CHAPTER 23. LIVE INSTRUMENT REFERENCE
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In addition to serving as organizational aids, Collision's tabs contain LEDs that light up to
indicate that their contained sections are active. Disabling unused sections can save CPU.
23.2.2
Excitator Tab
The Excitator tab contains parameters for the Mallet and Noise sections. These model the
behavior of a mallet striking a surface, and provide Collision's fundamental sound. These
section's parameters only control the initial impulse, which is a much smaller component of
Collision's overall sound than the resonators.
Note that if both the Mallet and Noise sections are turned off, Collision will not make sound.
The Mallet Section
Collision's Mallet
Section.
The Mallet section simulates the impact of a mallet against a surface. The parameters adjust
the physical properties of the mallet itself.
Volume controls the overall output level of the mallet section, while the Noise knob sets the
amount of impact noise that is included in each mallet strike. This is useful for simulating
the chiff sound of a felt-wrapped mallet head. The Volume and Noise parameters can be
modulated by pitch and velocity by adjusting the K (Key) and V (Velocity) sliders, respectively.
The Stiffness knob adjusts the hardness of the mallet. At low levels, the mallet is soft, which
results in fewer high frequencies and a longer, less distinct impact. As you increase the
stiffness, the impact time decreases and high frequencies increase. This parameter can also
be modulated by pitch and velocity via the Key and Vel sliders.