Motivation

For the past three decades, along with growing computational potency,
there has been a proliferation of research devoted to one or other
digital sound synthesis technique.  The wide range and diversity of
these techniques are hard to put in perspective without practical
exploration.  Therefore, a common library of Csound computer instruments 
can be of use in various fields of research and modern composition.  One 
can ask why this obvious demand has not been met up to date, and perhaps 
the answer is, at least in part, due to the complexity and vastness of 
the task.

There are at least three major sources of data for such a catalog.  In 
the first place, two catalogs of Music 5 type of computer instruments
(Lorrain 1980; Risset 1969) have been published.  In particular, Risset's
'Introductory Catalogue of Computer Synthesized Sounds' has been a source
of inspiration for our work.  It contains about twenty-five Music 5
instruments illustrating sound synthesis or perception issues and has 
been of great use to many.  Yet today, the Music 5 sound compiler is 
obsolete, and Risset's instruments cannot be run without translation
into one of the currently available SWSS languages.  (The same is true 
for Lorrain's work of 1980.)

Secondly, the literature on digital sound synthesis techniques offers 
relevant data and flow charts for computer instruments -- but often lacks 
the actual implementation in a SWSS language.  Computer instruments would 
form a very welcome empirical complement to the theoretical expositions 
presented in current computer music literature.  Finally, we find a
somewhat reversed situation by looking at a large number of undocumented, 
heterogeneous computer instruments distributed via the Internet.  Proper 
documentation and a standardized programming style would greatly enhance 
the potential insights and knowledge to be gained from those instruments.

Given this state of affairs, we have made it our choice to contribute to 
this situation's improvement by compiling the first catalog of Csound 
computer instruments.  The catalog systematically organizes computer 
music instruments by topographically uniting literature, programs and 
documentation concerning each synthesis technique.  Our primary goal is 
to represent several synthesis techniques in a uniform and clear 
programming style and thus provide both perspective and more transparency 
to the wide field of sound synthesis.

So as to not invent the wheel twice, we have actualized all of the material 
Risset presents in his early catalog by translating it into Csound, and 
reclassifying it according to our taxonomy.  In our view, it is 
disadvantageous to alienate a catalog of sound synthesis techniques from 
its historic dimensions: the experiences of the past are and will remain 
extremely valuable for the understanding of the nature and art of sounds.

Thereafter we proceeded by including instruments representing more recent 
synthesis techniques, based on articles.  A few classes of the ACCCI are 
exploring specific elements of the Csound language.  In a later stage of 
our project, we have addressed the development of new instruments.  
Basically, we have intended our catalog as a work in progress and as a 
contribution towards facilitating the work and investigations of those 
concerned with sound synthesis techniques.