Reference Manual
CHAPTER 22. LIVE INSTRUMENT REFERENCE 331
The Input knob is used to adjust the amount of the fork's signal that is fed to the pickup,
which in turn affects the amount of distortion applied to the overall signal. The Output knob
controls the amount of signal output by the pickup section. Different combinations of these
two knobs can yield very different results. For example, a low amount of input with a high
amount of output will produce a cleaner sound than a high input with a low output. The
output level can be further modulated by note pitch via the Key scaling control.
The Symmetry and Distance knobs adjust the physical location of the pickup in relation to
the tine. Symmetry simulates the vertical position of the pickup. In the center position, the
pickup is directly in front of the tine, which results in a brighter sound. Turning the knob to
the left or right moves the pickup below or above the tine, respectively. Distance controls
how far the pickup is from the tine. Turning the knob to the right increases the distance,
while turning it to the left moves the pickup closer. Note that the sound becomes more
overdriven as the pickup approaches the tine.
22.3.6 Global Section
The Global section contains the parameters that relate to the overall behavior and perfor-
mance of Electric.
The Volume knob sets Electric's overall output level.
The Voices chooser sets the available polyphony. Since each voice that's used requires
additional CPU, you may need to experiment with this chooser to nd a good balance
between playability and perfor mance, particularly on older machines.
The Semi and Detune controls function as coarse and ne tuners. Semi transposes the entire
instrument up or down in semitone increments, while the Detune slider adjusts in increments
of one cent (up to a maximum of 50 cents up or down).
Stretch simulates a technique known as stretch tuning, which is a common modication
made to both electric and acoustic pianos and is an intrinsic part of their characteristic
sound. At 0%, Electric will play in equal temperament, which means that two notes are
an octave apart when the upper note's fundamental pitch is exactly twice the lower note's.
But because the actual resonance behavior of a vibrating tine or string differs from the
theoretical model, equal temperament tends to sound wrong on pianos. Stretch tuning
attempts to correct this by sharpening the pitch of upper notes while attening the pitch