Breath controller

[stuey]

Hi all,

Originally I was going to get the 49 arturia keyboard but now decided to get the 61 due to playability and the nicer layout of the 61 as regard wheels.  I have Brass 2 and it would be great to expand the playability via a breath controller.

So, where in the UK do you find a breath controller that isn't £500 (akai ewi), Yamaha used to do one called the dc2 I think but seems that has been discontinued

Any thoughts?

Stuart

[Nantonos]

So, where in the UK do you find a breath controller that isn't £500 (akai ewi), Yamaha used to do one called the dc2 I think but seems that has been discontinued

Yamaha used to make a breath controller, yes. The BC1 was followed by the BC2, BC3 and BC3A; they discontinued them in 2011. Since demand greatly exceeds supply, the cost on ebay etc is pretty high for the occasional one that shows up.

I'm pleased that my Laboratory 49 has a breath controler input, but I have litle expectation of finding one and using it. The connection is also unusual 3.5mm mini TRS jack with, I believe, -5V on tip, earth on sheild and the analog signal varying between 0 to -3.5V.

It may be easier to get or make some other breath sensor, connect it to some 12bit ADC (e.g an Arduino board) and outputting either classic MIDI or midi-over-usb.

Some links, hopefully helpful:

http://usa.yamaha.com/products/music-production/accessories/breathcontrollers/bc3a/?mode=model
(the Yamaha site still lists it, no mention of its being discontinued)
http://www.patchmanmusic.com/WindControllerFAQ.html
http://electro-music.com/pm_tutorial/Pipe-Breath.htm
http://www.motifator.com/index.php/forum/viewthread/456637/#519500
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/result.html?p=1&edit_alert=&srch=xprtsrch&query_txt=AN%2FYamaha+breath%0D%0A&uspat=on&date_range=all&stemming=on&sort=relevance&search=Search

[Nantonos]

Oh and by the way, if you do find a breath controller, here is a (free) VST instrument which uses it. The author is doing a thesis on breath control in synthesis, apparently.

http://www.christoph-hart.com/volker/

[stuey]

Yeah, I just missed one on ebay, a BC-1 but would have been great. I have Brass 2  and wanted to use it with that. Thanks for the links

Stuart