Improved modeling of audio signals by modifying transient locations

We propose a method for obtaining an improved representation of transients in audio signals. The representation is based on a damped sinusoidal model. To improve the representation, transient locations are modified in such a way that a transient can start only at the beginning of a sinusoidal segment. The introduced modifications facilitate a reduction of the number of damped sinusoids needed to model a transient well and eliminate pre-echo artifacts. We verify with a listening test that the modifications do not result in a perceptual difference between the original and modified audio signals.