# Do reasonably priced breath controllers exist?



## manyfingers (Apr 21, 2011)

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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## Danny_Owen (Apr 21, 2011)

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.


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## paoling (Apr 21, 2011)

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.


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## andreasOL (Apr 21, 2011)

Hello Chris,

if it's indeed a breath controller you're looking for and you don't mind soldering, have a look at

http://www.vi-control.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=18509&highlight=solder

The box from Doepfer is the cheapest solution at the moment.

Best,
Andreas


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## Audio Genetics Lab (Apr 21, 2011)

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


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## Nick Batzdorf (Apr 21, 2011)

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.


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## Audio Genetics Lab (Apr 21, 2011)

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.



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.


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## LOU AU (Apr 22, 2011)

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!


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## Nathan Allen Pinard (Apr 22, 2011)

Matt Traum sells the Akai USB for $300...not 500

http://www.patchmanmusic.com/ewiusb.html


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## Audio Genetics Lab (Apr 22, 2011)

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.


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## Mike Connelly (Apr 22, 2011)

$299 for an EWI is crazy cheap, is it as good as earlier models or did they cut some corners to get the price down?


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## Mr. Anxiety (Apr 22, 2011)

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


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## Udo (Apr 22, 2011)

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.


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.

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## Audun Jemtland (Apr 23, 2011)

Udo @ Fri Apr 22 said:


> Mr. Anxiety @ Sat Apr 23 said:
> 
> 
> > blowing one or the other or both  .



Blow on this...
http://www.stuffking.com/images/Humor_Blow_Me_Olive_Shirt.jpg


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## Nick Batzdorf (Apr 24, 2011)

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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## Mr. Anxiety (Apr 24, 2011)

Nick,

I'm very interested in your breath controller project...... please keep us informed.

Thanks,

Mr Anxiety


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## Nick Batzdorf (Apr 25, 2011)

Okay, the final proto arrived today and it's really playing well. We're ready to make a batch.

Yeah baby.


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## TuwaSni (Apr 25, 2011)

Nick Batzdorf @ Mon Apr 25 said:


> Okay, the final proto arrived today and it's really playing well. We're ready to make a batch.
> 
> Yeah baby.



Nick - be sure to make an announcement here when you have product for sale.

TS


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## Nick Batzdorf (Apr 25, 2011)

Believe me.


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## wst3 (Apr 26, 2011)

Nick Batzdorf @ Mon Apr 25 said:


> Believe me.



Nick may lean VERY far to the left, but he is still a capitalist at heart - we'll know when he has a batch for sale!!! Bet on it...


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## Nick Batzdorf (Apr 26, 2011)

There's a difference between leaning very far to the left and just being shrill like I am.


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## mwarsell (May 1, 2011)

To OP: no they don't. The Yamaha BC3A is now discontinued and hard to find. And that was the only one like that in the market.


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## damstraversaz (May 23, 2011)

here is a solution I use sometimes. I'm actually trying wivi befor buying, and this setup works great with some instruments ( give me the possibility to have some very expressive legato phrases. really impossible to to this with modwheel) . But you will need to make different tweaks as it depends of the instrument, your soundcard and your mic

http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=307610
here is Piz's adress, with some very useful midi plugs http://www.thepiz.org/

this solution need too a gate before AudioToCC. This is a wonderful plugin, and very efficiant in this case. you need to route the midi out from AudioToCC to your midi track. 

hope it helps a little 

Damien


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## sphinx (Mar 19, 2012)

Hi Nick, is there an update about the New Breath Controller? 
I've been bugging Windworks for a couple of years now, they once even sent me a preliminary manual, but it seems the whole thing lost momentum again. 
I even asked for a one-off, kinda paid beta version, since they also have a custom shop, but to no avail (since the release was supposedly so 'imminent' a couple of times)


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## TuwaSni (Mar 19, 2012)

Nick,

Is it done yet? Any links to order one? Is it plug-and-play w/ the CME keyboards (BC3 compatible)?

TS


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## windshore (Mar 19, 2012)

Hey Nick... 
I'm still using the EWI 1000... 
I was looking at the USB to cut down on wasted space.

How about showing us some pix of the new controller.... (maybe a new topic)


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## DocMidi657 (Mar 19, 2012)

Hey Nick,

Can you tell us if it will interface to the computer via USB or will we need to use one of those mini plug converters?

