                  sflib directory _a_m_e_r_i_c_a
   (sounds from native North and South American cultures)

In this directory we will be placing samples from indigenous
North  and  South  American  cultures. Currently, all of the
soundfiles within this directory are  percussive  (idiophone
and  membranophone)  sounds - shakers, rattles, bell shakers
and drums. Many of  these  soundfiles  are  multisamples  --
alternative recordings of the same sound, with variations in
pitch, timbre, articulation or duration.  Currently, all  of
these  soundfiles  are from native North American ("Indian")
sources, and all were taken from the  _D_i_d_g_e_r_i_d_o_o  _a_n_d  _o_t_h_e_r
_p_r_i_m_i_t_i_v_e  _i_n_s_t_r_u_m_e_n_t_s  compact  disc/DAT  tape  in the ECMC
sound source library.

RATTLES:

There are 3 rattles, each available  in  multiple  soundfile
"hits,"  labeled  _r_a_t_t_l_e_3,  _r_a_t_t_l_e_4  and _r_a_t_t_l_e_5. [Note that
there are two rattles, also  both  with  multiple  soundfile
"hits,"  within the _s_f_l_i_b/_p_e_r_c directory labeled _r_a_t_t_l_e_1 and
_r_a_t_t_l_e_2]
     o+ _r_a_t_t_l_e_3 : There are three versions of _r_a_t_t_l_e_3,  named
     _r_a_t_t_l_e_3._1, _r_a_t_t_l_e_3._2 and _r_a_t_t_l_e_3._3.  Stereo versions of
     these soundfiles (_S_T_r_a_t_t_l_e_3._1 through _S_T_r_a_t_t_l_e_3._3) also
     are available.  The pitch of all of these soundfiles is
     approximately _f_5,
     o+ _r_a_t_t_l_e_4 :
     There are four _r_a_t_t_l_e_4 soundfiles -  _r_a_t_t_l_e_4._1  through
     _r_a_t_t_l_e_4._4  - in both mono and stereo (_S_T) versions. The
     approximate perceived pitch of these soundfiles  varies
     between about  _g_5 and _a_5
     o+ _r_a_t_t_l_e_5 :
     There are two  _r_a_t_t_l_e_5  soundfiles  in  both  mono  and
     stereo versions, pitched at approximately _e_f_6.

SHAKERS :

These are short (c. .2 second) high  pitched  soundfiles  of
single shakes of three high pitched shakers.
     o+ _s_h_a_k_e_r_1 is pitched  at  about  _e_f_6.  There  are  four
     soundfile  hits,  _s_h_a_k_e_r_1._1  through _s_h_a_k_e_r_1._4 and four
     corresponding  stereo  versions  (_S_T_s_h_a_k_e_r_1._1   through
     _S_T_s_h_a_k_e_r_1._4).
     o+ _s_h_a_k_e_r_2 is pitched at about _g_6. There are  four  mono
     soundfile  hits,  _s_h_a_k_e_r_2._1  through  _s_h_a_k_e_r_2._4, but no
     corresponding stereo versions, since the stereo  origi-
     nals  on  the compact disc contained very little stereo
     channel separation.
     o+ _s_h_a_k_e_r_3 is pitched at approximately _a_6. There  are  5
     mono  multisamples  of  this  shaker: _s_h_a_k_e_r_3._1 through
     _s_h_a_k_e_r_3._5.

[Note: Many additional shaker soundfiles  are  available  in
the _s_f_l_i_b/_a_f_r_i_c_a directory.]

BELLSHAKES :

There are four _b_e_l_l_s_h_a_k_e soundfiles in both mono and  stereo
versions.   These  are  numbered  from shortest (_b_e_l_l_s_h_a_k_e_1,
.338 seconds) to  longest  (_b_e_l_l_s_h_a_k_e_4,  .521  seconds).  In
terms  of  pitch,  _b_e_l_l_s_h_a_k_e_2 is the lowest -- approximately
_e_f_6; _b_e_l_l_s_h_a_k_e_3 and _b_e_l_l_s_h_a_k_e_4 are pitched  in  between  _e_f_6
and  _e_6, and _b_e_l_l_s_h_a_k_e_1 is the highest pitched, sounding  at
approximately _e_6.

INDIANDRUMS :
The pitch labels of the five _i_n_d_i_a_n_d_r_u_m soundfiles are  only
approximate.  These drums have a resonant, somewhat metallic
quality, except for _i_n_d_i_a_n_d_r_u_m._b_2._d_r_y.

                      January 6, 1999


