Yamaha EX5R - Manual (Page 30)

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Introductor
y
Section
■ Layered AWM Voices
In AWM voices up to four AWM elements can be layered to create extraordinarily rich voice
textures.
Virtual Acoustic Synthesis (EX5 and EX5R only)
Yamaha’s Virtual Acoustic (“VL”) Synthesis tone generation system does not use oscillators, function
generators, preset waveforms or samples to produce sound. Rather, it applies sophisticated computer-
based “physical modeling” technology to musical sound synthesis. In the same way that computer
“models” are used to simulate weather systems or the flight characteristics of aircraft in the design
stage, the VL system simulates the very complex vibrations, resonances, reflections and other acoustic
phenomena that occur in a real wind or string instrument.
VL synthesis offers many advantages in terms of musical performance. Not just in terms of sound, but
also in terms of the “behavior” that makes acoustic instruments so “musical.” For example, simply
playing a note in the same way does not always produce precisely the same sound — the instrument is
responsive and “alive.” Rather than simply controlling parameters like volume or pitch, you can
control characteristics such as breath and reed pressure with appropriate complex effects on the
timbre of the sound.
■ The VL “Instrument” or “Wave”
The VL “instrument” or “wave” defines the fundamental tone or timbre of the sound. The
instrument model consists primarily of a driver — the reed/mouthpiece, lip/mouthpiece, or
bow/string system — and a resonant system corresponding to the tube and air column or string.
One of the remarkable features of the Virtual Acoustic Synthesis system is that just about any
driver can be used with any type of pipe or string. The EX5/5R provides a range of 272 preset VL
“waves” which integrate all of the necessary characteristics, and which can be assigned to voice
elements in much the same way as AWM waves (VL voices can have 1 VL element plus up to 3
AWM elements).
Pipes/String Drivers
EL1 Sample Sample Sample
AWM
WAVE
WAVE parameter
EL2
Sample Sample Sample
AWM
WAVE
WAVE parameter
EL3 Sample Sample Sample
AWM
WAVE
WAVE parameter
EL4
Sample Sample Sample
AWM
WAVE
WAVE parameter
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