On Nov 20, 2007 5:39 PM, Frank Barknecht <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > For some calculations polar, for others cartesian coordinates are > easier to use. To quote Miller: > > The main reason we use complex numbers in electronic music is > because they magically automate trigonometric calculations. We > frequently have to add angles together in order to talk about the > changing phase of an audio signal as time progresses (or as it is > shifted in time, as in this chapter). It turns out that, if you > multiply two complex numbers, the argument of the product is the sum > of the arguments of the two factors.
I still don't exactly understand why one couldn't just use (x, y) vectors; why the y value has to be multiplied by something imaginary. I mean, i/j is *defined as* the square root of -1, but it can't really *be* the square root of -1... I've accepted it and moved on to more practical questions, but that is still mysterious for me. -Chuckk -- http://www.badmuthahubbard.com _______________________________________________ PD-list@iem.at mailing list UNSUBSCRIBE and account-management -> http://lists.puredata.info/listinfo/pd-list
