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In depth details of the components, signal flow, and modules composing String Studio VS-1.
At the core of every string instrument lies the same sound producing mechanisms. A string, fixed at its extremities, is set into vibration by the action of a device, usually a bow, plectrum, or hammer. At one extremity, the string passes on a bridge that is placed on the body of the instrument. The bridge transfers the vibrations of the string and forces the body into motion. The body, because of its large size, radiates well this vibrational energy and turns it into sound waves. Therefore, it's the vibration of the body, rather than the string, that we hear.
There are also other elements that interact with the string and compose an instrument. For instance, on an electric bass, the player will press the string with his finger against the fret. In a piano, the strings are muted by a damper when a key is released. In electric instruments, like the clavinet, it's a pickup that captures the sound.
In String Studio VS-1 the bow, pick, and hammer have been grouped into the Excitator module. The Geometry module sets the position of the Excitator and Damper on the string; depending on where they are positioned, the harmonic content of the sound will change. The Termination module embodies the finger and fret. The Excitator, Damper, and Termination modules all interact will the String module which feeds either the bridge or Pickup module. From there, the sound passes through the LFO and envelope modulated multi-mode Filter, Body, Distortion, EQ, and Effects modules.
The Damp (damping) knob sets the amount of high frequencies in the sound; for instance, this lets you go from nylon to metal. The Decay knob sets how fast the amplitude of the vibration decreases. The Inharm knob detunes partials (harmonics) towards higher frequencies; this relates to the real-life dimensions of the string, bigger strings are more inharmonic. The Ratio knob (when the Rto LED is lit up) sets the decay of the string when the keys are released; this can be used as a second damper. Finally, the pitch of keyboard can modulate both the Damper and Decay parameters.
The Hammer is used to play instruments such as the piano or other percussive instruments. String Studio VS-1 features two hammer types: Hammer 1 strikes from below the string and interacts only once with the string because of the gravity bringing it down after the strike; Hammer 2 strikes the string from above and can bounce on the string after the initial impact.
The Velocity knob sets at which speed the hammer will contact the string and the Mass knob sets exactly that, the mass of the hammer. With Hammer 1, the Mass and Velocity parameters work pretty much the same; higher values produce louder sounds. With Hammer 2 however, they influence the bounce rate and decay—lots of fun to expirement with!
The Stiff (stiffness) knobs set how hard is the hammer; a stiffer hammer produce more harmonics. The Damp (damping) knob controls the absorption of the impact; increasing the damping usually shortens the interaction with the string (the hammer doesn't stay long on the string) and produce louder sounds.
The keyboard pitch and velocity can both modulate the Mass, Stiff, and Velocity parameters.
The Plectrum (pick) excitator is used to play instruments such as guitars, harpsichords, or basses.
The Prot (protrusion) knob sets the extension of the pick over the string; with more protrusion the pick interacts longer with the string.
The Velocity knob sets at which speed the pick will contact the string; this is another way to change the interaction time with the string.
The Stiff (stiffness) and Damp (damping) knobs set how the pick resists against the string tension; this would model the firmness of the player's fingers holding the pick.
The keyboard pitch and velocity can both modulate the Prot, Stiff, and Velocity parameters.
The Bow excitator is used to play bowed instruments such as the violin, viola, or cello. The role of the bow is to set the string in self-sustained oscillation. Physically, oscillations of the string are maintained by a regular cycle of stick-slip-stick-slip movements. Due to friction forces between the string and the bow, the string sticks to the bow and follows its motion until the tension forces in the string, due to its own oscillating motion, break it free from the bow. The string is then in its slip phase and moves in the opposite direction to that of the bow. When the string motion changes direction once more, it sticks to the bow again, moving with the bow until it breaks free and repeats the cycle. Note that the frequency of this stick-slip motion is exactly the same as that of the string oscillation; or, in other words, the pitch of the note played.
The Force knob sets how much pressure is applied to the string with the bow; increasing Force gives a more scrubby tone.
The Friction knob sets how much the bow can force the string into motion. The friction between the bow and the string usually determines the length of the attack; the greater the friction, the faster the string can be set into motion.
The Velocity knob sets at which speed the bow slides across the string; this sets the amplitude of the sound.
The Damp (damping) knob is inactive with the bow.
The keyboard pitch and velocity can both modulate the Force, Friction, and Velocity parameters.
As we have seen earlier, the Termination models the interaction between the finger, string, and fret. In a real instrument, this interaction changes the effective length of the string and thereby fixes the pitch of the note played.
The Stiff (stiffness) knobs set how hard are the finger and fret; for instance, one could compare the stiffness of a fretless bass wood neck with the metal frets of an electric bass. The Mass knob sets with how much force the finger presses on the string; this can generate buzzes when there isn't enough force applied. The keyboard pitch and velocity can both modulate the Mass parameter.
