The Excite parameter describes the string excitation, emulating the characteristics and power of the hammers striking the string, and other elements that form part of the initial key strike.
The rubber hammers of the original D6 age and decay, just like piano hammer felts. Worn out D6 units produce a distinctive “click” when a key is released. This is due to the string sticking to the rubber hammer before being released. The characteristics of this release click are part of each model and can be precisely adjusted with the Click parameters.
Shape slider and field: Contour the attack shape, simulating the hardness of the rubber hammers in a D6. As the instrument ages, hammers wear and split, changing brightness and tone. Negative values—to the left—provide a softer attack, and positive values result in a harder attack.
Intensity slider and field: Set the level of the release click. A negative value of −1.00 eliminates the release click. To simulate an old D6, increase the value.
Random slider and field: Control the amount of click level variance across the keyboard. This slider simulates the wearing of some hammers, but not others, emulating the “wear and tear” of a D6. The farther to the right the slider is moved, the greater the variation between key clicks on some keys. At the leftmost position, all keys have an identical key click level.
Velocity slider and field: Set the velocity sensitivity for the key click sound. The maximum key click level is set with the Intensity slider and the velocity mode is determined with the Velocity mode switch.
Velocity mode switch: Turn attack (key on) or release (key off) velocity on or off. The Auto setting senses if the connected MIDI keyboard is sending release velocity values. If this is the case, the received release velocity is used to shape the sound; otherwise, it acts as if it is turned off.