness, roughness, fluctuation strength, pitch, rhythm and running IACC).

The program is written using the Matlab language, and will be available both as Matlab code and as a compiled standalone version. The program is controlled using a graphical user interface and should be relatively straightforward for endusers. We have a large emphasis on future extensibility, which is the main reason for writing the program in Matlab. The extensive graphing facilities built into Matlab are also available, as is flat text file and matlab export.

The ideas underlying PsySound3 include:

  • free to download and use
  • easy to use (i.e. it should not require computer programing skills)
  • extensible (new analysers can be contributed by users who have computer programing skills)
  • a framework for multiple models for any given analysis output (e.g. multiple loudness models)
  • accurate analysis, including calibration (if analysers are implemented correctly)
  • detailed output
  • sonification as a means of understanding sound

We are encouraging anyone who has written sound analysis code in Matlab to consider adding it to the PsySound project. The advantages of doing so include:

  • a user interface is provided, making the software easier for others to use (e.g., by people who want to use the analysis method, as opposed to people who develop new analysis methods)
  • the results of the analysis can be compared side-by-side to other methods of analysis that are included in the program
  • spread the word about your analysis method
  • if the analyser is used in research, its use (and the underlying publication) should be cited by the researcher
  • helping other researchers and students
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