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Do reasonably priced breath controllers exist?

M

manyfingers

Member
writing a new live set having spent the last few years concentrating on soundtrack work and would like to incorporate more brass/woodwind instruments into the mix.

i'm considering getting a breath controller as i'm limited with baggage space getting to shows. i generally have a cello/drumkit/accordian and spanish guitar provided as backline but have to bring additional instruments myself.

apart from the akai ewi does anyone have any other suggestions..

cheers,

chris
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Depends if you're after a wind controller (like the akai) which has keys etc or just a breath controller. There's always the Yamaha BC3 if you're just after the breath part.
 
If you're not a wind player you'll be probably fine with a Breath Controller. The main difference between wind and breath controller is that wind controllers activate the note when you blow inside, while a breath controller only modulate the expression of an already playing note (so you'll probably need a kind of midi keyboard).

There's pratically only the BC3 around, and you can attach to the Midi Solution box or a keyboard with BC input.

A BC costs around 100$ and the Midi Solutions Box around 199$, in alternative you can buy a CME keyboard (the most economical that come to my mind) for almost the same price.
But it seems that BC input in a CME keyboard is about 10 milliseconds later than the Midi Solutions Box (according to Arne Wallander, as he said in his forum).

The Akai EWI USB is around 500$ if I don't get wrong, but it needs some pratice to perform in a right manner.
 
This wasn't a fully scientifically diagnosed result, but testing across devices I found the Yamaha WX5 (woodwind-style wind controller) to be noticeably more responsive and natural just on the breath sensor level than the Yamaha BC3. The BC3 is also surprisingly loud to use, so take that in consideration if you might be doing more exposed performances or have a live mic near you on stage as well.

If you have a woodwind player background I think there are some great advantages to the full controller (either the WX5 or the Akai EWI USB).

Here at the Lab, our trusty old Akai EVI-1000 with it's lovely true analog EWV-2000 synth still gets a lot of love. I have been considering picking up the Akai USB just for a more portable controller and quick MIDI response.

-Zem
 
Those are wind controllers, not breath controllers. They're great too, but a whole different thing.

We've been working on a breath controller (there are threads on it). Supposedly the last beta version is on its way here. I keep thinking we're ready to go, but the last 1% is taking forever and at this point I'm embarrassed to talk about it.

However...while the price will be fair, I fear it won't be "reasonably priced," because this isn't made in China by the thousands with surface-mounted components and automated everything - i.e. it costs a fair amount to make. The whole point is for it to be higher quality than what's out there. You know, the mouthpiece is hand molded, etc.
 
Nick Batzdorf @ Thu Apr 21 said:
Those are wind controllers, not breath controllers. They're great too, but a whole different thing.

We've been working on a breath controller (there are threads on it). Supposedly the last beta version is on its way here. I keep thinking we're ready to go, but the last 1% is taking forever and at this point I'm embarrassed to talk about it.

However...while the price will be fair, I fear it won't be "reasonably priced," because this isn't made in China by the thousands with surface-mounted components and automated everything - i.e. it costs a fair amount to make. The whole point is for it to be higher quality than what's out there. You know, the mouthpiece is hand molded, etc.
Click to expand...

I will be looking forward to it, then. I have long been an advocate that breathing is a more natural gesture than wheels and feet, and welcome any new means of accessing those gestures.
 
The Yamaha BC3 is not very well made. I replace mine every few years. It has the build quality of a toy and is very temperamental. For an input box, take a look at the old Kurzweil Expressionmate. It has a long ribbon controller as well. I used it very successfully until I bought a Motif ES8 which has a breath controller input.
Good luck!
 
If you want to be especially fashionable on stage you could always use a Nintendo WiiMote via bluetooth as your modulation source. They are certainly portable.
 
Can the AKAI-USB be used as just a breath controller, like the BC-3?

This way you could use it in breath controller mode to start, while you get your fingering chops together to use it as a proper wind controller.

Curious.........

Mr. A
 
Mr. Anxiety @ Sat Apr 23 said:
Can the AKAI-USB be used as just a breath controller, like the BC-3?

This way you could use it in breath controller mode to start, while you get your fingering chops together to use it as a proper wind controller.
Click to expand...
Yes, I do that with a Yamaha WX-5. You'll have to attach it to something, e.g. a mic boom arm.

The WX-5 has the added advantage that its pseudo "reed" provides additional controller info, e.g. pitch-bend or whatever you assign to it. The Akai has a "bite" sensor, which I don't think is as effective.

Note that you will have to filter out "note events" from the ò„@çØ„@ê0„@ꘄ@ó›„@óú„@ú „@úÍ„AÄAë„A(~„A(¬„A3ó„A4„A8„A8?„AZV„AZ‹„Ac£„AcÏ„Akî„Am|„Avp„Av—„A…6„A…N„AˆP„Aˆ}„AŠ„AŠ:„A•ð„A–„A›®„Aœ „AŸu„AŸ„A­'„A­c„Aµ€„Aµ¶„Aº¶„AºÜ„A½1„A½[„AÇ€„AÇ
 
It's also four octaves rather than eight.

**
Update - I'll have what I think will be the final beta of our breath controller this week. Then we'll go into manufacturing.
 
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