Dave


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## artinro (Mar 24, 2012)

I'd also be very interested to hear about the progress on Nick's controller. How's it going Nick?


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## LOU AU (Apr 8, 2012)

If anyone is still interested in breath controllers, I am selling my Kurzweil ExpressionMate. A very col piece of gear with a large ribbon controller as well. Hoedown anyone? See my post in the classifieds. 
Lou


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## Nick Batzdorf (Apr 8, 2012)

Ah, this is the thread someone mentioned.

I'll post a pic of a prototype tomorrow. The latest update is that we're still "this close." I thought it was going to be March, but it really is close.

We have some of them built, and I'm supposed to get the final PROM (which has higher output, in other words you won't have to blow as hard) for approval this week. I've had a working prototype for a long time, and it's totally stable.

Having said all this, experience has taught me not to make forecasts about the delivery date.


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## Mr. Anxiety (Apr 8, 2012)

Looking forward to your breath controller. It has been a long road, but we're getting used to it. Mike Greene had quite the journey getting his vocal library to market, and we waited and have been graciously rewarded!

Good luck with this Nick.

MR A


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## kgdrum (Apr 9, 2012)

+1
Need a replacement for the bc3a.


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## snowleopard (Apr 12, 2012)

Now for a little story...

Back in 1979 when I first saw, then listened to the soundtrack to Apocalypse Now, I was very impressed by the expressive lead instrument in the track Chief's Death/Strange Voyage, it was Nyle Steiner, who played his EVI. I had no idea what that was. 

About ten years later I came across a guy making electronic music I got to know. His background wasn't as a keyboardist, but a trumpet player. Guess what instrument he had? And one that answered a question that lingered in my mind for nearly a decade. Needless to say, I was very impressed by the EVI.


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## ScoringFilm (Apr 13, 2012)

Any news Nick?

Justin


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## Nick Batzdorf (Apr 13, 2012)

Out of town this weekend but my fingers are crossed for when I get home.


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## Audio Genetics Lab (Apr 13, 2012)

snowleopard @ Thu Apr 12 said:


> Now for a little story...
> 
> Back in 1979 when I first saw, then listened to the soundtrack to Apocalypse Now, I was very impressed by the expressive lead instrument in the track Chief's Death/Strange Voyage, it was Nyle Steiner, who played his EVI. I had no idea what that was.
> 
> About ten years later I came across a guy making electronic music I got to know. His background wasn't as a keyboardist, but a trumpet player. Guess what instrument he had? And one that answered a question that lingered in my mind for nearly a decade. Needless to say, I was very impressed by the EVI.




That entire process for the score on Apocalypse Now is a really interesting story. If you haven't seen it, there is a behind-the-scenes with the music on the "Complete Dossier" edition of the DVDs, and you get to see some of the great synths in action, and hear some of the (occasionally heated) debates among the music creators. Lots of cooks in that kitchen, but they ended up with quite the meal.


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## Daryl (May 20, 2012)

I tried to get a spare BC3A today and there seems to be nothing available anywhere in Europe. Any news Nick? I'm really scared that mine will break and then I'm screwed. :cry: 

D


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## Nick Batzdorf (May 20, 2012)

It's been a long time coming, but I'm really optimistic that June is the month. Finally!

I just got the golden master ROM here on Friday, and the response is now perfect - not so hard that you hurt your salivary glands blowing to get up to 127, but not so sensitive that it's hard to control.


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## Daryl (May 20, 2012)

Nick Batzdorf @ Sun May 20 said:


> It's been a long time coming, but I'm really optimistic that June is the month. Finally!
> 
> I just got the golden master ROM here on Friday, and the response is now perfect - not so hard that you hurt your salivary glands blowing to get up to 127, but not so sensitive that it's hard to control.


Sounds great. Please just sort out a European distributer, so that we don't have to import it. I can't take any more of that sort of paperwork. :wink: 

D


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## ironchef_marc (Jun 4, 2012)

I recently discovered the BC3A through a composer friend. I was amazed by the level of expression this adds and wanted to buy one of those asap. Much to my chagrin, I was very disappointed to find out they are discontinued and pretty much impossible to even find used ones (Craigslist, Ebay none to be found) The fellow who showed it to me has 2 and is shopping for more as he doesn't want to see the day where it'd be without one!

