Operation Manual

6.2 The Instrument Modules 45
6.2.1 The Guitar Module
This is where the type of guitar is selected. The Type selector
allows one to choose between steel or nylon strings and to determine
if the instrument is played using a pick or fingers. This control is
therefore used to determine both the material of the strings of the
instrument and the properties of the object used to play them.
6.2.2 The Pick/Fingers Module
The Position parameter allows one to modify the pick position on the strings
while playing. This is a parameter used by guitarists to change the tone of the
sound. Indeed playing near the bridge results in a dryer and more metallic sound
while playing over the hole of the body or toward the fretboard results in a fuller
sound. In its leftmost position, the pick is very close to the bridge. Moving this
knob clockwise moves the pick toward the fretboard.
6.2.3 The Body Module
The role of the body or soundboard of an acoustic guitar is to radiate the
vibration energy from the strings. The body also adds a filtering effect to the
vibration from the string which depends on its size and shape. The body of an
acoustic guitar also includes an air cavity which boosts low frequencies.
The Tone knobs is used to control the amount of high frequencies radiated by
the body which affects the timbre of the instrument. Turning this knob clockwise
increases the decay time of high frequencies compared to that of low frequencies while turning
it anti-clockwise decreases it. In its leftmost position the soundboard is not very present in the
resulting sound while in its rightmost position the filtering effect of the body is stronger resulting
in a brighter sound.
6.2.4 The Global Module
The Velocity knob is used to decrease or increase the modulation effect from the
MIDI velocity signal. This parameter is used to adjust the playing dynamics of the
instrument. Turning this knob anti-clockwise reduces the effect of the velocity from
the keyboard while turning it clockwise increases the dynamics.