How to make a slur Free

A study is described of some factors which lead to the perception of connectedness or slurring of a series of notes. These factors include the abruptness of the attack and decay of the amplitude envelope of the notes, the amount of silence between notes, and the pitch change between notes. Examples with various amounts of these factors were synthesized on the Groove computer and were judged as slurred or detached by musically experienced subjects. Silence, abrupt attack and decay, and abrupt pitch changes all produced a perception of detachment, the potency of these factors being in the order given. A maximum perception of slurring was obtained by having a slight time overlap between successive notes which had gradual attacks and decays.