I contacted Yamaha Canada. I was told they discontinued the product because the keyboard it was designed to use it with is no longer made. Since there is a little box you can buy from MIDI SOLUTIONS to plug it into it's still possible to use them.

So I was told that if I could gather a petition of 1000 names they would send the request to Japan and would consider manufacture more of this very handy device.

So I've started one! You can sign here.
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/yamaha-bc3a/

IC


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## ThomasL (Jun 4, 2012)

Good idea!

Signed!


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## clonewar (Jun 4, 2012)

Nick Batzdorf @ Sun May 20 said:


> It's been a long time coming, but I'm really optimistic that June is the month. Finally!
> 
> I just got the golden master ROM here on Friday, and the response is now perfect - not so hard that you hurt your salivary glands blowing to get up to 127, but not so sensitive that it's hard to control.



Nick,

Not sure if this has been covered somewhere else.. But is your controller going to plug into a BC3 style breath controller port, or does it have something like a USB connection or it's own MIDI port?

Looking forward to the release! I also want a breath controller and, frankly, don't want to buy a used BC3 from eBay.

Mike


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## Nick Batzdorf (Jun 4, 2012)

MIDI out.


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## ptrickf (Jun 4, 2012)

ironchef_marc @ Mon 04 Jun said:


> You can sign here.
> http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/yamaha-bc3a/
> 
> IC



Nice one ironchef_marc

Cheers, P 

(only 957 to go)


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## kgdrum (Jun 4, 2012)

Nick Batzdorf @ Mon 04 Jun said:


> MIDI out.



Hi Nick,
This looks like a great product to fill a major void in the market,do you have any kind of eta in mind?
Thanks,
KG


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## synthetic (Jun 4, 2012)

Woot, can't wait. I promised I wouldn't shave until Nick shipped his BC but it's getting itchy.


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## Poparad (Jul 16, 2012)

Any recent developments with Nick Batzdorf's new product? I play guitar and use a Roland GR-55 guitar-synth, and I'd love to be able to add a breath controller to the wind and string patches, but finding a used Yamaha BC3 is just too pricey, in addition to needing to buy a MIDI converter. It sounds like this new product is exactly what I'm looking for.


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## Audun Jemtland (Jul 16, 2012)

Poparad @ Mon Jul 16 said:


> Any recent developments with Nick Batzdorf's new product? I play guitar and use a Roland GR-55 guitar-synth, and I'd love to be able to add a breath controller to the wind and string patches, but finding a used Yamaha BC3 is just too pricey, in addition to needing to buy a MIDI converter. It sounds like this new product is exactly what I'm looking for.


Same here.Update us...


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## HDJK (Jul 17, 2012)

I've been following an auction on ebay for a BC-3 and MIDI converter. It eventually sold for 300 Euros :shock: 

So yes, a reasonably priced BC would be great :D


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## leafInTheWind (Jul 17, 2012)

I'm curious, how does the BC3 actually work? Say if you hold down some notes on the keyboard, they won't actually sound until you blow on the BC3?

On the flip side, how does it work when going through the special midi-out box mentioned above? Just send breath CC?

Curious me is curious :3


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## Poparad (Jul 17, 2012)

leafInTheWind @ Tue Jul 17 said:


> I'm curious, how does the BC3 actually work? Say if you hold down some notes on the keyboard, they won't actually sound until you blow on the BC3?
> 
> On the flip side, how does it work when going through the special midi-out box mentioned above? Just send breath CC?
> 
> Curious me is curious :3



It's my understanding that it's just an expression controller (like an expression pedal) that sends CC data. With my GR-55, I can assign that to do whatever I want. For example, blowing harder could increase the volume, but also brighten the patch or increase the depth of vibrato. I can also set the min and max, so it could be that no sound will come out until I blow on it if I set the min to 0, or it could just be quiet if set to 20 or 30 or something, and then blowing on it increases to 128. I could also configure it to instead control the wet/dry blend of a delay effect or any other modulation. The possibilities!


