System and method for synthesizing music by scanning real or simulated vibrating object

A computer program product for use in conjunction with a computer system, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium and a computer program mechanism embedded therein, the computer program mechanism comprising:

• a simulation module for simulating a vibrating object in accordance with a predefined physical model;
• scanning instructions for repeatedly scanning, at a rate independent of any parameter associated with the physical model, a specified physical attribute of the simulated vibrating object at a sequence of points of the simulated vibrating object so as to repeatedly generate corresponding sequences of values;
• and
• music waveform generation instructions for generating an audio frequency waveform whose shape corresponds to the sequences of values.

A music synthesis system, comprising:

• a data processor;
• an audio speaker;
• signal conversion apparatus for converting a digital signal into an analog signal, the signal conversion apparatus having an input coupled to the data processor and an output coupled to the audio speaker;
• and
• a memory coupled to the data processor, the memory storing procedures for execution by the data processor, the stored procedures including:
• a simulation module for simulating a vibrating object in accordance with a predefined physical model wherein the physical model is a finite element model;
• scanning instructions for repeatedly scanning a specified physical attribute of the simulated vibrating object at a sequence of points of the simulated vibrating object so as to repeatedly generate corresponding sequences of values;
• and
• music waveform generation instructions for generating the digital signal, the digital signal comprising an audio frequency waveform whose shape corresponds to the sequences of values, wherein the music waveform generation instructions are executed by the data processor independently of execution of the simulation module.