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Tambura Jiva Bridge

The Tambura is a South Asian drone stringed-instrument. It has a nonlinear bridge called the Jivari. The nonlinearity is created by cotton threads known in Hindi as "jīvā", meaning "life". These threads serve to shorten the string length over a portion of its vibration cycle.

Using Harmonics temporarily disables the Tambura Jiva bridge. The Sitar nonlinear bridge is unaffected by use of Harmonics.

Position

Position of the Jiva (cotton threads) relative to the normal fixed bridge

Offset

Position of the Jiva (cotton threads) relative to the string at rest

Hardness

The Jiva (cotton threads) can be made harder or softer

Sitar Bridge

The Sitar is a South Asian lead stringed-instrument. Its bridge (Jivari) uses a different kind of nonlinearity caused by curving the bridge parabolically, so that the string length is modulated continuously over a portion of its vibration cycle.

A

The A parameter sets the amount of nonlinearity

Offset

Offset applied to A parameter

Mod

Sitar Bridge Modulation amount in percent

Harmonics

Enable Harmonics

Harmonics are played by softly "touching" the string at a node of the desired harmonic while it is being plucked

Harmonics override the Tambura Jiva Bridge, if enabled, until Harmonics are turned off

2nd Harmonic

Move the finger-touch to the middle of the string so that the second harmonic will be prominent

Harmonic Number

Move the finger-touch to the node of the selected harmonic nearest the "nut". Harmonic Number 1 is the defined as the fundamental, so this setting is the same as turning off Harmonics.

Pinch Harmonic On Release

When Pinch Harmonic On Release is on, a pinch harmonic is executed as the note is released (finger lifts).

Bridge > Expert Menu > Harmonics Items

The Harmonics Expert parameters have to do with fine control of the obstruction hitting the string. For definiteness, let's call this obstruction a "finger", since it is usually a light finger-edge that is used in real guitar playing.

Harmonic Depth

Depth of the obstructing finger relative to the string.

Harmonic Hardness

Finger hardness (stiffness) = reciprocal of compliance

Harmonic Smoothing

Finger lowpass filtering

Bridge > Expert Menu > Pinch Harmonics Items

The Pinch Harmonic parameters are analogous to the Harmonic parameters, except that they refer to the harmonic left ringing when a note ends using Pinch Harmonic On Release.