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## leafInTheWind (Jul 17, 2012)

Cool  I'd love to hear more about how breath controllers are used here, especially what kind of midi CC data is sent out


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## leafInTheWind (Jul 17, 2012)

Sweetness, thanks Blake Robinson! (Love your work!)


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## Audun Jemtland (Jul 26, 2012)

Nick Batzdorf @ Sun May 20 said:


> It's been a long time coming, but I'm really optimistic that June is the month. Finally!
> 
> I just got the golden master ROM here on Friday, and the response is now perfect - not so hard that you hurt your salivary glands blowing to get up to 127, but not so sensitive that it's hard to control.


Can I place an order? :D


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## Nick Batzdorf (Jul 26, 2012)

Yes!

I've held off on making an announcement, since supplies are limited for the next three weeks and we've just been selling to people who contacted me and said they want one as soon as they're available, but please pm me if you're interested.


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## ThomasL (Jul 26, 2012)

Sounds great Nick! I'm in no hurry but eagerly awaiting some more info on this.


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## Nick Batzdorf (Jul 26, 2012)

Actually let me change that: please email me so I can send you information.

recording at earthlink daught net


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## wolf (Aug 3, 2012)

I contacted Nick for more info and asked him some questions which he generously answered. I am pasting the conversation below. 


W: "Where does the air go? as you know, with the BC3A part of it blows out directly at the mouth piece, which makes it quite loud and distracting (I mostly used it with headphones - doubly awkward). Have you found a better solution? related: where does the humidity go? how do you clean it?"

N: "There's no vent - the air just goes down the tube and into the pressure transducer inside the case, and you let extra air out the sides of your mouth. It doesn't make noise like the BC3. (Remember, the reason we undertook this project is that were unhappy with the BC3.)

I've been using it for several months and haven't had to clean it, but you can just take off the tube and mouthpiece and clean them. If condensation is a problem, just pull off the tube and blow it out. As a matter of fact you can put the mouthpiece in a dishwasher! If you ever need to replace the tube, we have plenty more."

W: "What's your experience with holding it in the mouth without the headset? doesn't it tire the lips and jaws?" (comment: the Air Command mouthpiece is held in the mouth; it's not a headset construction like the BC3A was)

N: "No, you just hold it loosely and put it down when you're not playing it. I definitely thought about that early on, but it turned out not to be an issue.

In my experience with the BC-1 - the one that came with my DX-7 in 1986! - what makes your jaw tired is when you have to blow too hard, causing you to tense up your face. That thing made my salivary glands hurt!

We spent a lot of time - a nice way of saying that I frustrated the designers! - getting the response right. You don't want it so sensitive that it's twitchy, and on the other hand you don't want to have to develop brass player muscles to get it up to 127."


PS: Nick did disclose the price and I consider it fair and reasonable - esp when compared to the BC3A + Midi Solutions bundle. And it's substantially less than the cheapest wind controller I found. I leave it to Nick to post the picture and do other announcements when he determines the time has come.


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## dfhagai (Aug 3, 2012)

Ordered mine  can't wait....


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## tom (Sep 2, 2012)

Hi!

Did you receive it yet?

Just curious hear how it is working


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## ScoringFilm (Sep 3, 2012)

Other than the midi solutions breath controller input box (@$199) the only other solution available until now was the fairly poor quality http://www.cme-pro.com/en/product-detail.php?product_id=2 (CME keyboards).

http://www.studiologic-music.com/acuna88.html?product=1 (Studio Logic) have just released their Acuna 88 keyboard which has breath controller input - looks promising!

Justin


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## Nick Batzdorf (Sep 5, 2012)

We're working on a software update in response to feedback from the first batch. Several beta testers - and I - had a different opinion about how much output it needed than several customers do, so we're making changes.


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## Nick Batzdorf (Sep 5, 2012)

But we'll be in stock for the duration when the next batch gets made. It won't be long.


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## Udo (Sep 5, 2012)

Nick, the progress of your breath controller starts to look like that of Chris Graham's design, patented nearly 7 year ago - a modular design that can be configured from breath controller to a sophisticated wind controller (and anything in between), but has not been released (yet), afaik  

Do you remember it? An interesting feature was that it senses the oral cavity optically and uses the resulting data for control.

I just dug out the announcement. Here's the description:

"(...) I've now filed a patent, and can come of my period of lockdown on 
communications. (....).

