# Headset breath controller?



## Studio E (Jan 8, 2019)

I've seen the Hornberg one and also the TEC breath controller. There is a huge difference in price. I have been wanting to update my wind libraries and am now thinking, thanks to someone's suggestion on VI, that I might want to buy into the SWAM instruments. 

All the demos show them using a headset breath controller and it seems really really cool. I don't want a wind-style controller as I've never really played an instrument like that. I think the combination of one of these while playing the keyboard is my best bet for sure.

Are there other models I should consider? If it's between the two listed above, is there really $650 worth of difference between the two?

Thanks!


----------



## scoble08 (Jan 8, 2019)

Studio E said:


> I've seen the Hornberg one and also the TEC breath controller. There is a huge difference in price. I have been wanting to update my wind libraries and am now thinking, thanks to someone's suggestion on VI, that I might want to buy into the SWAM instruments.
> 
> All the demos show them using a headset breath controller and it seems really erwally cool. I don't want a wind-style controller as I've never really played an instrument like that. I think the combination of one of these while playing the keyboard is my best bet for sure.
> 
> ...



Can't speak for the Hornberg but TEC BBC2 is now essential for me when creating wind instrument parts and synth textures. I have AM's The Saxophones and The Violin. I now don't even boot them up without the BBC2.
Highly recommended!

By the way, if you decide on the BBC2, I suggest ordering the Breath Controller Mouthpiece - Soft. For me, made a significant difference when working for extended times with the BBC2.


----------



## Studio E (Jan 8, 2019)

scoble08 said:


> Can't speak for the Hornberg but TEC BBC2 is now essential for me when creating wind instrument parts and synth textures. I have AM's The Saxophones and The Violin. I now don't even boot them up without the BBC2.
> Highly recommended!
> 
> By the way, if you decide on the BBC2, I suggest ordering the Breath Controller Mouthpiece - Soft. For me, made a significant difference when working for extended times with the BBC2.



Do you feel like it controls in a natural, intuitive way? I've never used one before, so it'll be a bit of a learning curve I'm sure, but just like a cheap keyboard controller drives me nuts if I feel I can't convey the part through the hardware, do you notice any limitations? Does it seem to smoothly work through the whole dynamic range? Thanks so much!


----------



## Quasar (Jan 8, 2019)

I had the same question, but decided that the Hornberg was so expensive that it didn't make any difference, so a TEControl BBC2 is currently on order, in the mail... 

...Based on anecdotal web searching, It seems that almost everyone who uses this likes it (unless one dislikes using this kind of device at all), and that it works as advertised. This was the most helpful video intro I found:


----------



## Ale8ory (Jan 8, 2019)

I've been using the TEC controllers for a couple years now and use it on everything, not just SWAM and Samplemodeling. I've played winds as well as piano so it's very intuitive for me and makes phrasing so much more natural. Additionally the company is very supportive of their products and quick to respond to questions.


----------



## Studio E (Jan 8, 2019)

Ale8ory said:


> I've been using the TEC controllers for a couple years now and use it on everything, not just SWAM and Samplemodeling. I've played winds as well as piano so it's very intuitive for me and makes phrasing so much more natural. Additionally the company is very supportive of their products and quick to respond to questions.



This is great to know. Thank you


----------



## scoble08 (Jan 8, 2019)

Studio E said:


> This is great to know. Thank you



I played saxophone for years b4 switching to guitar/keyboards, so it wasn't so hard for me to get the basics (i.e breath for expression, tonguing notes, bite for vibrato). However, setting up the other to parms of the BBC2 (nod, tilt) have been a little more challenging. 
You don't have to make drastic movements like in some vids. The software lets you adjust the amount of movement necessary to get the effect you want.


----------



## d.healey (Jan 8, 2019)

I've used the original Tecontrol breath controller for a few years and upgraded to the bite and breath controller 2 (with the soft mouthpiece) last week. The base functionality of the original controller is pretty much the same except the bleed valve is better and the mouth piece itself is way more comfortable. It's also nice that I don't have to drain a tube of spit after I've finished now since the tube is not required with the new model  The bleed valve is also nicer to control and the integrated headset is very good. I haven't done much with the bite, nod, and tilt controllers yet but from testing it they seem to be exactly as described and work really well.

My only problem is the utility software only runs on Windows and Mac (neither of which I use) so I can't adjust the curves, but I'm going to plug it into a friend's PC and configure it. The settings are saved on the device, so once I have it setup I'll be able to plug it back into my system and it will be perfect.


----------



## RobertS (Jan 10, 2019)

I've been using the TEControl basic USB model successfully for some time. As I've already explained in another thread: a while ago, thinking it would be a lot better given the price difference, I purchased a HB1. This was a total disappointment. I found the TEControl is more responsive to fast breath changes, the HB1 felt slow and sluggish in comparison. I played a lot with all HB1 parameters but in the end I concluded it's just the way it is, so I sent it back for a refund.


----------



## stubbsonic (Oct 4, 2020)

For anyone following this thread, there is a very promising product in development called Photon. I've had fun conversations with the developer and he gave me a very impressive demo.









THE PHOTON - Handfree midi controller / mouthpiece


IMOXPLUS will bring a high-tech handsfree midi controller / mouthpiece on the market (the Photon). This innovate mouthpiece is invented Chris Graham. It is called Photon because it uses light to measure changes. We have many other product ideas in mind for the wind & breath controller market...




www.midi.org













Photon mouthpiece







mailchi.mp





I've been following this periodically.


----------

