Wind controller

Henkersbraut · Post by **Henkersbraut** » Tue Jul 22, 2003 1:59 pm

Feel free to kick me on the shin if I am making an unforgiveable error here, but I am curious as to whether anyone here knows anything about the wind controller? I've understood that it is an electrical gadget, somewhat resembling an oboe, but I really have no clue as to how they work or anything. I have tried to find information around the web, but I can't come up with anything useful... Help?

(The whole concept of an electronical impulse-controlled flute is a tad poststructural, or what?)

Tony · Post by **Tony** » Tue Jul 22, 2003 2:09 pm

Yamaha (and others) have been able to virtually duplicate the sounds of a $7 whistle... unfortunately, it costs about $500.

Here are a few links to previous discussions about MIDI wind controllers:

http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php ... 303520d281

http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php ... 303520d281

Henkersbraut · Post by **Henkersbraut** » Tue Jul 22, 2003 2:12 pm

Thanks a lot! Sorry, I should have searched first, but I somehow didn't think about it. *sneaks away to look at previous threads*

(Oh, cashing out $500 instead of $7 makes perfect sense.)

MarkB · Post by **MarkB** » Tue Jul 22, 2003 2:16 pm

Beano!

RonKiley · Post by **RonKiley** » Tue Jul 22, 2003 2:38 pm

Is that what the thing is that one of the guys plays in the Emeril Live Band? As I have watched Emeril's show I have been wondering what that strange electronic woodwind was.
Ron

Henkersbraut · Post by **Henkersbraut** » Tue Jul 22, 2003 3:01 pm

Here's one (Yamaha WX11):

BrassBlower · Post by **BrassBlower** » Tue Jul 22, 2003 3:08 pm

Looks much like an illegal automatic weapon to me!

RonKiley · Post by **RonKiley** » Tue Jul 22, 2003 4:10 pm

Thanks for the picture. That's what the guy on Emeril plays. Seems like a lot of trouble and expense for a sound you could get from a cheap whistle. You might have to have several cheap whistles to cover the keys they play in. To each his own.
Ron

Tony · Post by **Tony** » Tue Jul 22, 2003 4:48 pm

Ron, consider this: it's just like any MIDI instrument... therefore you can transpose keys by the mere rotation of a dial, change voices and octaves just as easily!
Having 200+ digital instruments at your fingertips does have it's drawbacks...

RonKiley · Post by **RonKiley** » Tue Jul 22, 2003 5:30 pm

Tony
I guess I would have to see it to appreciate what it can do. I was not impressed by what I heard on Emeril. If it is similar to a MIDI instrument why not just use a keyboard? I guess I have no room to talk since he is making a living playing the thing and all I do is spend money on whistles. But I could stop if I wanted to. Really.
Ron

Tony · Post by **Tony** » Tue Jul 22, 2003 5:38 pm

"...why not just use a keyboard?"

Well, if you happen to be a flute or saxophone player with years of experience... it would seem like the right instrument to add to your arsenal.

Tony · Post by **Tony** » Tue Jul 22, 2003 6:00 pm

I just did some research... Here's a sound sample of the wind controller in the violin mode:
http://www.patchmanmusic.com/SalGallina/03Violin.mp3
impressed ??

This file came from a website tribute to Sal Gallina, the man who helped Yamaha develop the WX 7 wind controller back in the mid 80's

http://www.patchmanmusic.com/SalGallina.html

Daniel_Bingamon · Post by **Daniel_Bingamon** » Tue Jul 22, 2003 7:24 pm

I own a WX-5 Wind Controller by Yamaha with the VL-70m Virtual Acoustic Tone Generator. I've been playing it for 3 years and I'm very happy with its performance. It gives me the maximum amount of music expression of any instrument I own. I have several tin whistles, Concert Flute, three Clarinets, Oboe, Trumpet, Cornet, Mellophone, Keyboard, Piano.

The Wind Controller is not redundant to a keyboard, the breath control information when sent by MIDI to a compatible controller (not just any midi tone generator) gives expression that cannot by expressed on a keyboard. I've done ornamentation on it that can't be expressed on a keyboard.

It has a pitch wheel so that you can bend notes and a pressure sensitive reed (I disabled it - as it gets in the way). Octave and Octave lock buttons. Sounds can be selected by the tone generator or by using the keys on the instrument.

If you want to use it seriously, you need the VL70m Tone Generator to go with it. That's about $1100 investment, but that's not bad if you want a really good expressive flute or other instrument.

BTW - The VL-70m can also be used with their Guitar Controller but I've not seen it in operation.

NicoMoreno · Post by **NicoMoreno** » Tue Jul 22, 2003 8:29 pm

$7 D whistle vs $500 electronic thing... hmmm...
How about:
$7 D
$7 Eb
$7 F
$7 G
$7 E (more like at least $20)
Going down:
$10 C
$10 Bb
$30 B
$40 A
$45 G
$50 F
$60 E
$60 Eb
$70 D
$80 C

Hmmm...
Now add:
$500 Flute
$10000 Bass Flute
$5000 Alto Flute

and:
$500 Oboe
$500 Clarinet
$1000 Bassoon

and more reeds... (saxes etc)
Strings? those aren't cheap...

So.... Which is better again?
$500 electronic thingy, or a $7 D whistle, or $15000+ worth of other instruments

(People might notice I was being conservative, or at least trying. Except for the bass flute. Those things are that expensive though!)

Nico

Henkersbraut · Post by **Henkersbraut** » Wed Jul 23, 2003 12:24 am

Tony wrote:I just did some research... Here's a sound sample of the wind controller in the violin mode:
http://www.patchmanmusic.com/SalGallina/03Violin.mp3
impressed ??

Yup. I've seen it (wx11) played a few times, and now I'll just have to ask the player to give me a thorough demonstration of it without the rest of the band playing as well. God, I really _am_ a nerd

NicoMoreno: but - by the time you've gotten interested in the wind controller, you probably have a couple or thirty whistles already. (But of course I do get your point.)