I am very far advanced on developing an instrument that does this (i.e. 
enable combining vocoding with wind controller fingering), and 
much more. I haven't updated my site in a long time because I've 
filed a patent on key features of the design and had to remain 
silent about it. What is in the patent is different from what I've 
posted about in the past because I've developed new and improved 
ways of doing things, but the goals are the same. 

Basically what I'm developing is a modular wind controller system sort 
of like a Lego set for wind controllers of various types. The 
"engine" is the mouthpiece unit that has the embouchure sensor, the 
main processor, USB I/O, MIDI out, battery power, and some other 
sensors that will allow the mouthpiece unit to be used as several 
types of unique standalone wind instruments. The mouthpiece unit is 
sort of like a breath controller on steroids, and can be played hands 
free on a sort of harmonica holder, but can also be hand held to play 
like a harmonica, and in some other unique ways. It's a very cool 
instrument all by itself. 

The mouthpiece unit also has an expansion bus and mechanical snap 
mount system, that allows other modules to be snapped on to give the 
resulting instrument different personalities. These include a "finger 
control unit" that turns the mouthpiece unit into a full featured wind 
controller. A number of these expansion modules can be stacked for 
more specialized capabilities. 

One that is planned is a wireless USB module that will allow high 
speed, high throughput, low latency coupling to softsynths on a PC or 
Mac. Note that the built in real MIDI out will also allow direct 
connection to one of the legacy synths, like one of the VL's, but I 
believe the future of synthesis is virtual, so that is where I have 
focused the connectivity. It would also be possible to to go 
wireless using a wireless midi units via the MIDI out, but it would 
also be possible to wirelessly connect to a VL by slaving it to a 
wirelessly USB connected PC or Mac (probably one would use a 
notebook computer). 

The USB allows the instrument to be coupled at high data rates to a PC 
or Mac, making available all the powerful softsynths that are 
available, and making available the full processing power of the host 
computer available to process the raw sensor data. This results in a 
very flexible and powerful system. I also aim to allow data to be 
linked directly into a VST hostable module, bypassing the limitations 
of MIDI, but USB MIDI would be available too. 

The first part of the product line that will be ready will be the 
mouthpiece unit. Other units will follow, but I can't guarantee any 
particular schedule. The above capabilities and more are supported in 
the hardware from the outset, but actual availability of features will 
also depend on the completion of software. Features can be rolled out 
in successive versions of the software, which will be user upgradable. 
The system will also be highly configurable by an advanced user, 
possibly including a scripting language in which scripts can be 
created and stored as part of patcnes. 

It's still a HUGE project. However, I have the final mouthpiece 
circuit board finished and built, and being tested now, and the 
injection mold designs for the mouthpiece and housing are done and 
being reviewed. There's still lots of software to write so it's a few 
of months until I'll have something ready for alpha and then beta 
testing, at which point I'll be looking for a few testers. When the 
time is right I'll probaby set up a separate list to communicate with 
the testers and eventually to support the instrument. 

Note also that the physical appearance of the instrument system is 
different from what is shown on my website, but is certainly rather 
cool and innovative. 

I guess I should answer the original question that started this 
thread: My system senses oral cavity optically and uses the resulting 
data for control. I also have tested and plan to use the breath 
pressure sensor as an audio microphone to pick up vocalization, and 
stream this audio over USB to the host computer, which can be used 
like any other audio stream. A pressure sensor isn't an ideal 
microphone as the frequency response rolls off above about 2000cps, 
but for vocoding applications it works just fine. There are some 
other interesting wind controller related things you can do with 
vocalization, so it turns out to be a pretty interesting "controller" 
in itself."


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## Nick Batzdorf (Sep 5, 2012)

Udo, what I said is true: we sold out the first manufacturing run and are updating the firmware in response to user feedback. I've been perfectly candid about what's going on - perhaps too candid.

Vaporware doesn't exist. The Air Command Breath Controller is in users' hands this very moment!


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## Udo (Sep 5, 2012)

Sorry Nick, it wasn't meant to be an attack on your integrity, it was just tongue-in-cheek. I just came across Graham's design, when looking through some old emails and wondered what happened to it and then speculated (not knowing much of your design), if by any chance, he was involved in it (but not because it had been delayed). His design looked very interesting.


