Instruments and Effects

Chapter 28 Sculpture 467
Excite and Disturb Object Parameters
The following parameters are used to excite, disturb, or dampen the string.
Important: At least one object must be used, as the string itself does not make any
sound!
As you’ll discover shortly, there are a number of different string excite models such as
blow, pluck, bow, and so on. Needless to say, these quite radically alter the general
timbre of the string’s attack phase, resulting in bowed or plucked flute and bell sounds,
or guitars with a flute-like blown sound.
Judicious use of the object parameters can deliver very accurate emulations of real-
world instruments, or sounds that are altogether more other-worldly.
A particular aspect of component modeling to note is that each additional disturb/
damp object that is activated will impact on the string. This will, in turn, alter the
interaction of any other active object with the string, often resulting in a completely
different character to your sound.
Obviously, changing the sonic character is the reason why you would use a new object,
but the pluck and blow combination you selected may sound like fingernails on a
blackboard—rather than the plucked pan flute you were going for—depending on
other string settings.
As such, you need to pay special attention to the type and strength of objects. You may
find that the flavor of the excite object (1 or 2), for example, has changed
significantly—and you may need to adjust or change the parameters of all objects (and
perhaps several string parameter values) after introducing a new disturb/damp object
(2 or 3). Similarly, the selection of a different type of excite object will impact on the
disturb/damp objects (and the string, obviously), and therefore the character of your
sound.