Piecewise-periodic analysis of almost-periodic sounds and musical transients

In the analysis of nonpercussive musical transients the use of expanded periodic techniques yields results that are easily understood, readily correlated with subjective response, and in the format of the technical description of periodic musical sounds. They do, however, lack the rigor of transform techniques when applied to changing sounds. This paper examines the possible errors in approximating almost-periodic sounds by periodic waveforms one period at a time, and defines the limitations on the application of the method to musical transients. It appears there is a very large class of musical sounds to which the method can be applied successfully.