TemporalModerate signal
Transient density
How many sharp attack events occur per unit of time, and how varied they are.
Percussive attacks, pick noise and consonants are transients: short bursts of broadband energy. Human performance produces transients that vary in amplitude and micro-timing on every repetition, because human motor control is not a sequencer.
Quantised and generated material tends to produce transients that repeat with unusually tight timing and amplitude. As a detection feature this overlaps almost completely with 'was this programmed rather than played', which is a different question from 'was this generated'.
How this tool uses it
Contributes to the temporal component at moderate weight, alongside brightness variability.
What else produces the same reading
- Quantised programming in every electronic genre.
- Drum replacement and sample triggering in human production.
- Heavy compression, which levels transient amplitude differences.