Wind Controller - Range of Expression

Range of Expression

Due in part to their sensitive key switching and breath sensing systems the hardware-based wind controllers put precise demands on a player who hopes to play with technical mastery. An accomplished woodwind player may find that a hardware-based wind controller will produce an unwanted note (called a "glitch") even at the slightest imperfection in fingering or articulation technique. As the better recordings show, these difficulties can be overcome with practice.

In contrast to live performance with a wind controller, and in response to these technical challenges, some "performances" are achieved through careful post-processing or note-by-note insertion and editing using a notation or sequencer program.

Virtually all current synthesizers and their sound libraries are designed to be played primarily with a keyboard controller, whereby the player often reserves one hand to manipulate the many real-time controls to determine how the instrument sounds, and perhaps using a foot to manipulate an expression pedal.

Wind controller players do not have access to as many of these controls and thus are often limited in exploiting all of the potential voicings of their synthesizers, but the technologies of physical modeling (Yamaha VL-70) and sample modeling promise more expression control for wind controller players. Furthermore, sound designers are paying more attention to the different playing idioms in which their sounds will be used. For example, certain percussion sounds do not work well with a wind controller simply because playing a struck instrument it is not idiomatic to the woodwind, whereas synthesized instruments that model the acoustic properties of a woodwind will seem fitting and natural to a wind controller player.

A few of the many hardware (Yamaha, Roland, Akai, Kurzweill) and software (Native Instruments, Garritan, SampleModeling, Sample Logic, LinPlug) synthesizers provide specific support for wind controllers, and they vary widely with respect to how well they emulate acoustic wind, brass, and string instruments. A new technology, devised by SampleModeling has specific settings for Yamaha and EWI wind controllers and has succeeded in producing very rapid natural responsiveness with their trumpet and saxophone synthesizers. That said, virtually all current synthesizers respond to MIDI continuous controllers and the data provided by wind controller breath and lip input can usually be routed to them in an expressive way.

An example of a popular hardware synthesizer with wind controller support is the Yamaha VL70m. However, although the responsiveness is admirable, the emulation of acoustic instruments leaves a lot to be desired. It is able to connect directly to the Yamaha WX series of controllers and via MIDI to the Akai and other controllers. Similarly, an example of an excellent software synthesizer with support for wind controller playing is the Zebra synthesizer from Urs Heckmann.