Time shifted harmonics generator

1. A method for electronically processing sound from an audio source, comprising:

a. causing a signal from a sound source to pass through an input amplifier and dividing the signal into two discrete signal paths, a first signal path and a second signal path;

b. causing a first signal traveling through the first signal path to travel through a high pass filter and then dividing the first signal into two separate filtered signal paths, a first filtered signal path in which the a first filtered signal is delayed by a first delay means and then causing the delayed first filtered signal to pass through a first attenuator, and causing a second filtered signal which travels along a second filtered signal path to travel through a harmonics generators which generates harmonics and then be passed through a second attenuator, then combining the first and second filtered signals in a mixer;

c. causing a second signal traveling through the second signal path to be delayed by a second delay means and then causing the delayed second signal to pass through a third attenuator and then combining the second delayed signal with the first and second filtered signals in the mixer;

d. causing the harmonics generated in the harmonics generator to be advanced in time ahead of the delayed first filtered signal and the delayed second signal to make the effect of the harmonics more apparent and audible because the delays cause the harmonics to not be masked by lower frequencies; and

e. causing the mixed signals to travel from the mixer through an output amplifier and then through an output transducer.

2. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the first delay means causes a delay of the first filtered signal in the range of twenty (20) micro-seconds to three (3) milliseconds.

3. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the second delay means causes a delay of the second signal in the range of twenty (20) micro-seconds to three (3) milliseconds.

4. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the delays caused by the first and second delay means are equal.

5. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the delays caused by the first and second delay means are unequal.

6. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the attenuation from the first attenuator is in the range of zero to full attenuation.

7. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the attenuation from the second attenuator is in the range of zero (0) to 20 dB attenuation.

8. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the attenuation from the third attenuator is in the range of zero to full attenuation.

9. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the harmonics are amplitude dependent.

10. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the harmonics are transient discriminate.

11. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the circuit is applied as a multi band circuit with each band having its own set of delays and attenuators.

12. A method for electronically processing sound from an audio source, comprising:

a. dividing a signal derived from a sound source into first and second signal paths, wherein the first signal path involves delaying the signal, wherein the second signal path involves passing the signal through a high pass filter and then dividing the resultant signal to produce first and second filtered signals, wherein the first filtered signal is delayed in time and the second filtered signal is processed by a harmonics generator which generates harmonics ahead in time of the delayed first filtered signal, and wherein said harmonics are also generated ahead in time of the delayed signal produced by the first signal path;

b. combining a plurality of signals in a mixer, the plurality of signals including a signal derived from the output of the first signal path, a signal derived from the delayed first filtered signal and a signal derived from the harmonics generated by the harmonics generator, whereby the combining causes the harmonics generated in the harmonics generator to be advanced in time ahead of the delayed first filtered signal and the delayed signal produced by the first signal path in order to make the effect of the harmonics more apparent and audible by reducing the masking of the harmonics by lower frequencies; and

c. causing the mixed signals to travel to an output transducer.

13. The method in accordance with claim 12 wherein the delay of the first filtered signal is in the range of twenty (20) microseconds to three (3) milliseconds.

14. The method in accordance with claim 12 wherein the delay of the signal in the first signal path is in the range of twenty (20) micro-seconds to three (3) milliseconds.

15. The method in accordance with claim 12 wherein the delay of the first filtered signal and the delay of the signal in the first signal path are equal.

16. The method in accordance with claim 12 wherein the delay of the first filtered signal and the delay of the signal in the first signal path are unequal.

17. A method for electronically processing sound represented by an input signal derived from an audio source, the method comprising:

a. passing the input signal through a high pass filter and then dividing the resultant signal to produce first and second filtered signals, wherein the first filtered signal is delayed in time and the second filtered signal is processed by an harmonics generator which generates harmonics ahead in time of the delayed first filtered signal;

b. delaying the input signal without passing the input signal through the high pass filter to produce a delayed third signal, wherein the harmonics generated by the harmonics generator are ahead in time of the delayed third signal; and

c. combining the delayed first filtered signal, the harmonics generated by the harmonics generator and the delayed third signal, whereby the harmonics are not masked by lower frequencies so that the perceived effect of the harmonics is more apparent and audible.