Sources
Plucked String
A physical model of a plucked string — guitar, harp, koto, and plenty that never existed.
Learn about it in Oscillators: where every sound starts
How it works
Karplus-Strong synthesis: a short burst of noise is fed into a delay line exactly one pitch-period long, and a gentle filter in the loop softens it on every trip round. The noise “settles” into a tone that sounds remarkably like a real string. Decay sets how long it rings, Bright how much of the pluck’s edge survives.
Inputs
| PLUCK | Pluck! Each rising edge fires a fresh burst into the string. |
|---|---|
| V/OCT | Pitch, 1.0 per octave. Changing it while a note rings bends the string. |
| EXCITE | Feed any audio into the string to make it resonate (a “bowed” or “sympathetic” string). Try noise or drums. |
Outputs
| OUT | The string. |
|---|
Knobs and switches
| Tune | Base pitch. |
|---|---|
| Decay | Ring time. |
| Bright | Dark and woody (left) to bright and metallic (right). |
Patches to try
- Sequencer GATE → PLUCK and V/OCT → V/OCT: an instant harp.
- Noise into EXCITE with no pluck: a bowed, singing string.
Lessons that use the Plucked String
Each one opens as a working patch in the synth.