User Manual

ARTURIA – BRASS 2 – USER’S MANUAL
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the previously mentioned researchers. In fact, the sound produced by BRASS 2 is the
solution of equations calculated more than 44,000 times a second! Indeed, with a
physical model the sound is always in evolution; we told you in the introduction that you
would be impressed by the liveliness of our manual. Since the physics of the most up to
date studies are included in these equations, the model (and thus the sound) reacts in
the same way as the real instrument.
In this way the physical models included in BRASS 2 permit us to simulate innumerable
possibilities of playing on the instrument, naturally reproducing the sound effects made
by changing the valves and slide position, changing the tension in the lips of a trumpeter,
increasing the breath and thus the level of sound (effecting the brass sound)… The sound
of turbulence from the release of air in the instrument is equally modeled on an analytical
base of real sounds.
8.2.1.4 Why is BRASS 2 incomparably easier to use?
The possibilities offered by the model are comparable to those of the real instrument, but
the practice of the virtual instrument doesn’t require the long and difficult training
demanded by the real instrument. Due to this, with BRASS 2 you do not need to know
how to use breath control or tighten your lips to make a note. Why? We have, in a way,
taught the model how to produce notes or desired effects while playing naturally from a
keyboard. This setting of the model parameters has also benefited from recent research
since an optimization procedure was specially developed. The algorithm starts as a
beginner might: it tests thousands of different values, at first randomly, but at its rate of
progression, it allows chance to intervene less and less in its training. By the end, the
algorithm has determined the optimal values for the model parameters to produce the
varied notes and effects. You have nothing more to do than to be inspired.
8.3 The saxophone
8.3.1 Musicians Technique
8.3.1.1 How does it work?
As is true with other wind instruments, while playing a note on the saxophone two
elements of the instrument oscillate in synchronization: the air stream (contained in the
resonator) and the reed vibrating on the mouthpiece. These two components are not
necessarily at the exact same oscillation frequency and can also be different from the
note played; this means that if we played only the reed (by removing the mouthpiece
from the rest of the instrument) we obtain an extremely sharp sound (a false note),
generally above any other note that the saxophone can produce. We can produce a
sound specific to the resonator as well by tapping on the head stock from which we have
removed the mouthpiece. The sound created by tapping on this the instrument will be
rather short, and its pitch will depend upon both the position of each key (open or
closed) and slight variations in the manner of fingering the notes. The playing frequency
of the saxophone is, therefore, strongly influenced by the configuration of the resonator
(size, fingering), but the reed and the pinch of the lips on the reed also play a large role
on the pitch of the note produced.
8.3.1.2 Pitch of the note
As a general rule, the saxophonist selects the note by modifying the resonator
configuration.
From the physics point of view, the simplest configuration of the resonator is with all the
keys closed. In this case, an acoustic wave (periodic oscillations of air pressure and
speed whose amplitude vary throughout the instrument) develops on the interior of the