What means 'phaselocked'? (was: Re[3]: Fourier-Analysis

[gstopp at fibermux.com]

     Let's see if I remember this right - somebody please correct me if 
     I'm wrong....
     
     "Phase-locked" in the Fourier sense means that all of the individual 
     harmonics of a waveform have frequencies that are multiples of the 
     fundamental by whole number ratios. For example, a perfect fifh above 
     a given root will have a frequency ratio of 3/2 to the root. This 
     means that the peak of the root waveform and the peak of the fifth 
     (the third harmonic) waveform will always be in the same position 
     relative to each other on *every* cycle. The exact relative position 
     is called the "relative phase" (and I believe that there is some 
     dispute about whether or not the relative phase of harmonics is 
     important to the final sound).
     
     Equally-tempered scales on the other hand are derived by adding an 
     incremental change to any given frequency to get the frequency of the 
     next higher semitone. This increment is based on a multiplier of two 
     to the twelfth-root of two. After eight semitones this will result in 
     a perfect octave, but all of the intermediate semitones are based on 
     equal spacing rather than whole number ratios. Since two to the 
     twelfth-root of two is an irrational number, there are no whole 
     number ratios involved - only close approximations. Therefore there 
     is always some beating between any two non-octave tones in an 
     equally-tempered scale. No phase lock.
     
     As for digital dividers - a top octave generator such as the MK50240 
     generates 12 master semitones using ratios of large whole numbers, 
     like 355/113 and such. These divisors are neither Fourier 
     phase-locked nor irrationally related. Frequency division with 
     digital logic cannot produce true irrational relationships (due to 
     the fundamental definition of the word "irrational") and so the 
     output frequency intervals of top octave generators are merely close 
     approximations of equally-tempered scales. Again no phase lock.
     
     Did I get that right? I think so....
     
     Hammond tone generators have lots of separate shafts, not just one.
     
     - Gene
     gstopp at fibermux.com
     
     
______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: What means 'phaselocked'?  (was: Re[3]: Fourier-Analysis and
Author:  mz at bacher.co.at (Michael Zacherl - Bacher Systems EDV GmbH) at 
ccrelayout
Date:    5/30/96 11:21 AM
     
     
As far as I can recall all tonewheels sit on a single axle.
So if you got two different signals which have nothing common except that 
both are strictly periodic there's a point where they meet again and again.
     
You'll here a constant beating (depending on the signals of course).
If the beating would change (in any measureable not only audible way) there 
would be no 'locking'.
     
So my question: Is this phaselocked or not? 
     
Thanks for your inputs ...
     
/mz