Controllers & Modifiers - Yamaha EX5 Owner's Manual

Controllers & Modifiers
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 factors actually form an important part of the sound generating system and, in the
VL model, are known as "controllers" (note that these are parameters, not physical controllers like
the modulation wheels or knobs). 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
"controllers" system.
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 EX5 and EX5R:
Foot Controller, Modulation Wheel, Controller Knobs, Ribbon Controller, Breath Controller, etc.
The pressure parameter, for example, could 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.
Modifiers, such as the Harmonic Enhancer and Dynamic Filter, are applied after the VL
controllers. Although these may appear to be simple effects, they are actually intimately related to
the VL sound-producing model and have a significant effect on the sound.
Some of the controller and modifier parameters provided by the EX5 and EX5R are listed in the
chart below.
Throat Formant
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.
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 changing the "slit" of the reed.
Pitch Changes the length of the air column or string, and thereby the pitch of the sound.
Scream Drives the entire system into chaotic oscillation, creating effects that can only be achieved with physical modelling
technology.
Breath Noise Adds breath noise to produce exceptionally realistic effects with many wind instruments.
Damping & Absorption Simulates the effects of air friction in the pipe or on the string, and of high-frequency losses at the end of the pipe or
string.
Harmonic Enhancer The Harmonic Enhancer determines the harmonic structure of the sound to the extent that it can produce radical
timbral variations within an instrument "family" (e.g. saxes).
Filter This modifier is similar to the dynamic filters found in many conventional synthesizers, with high-pass, bandpass, band
elimination, and low-pass modes.
Breath Noise
Tonguing
Throat Formant
Growl
Embouchure
Pressure
Pitch
Scream
Damping &
Absorption
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