Relationship between sound classification of xylophone-like bars and wood species properties

In this paper, we propose a methodology associating an analysis-synthesis process and a perceptual classification test of impacted wooden bars to point out the relationship between sound quality and physical parameters characterizing wood species. Statistical analysis have made it possible to point out the influence of the pitch in the classification, and the importance of two timbre descriptors, i.e. the frequency dependent damping and the spectral bandwidth. These descriptors can be linked to physical and anatomical characteristics of wood species, leading to new clues in the choice of attractive wood species from a musical point of view. (Résumé d'auteur