Apple MainStage 3 Instruments - MainStage 3 Instruments

Create basic sounds in Sculpture
Basic sound programming overview
This section covers the creation of basic types of sounds, such as organs, basses, guitars, and
so on. See Acoustic instrument programming examples, Stringed instrument programming
examples, and Classic synthesizer programming examples.
For a detailed look at programming particular types of sounds, see Electric bass programming
overview on page 305 and Synthetic sound programming overview on page 323.
The idea here is to provide you with a starting point for your own experiments and to introduce
you to different approaches for tone creation with Sculpture. As you become more familiar with
Sculpture and component modeling, you’ll find that there are many ways to achieve an end
result. In other words, each component of the sound can be modeled using different techniques
and parameters. This flexible approach allows you to create a brass sound, for example, in several
ways—using the Waveshaper as a major tonal element in one sound or the filter and Body EQ to
emulate the same sonic component in another sound.
It is helpful to have a good understanding of the physical properties of the instrument you are
trying to emulate. Although you can do some research on the Internet to obtain this type of
specialized knowledge, for most sound creation tasks you can follow the general approach set
forth below.
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How is the sound of the instrument created?
••
Is it a string that is vibrating and resonating in a box (such as a guitar or violin)?
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Is it a column of air that is vibrating in a tube (a flute or trumpet)?
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Is it a solid object that is struck, causing vibration (a woodblock)?
••
Is it a hollow object that is struck, causing vibration or resonance (a drum or bell)?
••
What is the instrument made of?
When you answer this question, don’t just consider the body of the instrument. Take into
account the string material—nylon or steel on a guitar, or perhaps the thickness and material
of the reed in a clarinet or oboe, or a mute in a trumpet.
••
Is the instrument polyphonic or monophonic?
This is a significant factor and relates to the next question about how the instrument is played.
Some differences between monophonic and polyphonic instruments are obvious, such as the
inability to play chords on a flute. A more subtle difference involves the way a modeled string
will interact with any currently active string. This, of course, can’t happen in a flute, which is
strictly a one-note instrument.
••
How is the instrument played?
Is it bowed, blown, struck, or plucked?
••
Are there other elements that form part of the instrument sound?
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Changes in lip pressure and mouth position with brass and wind instruments
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Breath or mechanical noises
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Momentary pitch changes—for example, when fingers are pressed into a fretboard, or when
a string is plucked
••
Momentary tonal or level changes—such as when brass players are running out of breath,
or fluttering the valves
After you mentally, or physically, construct a list of properties, try to emulate each component
that contributes to the sound’s character. This is what component modeling is all about.
Chapter 13 Sculpture 295