Distortion effects

[Robert J. H.]

Thanks. Is "inharmonic distortion" the same as "enharmonic distortion"? I had never heard of the former but it has more search hits than the latter. If they are not the same we need to be clear.



Gale

harmonic distortion adds partials to the sound. That is, a signal of 220 Hz will be stacked up with signals of 440 660 880 1100 Hz.etc. (= sine to sawtooth). Sometimes certain intervals are omitted (see even and odd harmonics).
Inharmonic distortion adds frequencies that are not a integer product of the fundamental frequency (others than n times 220 Hz). Bells cymbals and so on have these peculiar spectrums to some extent.
Enharmonic distortion on the other hand is something I've never heard of. The pitches of C# and Db are usually the same, therefore enharmonically interchangeable.
I venture to say that it doesn't make sense to replace a frequency with the exact same frequency.
"Enharmonic" should only be used for (equal tempered) tone/note/pitch systems.

[steve]

As Robert wrote, "inharmonic" means "not belonging to the harmonic series.

The term "inharmonic" is sometime loosely used to refer to odd harmonics as opposed to even harmonics but that is not strictly accurate. I believe this usage comes from "inharmonic distortion" sounding "unmusical", a characteristic that is also commonly equated with odd harmonics.

"Enharmonic" refers to notes that have the same pitch, but different names as in the example that Robert gave of C# and Db. The term belongs to music theory and describes notes that are "the same frequency" but belonging to a different harmony context. For example, in the key of D major the 7th note is C# and the C# above middle C has, in standard tuning, a frequency of about 277 Hz. In the key of Ab major, the 4th note is Db and the Db above middle C also has a frequency of about 277 Hz, but if I play a tune in D major while you play the same tune in Ab Major it will sound horrible.

[waxcylinder]

@Gale: have all the votes been counted and transferred to Wiki>FR? If so I will archive this on the "detailed discussions section.

Peter.

[Gale Andrews]

I agree some people seem to mean "inharmonic" distortion when they say "enharmonic", but some seem to mean (as far as I can tell) a beating of a foldover aliased frequency with a nearby unaliased frequency. So it's another (not really correct?) usage of "close by". See this example http://www.gearslutz.com/board/8332463-post3.html .

@Peter - I have saved the votes locally but not on Wiki FR's yet - higher priorities. So you can archive this.


Gale