Why does the Big Ears applet sound so bad?
Some people have reported problems with the audio playback used in Big Ears. The problem most often experienced is a sort of “double articulation” of each note. Unfortunately this is one of the drawbacks of current Java sound support. Some browsers are able to play Java audio better than others, but they are all improving. • Why does the Big Ears applet sound so good? Because I hand-sampled my Yamaha U-1 piano! The samples aren’t perfectly consistent, but I think they are quite good given the constraints of Java audio (8 bit, 8000 hz, mono). • What does the name mean? “Big ears” is an expression used mostly by jazz musicians. A person with “a good ear” for music is said to have “big ears.” • Are there any plans to expand Big Ears? Yes. Sound support in Java is severely limited, but this should change sometime in 1997. When more advanced capabilities are available, Big Ears should get a (sonic) face lift. Further applets may be added to allow users to train their ears in different ways.
