Sylfid-f1 is a VSTi /
AU audio plugin that generates sounds
based on a new physical model of strings.
The goal is not to emulate any existing instrument,
but to create a new musical instrument.
The model consists of a set of two strings for each of the 88 keys.
A virtual hammer strikes the strings. The vibrations are converted to sounds.
The model doesn't use any samples: everything is computed in real time.
This gives the freedom to change any parameter of the model,
allowing to tune the instrument in many different ways, and to produce a wide variety of different sounds.
For instance, you can change the material the strings are made of from plastic to metal, or
adjust the shape and hardness of the hammer along with its position on the strings.
All these properties can be modified on a per string basis, as you can see on the picture above.
Another benefit of the simulation is that there are no discontinuities between the notes, or between
different velocities.
Sound examples
Here are a few simple examples:
bright tone
This is the same simple scale played with different settings:
metallic
plastic
untuned
xamba
Note that there is no reverb in these examples, this is just the output from Sylfid-f1.
The sustain of the notes is directly the result of the vibrations of the strings.
This is again the same scale but the hammer's position changes:
default position
hammer closer to the left pin
hammer closer to the center of the string
Specifications
88 keys.
2 strings per key, a total of 176 strings, for a more natural and lush sound.
1 hammer per key.
damper as on a piano (sustain pedal.)
Sylfid-f1 is a VSTi / AU plug-in available on Windows and Mac OSX.
The simulation is a CPU intensive process. Our technology is fast enough to compute the
simulation in real-time, but a two cores CPU is recommended.
Sylfid-f1 is multithreaded: it uses all the available cores / CPUs of your computer.
Our technology is not based on "delay lines" as some other engines, here it's the real thing.
