StringLab

What it does

A physical modelling synth built on Karplus-Strong synthesis. An exciter impact and a noise source feed a bank of up to eight harmonic delays, each with its own frequency multiple, inversion and keyboard tracking, and two independent objects can be coupled in three different orders. Object types cover bells, glass, six and twelve string guitar, metal, plucks, skins and wood. Resonator damping, dispersion, collision, a tuner, chorus, reverb, delay, overdrive, graphic EQ and a limiter sit around that core.

In the demo

Jade first shows the principle in another synth, feeding a short noise burst into a delay and tightening it until a pitch appears. She then opens StringLab on an init patch and adds one harmonic delay at a time, runs eight instances at eight percent DSP, and finally loads it as an audio effect so a held chord passes a drum loop through the model.

Worth knowing

The download is around 47 MB and costs little processing, unlike the sample libraries it stands in for. Dispersion and frequency changes pull the keyboard out of tune, which the analyze and fix tuner corrects. Patch building from scratch is the point here.