Does a good, simple, open-source spectrum analyzer exist?

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Rhythm
audio school graduate
Posts: 24
Joined: Wed Jul 28, 2004 2:42 am

Does a good, simple, open-source spectrum analyzer exist?

Post by Rhythm » Sun Mar 08, 2009 5:59 am

Hi all,
I know this seems simple, but I spent and hour and I could not find anopen-source, simple, stand alone spectrum analyzer, for Windows XP to solve this problem. Of course, there are a million different programs with tons of features, but I couldn't find a good one that simply does what I need.

Imagine the standard visualization of sound:
Left-Right = frequency spectrum (logrithmically i guess?)
Top-Bottom = dynamic spectrum

I've usually been content with a standard visualization (Firestorm) on Windows Media Player mostly because I work by ear, not by visualizations; but aslo because it's always there, always the same, standard on every WinXP computer.

All I want is that same real-time Firestorm visualization with frequency markers, like lines that say 10hz, 100hz, 1000hz, or something... An open-source zommable version would be even better.
It seems so simple but I could not find one simple file player that could do this. Most of the ones I found use the color spectrum, or they are not real time; or I didn't have the patience to figure out how to do it in some super complex program.... all I want is a simple stand-alone file player...

Can anyone recommend a Win XP program that can do this? I tried Sonic Visualizer, but I gave up.... If anyone knows the secret to getting this kind of read-out from Sonic Visualizer I would appreciate it, but it is still amazing that it's not more straight-forward in such a powerful program.
Also Sonic Visualizer seems so complex for this one task... If there is a plug-in for a program that we actually use that would be even bettter....

Thanks all,
David P.

protoolsman
ass engineer
Posts: 43
Joined: Sat Jan 03, 2009 1:12 am
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Post by protoolsman » Sun Mar 08, 2009 8:05 am

You mean something like bismark's analyser?
http://www.bismark.jp/bs-spectrum/index.html
that's a vst.
one can never have to many microphones

Rhythm
audio school graduate
Posts: 24
Joined: Wed Jul 28, 2004 2:42 am

Post by Rhythm » Sun Mar 08, 2009 5:10 pm

Yes!
That is exactly the kind of display I need!!
As I mentioned I really need a stand-alone file player, not a plug-in, but that works for now.
I'll reiterate how it's amazing that this doesn't exist in this day and age. I will have to tell my programmer buddies so we can write one.

Thanks so much,
David

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