User Manual

ARTURIA – BRASS 2 – USER’S MANUAL
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drastically.
8.3.2.2 Damping
refers to the “quality” of reed oscillation and to its ability to vibrate more or less freely.
In practical terms, a musician can play a little bit with these attributes by modifying the
stiffness of the lip that pushes on the reed or by moving the lip’s position on the reed.
The effect of these attributes sets the range of reed oscillation in relation to the air
stream. If the damping is too weak, the reed oscillation at its own frequency (the
mouthpiece frequency without the resonator) becomes too dominant and we can only
hear the false note produced by the reed. By progressively increasing the damping we
change the sound: initially, it will be brighter because the reed enriches the principal
vibration by its oscillations; then, it will be more and more velvety and weak. The two
pressure thresholds approach each other at the same time until the reed will no longer
be able to maintain the oscillation of the instrument.
The “Timbre” parameter in BRASS 2 is a mix of these two physical attributes allowing a
strong margin of sound color variation while maintaining the conditions necessary for
oscillation.
8.3.2.3 Noise
When the instrumentalist breathes strong enough into the instrument, the release of air
becomes more and more turbulent and formulates the sound of breath, affected by the
acoustic response of the resonator. When the pressure of the air is not strong enough to
generate the reed oscillation (below the oscillation threshold), we only hear the sound of
breath; if we were to increase this air pressure step by step, it would begin to approach
the oscillation threshold and the “breath” noise would slowly but surely gain the sound
characteristics of the instrument. Above the threshold, the noise is added to the sound of
the note giving it the real timbre of the saxophone. The proportion of noise in the final
sound is thus adjusted to this parameter. Attention; if the sound of breath is too strong,
the principal note can be disturbed or even stopped.
8.3.2.4 Instrument Control
The parameter setting on the principal BRASS 2 window does not signify that the physical
parameters apply to the instrument (neither when it is applied in a way that is constant
with all the notes nor while playing one note). It would not be realistic because the
instrumentalist does not maintain constant pressure or pinch throughout a musical
phrase; it would not be desirable either because the instrument often needs variations of
parameters to change states: saying that you can either change from one note to
another or silence a note.
8.3.2.5 Envelopes
In regard to the evolution of the physical parameters, there are three possible types of
transitions:
• Attack: when the instrument is silent and the musician plays a new note.
• Relaxation: when one is being played an the musician wants to stop it.
• Transition: between the notes (legato).
8.3.2.6 Attacks
Starting a musical phrase (or passing from silence to a note) can be done in several
ways: fast, slowly, in between, and with varying amounts of energy. The choice of type
of attack is up to the musician, but it must obey certain conditions so that the start of the
note is done correctly. For example, with certain low notes it is often necessary to apply