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## Nick Batzdorf (Sep 5, 2012)

Yeah, I saw that a few years ago too. It did look interesting, if a little more complicated than it needed to be.


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## tom (Sep 18, 2012)

Hi Udo!

Is there a patent on breath controllers?

Do you know where I can find it?


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## windshore (Sep 18, 2012)

Hey Nick,
I've sent you an email and a PM through VI-control and haven't gotten a response. I'm interested in the controller.
M


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## Nick Batzdorf (Sep 18, 2012)

Sorry Mark, I missed it. Please check your PM now!


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## Udo (Sep 18, 2012)

tom @ Wed Sep 19 said:


> Hi Udo!
> 
> Is there a patent on breath controllers?
> 
> Do you know where I can find it?


Tom,

I don't have the patent details handy (not even sure if I kept them). Just had a quick look for some online info. The link below has background info and descriptions of the various modules, but the picture links to flickr don't work anymore.

http://multiwind.wordpress.com/


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## tom (Sep 20, 2012)

Found a patent on Breath controller for musical instruments

http://www.google.com/patents/US5189240

Is this a problem for any new development?


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## synthetic (Sep 20, 2012)

That whole blowing into something to make sound? Yeah, I invented that way back in 10,000 BC. My patent is on a cave wall in France.

Tom: if you're trying to chill development of any future breath controllers, you're doing a great job.


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## Nick Batzdorf (Sep 20, 2012)

Considering that the patent was filed in 1966 - before the EWI, EVI, WX series, BC series, Lyricon, etc. etc. etc. - I suspect that it won't affect development too badly.


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## Udo (Sep 20, 2012)

Nick Batzdorf @ Fri Sep 21 said:


> Considering that the patent was filed in 1966 - before the EWI, EVI, WX series, BC series, Lyricon, etc. etc. etc. - I suspect that it won't affect development too badly.


The link Tom porvided leads to a Yamaha patent issued in 1993.

What was attractive in Chris Graham's design is that it optically senses the size/shape of the oral cavity and that/those signal/s can then be used for control.

EDIT: Just found some pictures of Graham's design. Only the very top module (before the bend) is required for breath control.
http://blog.makezine.com/2008/05/23/mul ... nstrument/


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## jimmymio (Oct 25, 2012)

Nick Batzdorf @ Wed Sep 05 said:


> Vaporware doesn't exist. The Air Command Breath Controller is in users' hands this very moment!


Hey Nick. Do you have any testimonials? Or are there any users out there that could chime in about their experience using Air command?
JP


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## Nick Batzdorf (Oct 25, 2012)

If so, you wouldn't like what all of them said...because I didn't! 

Several "early adopters" - that is, people who got units from the first batch - wanted it to be easier to blow into than I and any of the beta people did. So what was originally going to be just a firmware change to accommodate that ended up being a hardware change.

Nothing is easy in this life! I liked the way the unit responded before, but what can you say.

We should have the next batch very, very soon. That's when we'll have the official release, and then you'll hopefully be able to read magazine reviews as well as testimonials.


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## jimmymio (Oct 25, 2012)

Nick Batzdorf @ Thu Oct 25 said:


> We should have the next batch very, very soon. That's when we'll have the official release, and then you'll hopefully be able to read magazine reviews as well as testimonials.



Fair enough!


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## chimuelo (Oct 25, 2012)

I look forward to it as I can use Breath Controlling for many things.
I am a loyal vi-control guy as I have held off on the MIDI Solutions method for a while.
For me, it's another tool to make live work easier.
I miss looking like a blowfish with my ancient TX816 Brass Bombs.
They really sucked but was pretty cool for the '80's.

Chingalay Cabrone....


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## marcotronic (Nov 18, 2012)

Hi there,
in case somebody is currently looking for the Yamaha BC3 (discontinued - so you will hardly get any) - I'm selling mine:

http://www.vi-control.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=28557

Thanks
Marco


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## minimidi (Apr 7, 2013)

Hello, I don't know if you are aware of this one.

http://www.tecontrol.se/breathcontroller.html

It is a USB device which only works with a computer. I bought one a few months ago and I am very happy with it. Very sensitive and easy to use. It has a simple but very effective adjustment software which runs on both Mac and Windows.


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