Yamaha PLG150-VL - Manual (Page 11)

11
Virtual Acoustic Synthesis
The Controllers
The input to an acoustic wind instrument comes from the player’s lungs, trachea, oral cavity, and lips.
In a string instrument it comes from the player’s arm movement, transmitted to the string via a bow.
These elements actually form an important part of the sound generating system and, in the PLG150-
VL, are included in the controllers block. The player also influences the sound of the instrument by
playing the keys, tone holes, or frets, and this aspect of control constitutes another part of the control-
lers block. These and other control parameters provided by the PLG150-VL are listed in the illustra-
tion below.
In essence, the controller parameters determine how the instrument “plays”. All of these parameters
can be assigned to any external controller that can be used with the PLG150-VL: breath controller,
foot controller, modulation wheel, etc. The pressure parameter, for example, will normally be
assigned to a breath controller so the player can control the dynamics of the instrument by varying the
breath pressure applied to the controller — a natural, instinctive way to play wind-instrument voices.
At the same time the growl and throat parameters might also be assigned to the breath controller in
order to achieve life-like response and effects.
Pitch
Changes the length of the air column
or string, and thereby the pitch of the
sound.
Throat
Controls the characteristics of the
“player’s” throat or bowing arm.
Pressure
The amount of breath pressure
applied to the reed or mouthpiece, or
bow velocity applied to the string.
Growl
A periodic pressure (bow velocity)
modulation which produces the “growl”
effect often heard in wind instruments.
Scream
Drives the entire system into chaotic
oscillation, creating effects that can
only be achieved with physical model-
ling technology.
Embouchure
The tightness of the lips against the
reed or against each other, or the force
of the bow against the string.
Tonguing
Simulates the half-tonguing technique
used by saxophone players by chang-
ing the “slit” of the reed.
Damping & Absorption
Simulate the effects of air friction in the
pipe or on the string, and of high-fre-
quency losses at the end of the pipe or
string.