Interesting Controllers

Awesome, lets talk about alternative controllers!

OK. For just a *few* dollars more, you get all this:

You should check out the P5 Glove

It doesn't look very comfortable... can you still play the keys ok with it on?

For the MIDI musician in a hurry, or those really tight stage accommodations at a club.
Re-defines pitchbending for the doubled-jointed musician in your circle of friends.


And just in case you ever have a call for data transport while opening a can of tunafish, there's this handy little item:
Not recommended for use during air travel. Designed by Norm Abrams in partnership with Bill Gates.

I use the WX5 very often. While the keys aren't as good as they could be (as they were in the old WX7), it's freakinly cool. I have many MIDI Learn assignments, mostly in Rapture for lip and breath, it's cool to see the knobs moving in different directions and ranges when you breath

I tried the EWI4000S at the musikmesse show, and was not that impressed though. It's damn heavy, the pitch bend gizmo is a roller-wheels thing, I possibly couldn't find my way thru in those few minutes.



-René

I use the WX5 very often. While the keys aren't as good as they could be (as they were in the old WX7)

I have the WX11 (baby WX7), too. The keys have a positive tactile point where they "take", about 3/4 down of full travel. I find this helps tell me the note is on it's way (slow attack!) and that I don't need to press any further.

The WX5 key switches are longer lasting, I'm told (WX7/11 were rubber; fatigues over the years), but the WX5 keys only switch on when in full travel, plus some pressure. And there is no tactile "click point" anymore.

I set up the key action to my taste using bits of board; the supplied shims were not differentiated enough. This helps some by reducing the travel.

I prefer the lip set to growl or squeal (on the V70m) rather than standard modulation, setting the wheel to modulation seems more natural to me. I switch CC channels using an old PMM88 midi patchbay.

I have many MIDI Learn assignments, mostly in Rapture for lip and breath, it's cool to see the knobs moving in different directions and ranges when you breath

Oh, no. René, you are an ace salesman... Now I GOTTA get Rap (in addition to DimPro, which I already have)

I tried the EWI4000S at the musikmesse show, and was not that impressed though. It's damn heavy, the pitch bend gizmo is a roller-wheels thing, I possibly couldn't find my way thru in those few minutes.

I am in the process of considering getting one. Difficult to find someone that has one and can give an objective opinion. Pros swear by it (well, the older 3020 really), calling the WX5 a toy. They feel they have more realistic control with the EWI. But there's a lot to get used to. Those rollers, for one, and the fact that the keys don't move; instead you have to keep in contact with one of two grounding plates to complete an electric circuit.

The EWI4000s has come down in price compared to what the older EWIs were so it's become tempting; but it's still not a cheap instrument.

Catched my eye that it was all wireless.

I have downloaded the manual from the Akai website.

As I understand it, the 4000 ISN'T wireless. It has a built-in analog modelling synth, complete with effects unit. This, plus the fact that it is battery powered, means you can connect it's audio out directly to a wireless transmitter. But that has to be provided by the owner; it's not built in. After listing these features, the manual goes on to say "...If you use a wireless system with it, you can play it without a cable."

The early sales literature made quite a thing of this; but the wording was such that many were misled into thinking the wireless was already part of the unit.

Definitely liberating, tho'. The WX5 cable looks pretty disgusting after the gob which dribbles out of the drain hole has run down it after a hard night's playing! I wonder if there is such a thing as a small MIDI wireless transmitter that one could tape to the WX5?

Edit:

(so it's not really selling)

According to what I have read in the Akai forum, they were always highly popular -- in Japan only.

everyone who have listened to ... the other very few exponents out there

I saw a French JazzFusion group use one (old model) on stage. I was right up front pretty quick. But the sounds themselves were not realistic nor dramatic; nothing like what I can get from my WX5 + VL70m combination.

Edit2: Sorry to be tiresome! Just found this pic. You can just see what has to be a wireless transmitter on the lower bottom of the EWI4000s. Definitely not part of the unit. And now that I see it live for the first time - definitely a bulky instrument!

http://www.axetopia.com/news/06_01/AKAI_EWI_MIDI_WIND.html

Ha! Thanks for that link!

You should check out the P5 Glove

Aussie too, it's gotta be good.

Plus, if you thought my MIDI'ified Parker was for pansies, take a look at a REAL guitar (Tom Fryer actually manages to coax some pretty tasty music from this thing too! It ain't just a looker…)



For truly wonderful sounds from a truly weird controller, Leon Gruenbaum is still my favourite (check out Vernon Reid's solo records to hear Leon in action). His Samchillian Tip Tip Tip Cheeppeeeee is about as “DIY MIDI virtuouso” as you can get:

Anyone abusing one of these...Roland AX-7

ORIGINAL: lost sheep

Anyone abusing one of these...Roland AX-7

There's a Yamaha KX keytar being abused in clip in my sig.

Doug

I think she wanted use to see "the fastest finger on the remote keyboard", and she wanted to "have some fun" with it too. I suspect that either a traditional (flat-laid) keyboard or a strapped-on KX would have not given her the same freedom.

On "other odd/interesting controllers", I have a Q-Chord here somewhere. I usually play it as-is, but it is capable of MIDI out - probably very different from a MIDI guitar. I can only imagine what a strummable Rapture would sound like , and so I may have to hook it up.

Doug