What goes into an instrument record

A model is not an individual instrument

Two ceramic walls can differ in thickness; two wooden soundboards can differ in their distribution of stiffness. A model name describes the construction; an individual instrument record describes its specific strings, tuning, sensors, and calibration. A small batch does not eliminate these differences.

The record connects a shared design with a particular object. A changed part geometry belongs to the revision; replacement of a worn assembly belongs to the instance history; a new gesture map belongs to the setup version. These events can occur independently. Combining them into one “latest version” field makes it difficult to explain why two similar-looking instruments respond differently.

The mechanical section

For strings, record tuning and the string set; for percussion, suspension and beater type; for sensor assemblies, mounting positions. An annotated photograph helps reconstruct the assembly better than the phrase “put it back as before.”

A photograph becomes more useful with scale, orientation, and mounting-point labels. SEREIN needs fill composition, free suspension travel, and baffle condition; TESSERA needs striker clearance and wooden-bar mounting. Record a measurement together with its method. A number without where and how it was obtained can easily be mistaken for a tolerance nobody specified.

The electronics section

The record specifies the power supply, board revision, firmware, input assignments, and permitted external signal chain. Local mechanical limits are stored on the controller. The music software must not be the only place where a stop command exists.

Include firmware version and compatible control-map and host-software versions. A checksum distinguishes files with the same name; a backup preserves a return path. Repeat a short validation sequence after updating. If a command arrives but the local controller rejects it because of a mechanical limit, the event record should explain the silence rather than make it appear random.

The musical section

A gesture map, reference study, and short dry recording show the instrument as it was when adjusted. A digital profile also needs the engine version and source audio. Numbers without recording conditions do little to help recover a timbre.

Keep the reference study short enough to be repeated: a single action, hold, release, and pause. Retain dry audio, control data, and monitoring conditions. ORBIT SCORE needs the generator’s initial state and rule version; REGOLITH also needs the source audio file. An identical seed does not guarantee bit-for-bit reproduction after changes to the algorithm, runtime environment, or input material.

Why the batch is small

An assembly run of three, four, or five instruments allows us to compare how components behave and adjust their differences by hand. This is a batch size, not a promise of stock availability. A new mechanical revision goes back to the test bench before entering the next production run.

Comparing instances does not require making them identical. Distinguish acceptable individual timbre from faults and design changes. A NACRE batch is compared for control behavior and setup while retaining notes on acoustic differences. A new revision should explain what changed and what needs retesting. Servicing then continues the research instead of erasing its history.

A practical check

Try restoring a setup from its record after a break without relying on the designer’s memory. Note every point that required clarification of a part position, file version, or startup order. Add those details and repeat the reference study. A useful record reduces hidden decisions and helps the next person understand why the instrument sounds as it does.