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
https://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

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Studio2600 for the Atari VCS by Norbert Landsteiner:
http://www.masswerk.at/rc2018/04/stud...

Keywords: #gameaudio, undertone series, acoustics, intonation, cheap hardware, sound effects, retrocomputing