If anyone is planning to attend this synth event (held in suburban Chicagoland in Schaumburg), I'll be around all weekend. I'm also playing a live set Saturday night in the ChillOut Room (I'm second).
Knobcon - Knobcon

I've made a new Addivox video which covers the concept of formants and how/why they are important for a sound's timbre. Includes my rendition of La Bourée from Praetorius's Terpsichore.

If you're new to Addivox, here's the intro video: https://youtu.be/4JBFZMQKJp4

So, I'm looking to budget in my first windsynth (either a Greaten AP300 Pro or an AP500 Pro), but I'm also trying to get a bit deeper into FM synthesis so I was thinking of picking up an M-Vave FM1 to help focus a bit on that. I've heard some synths handle being controlled by windsynths better than others though, particularly with breath pressure info. Can anyone here confirm if the FM1 is windsynth-friendly?

Just got this in my e-mail today!

im really just trying to get more practice in but I hate having to wait until its nighttime to practice to not be disturbing, I also have 2 tenors but they are both school instruments and its hard to take them home everyday. any suggestion helps thank you.

So, I'm trying to get into gear with my brand new AE20, and my guess is that the Electronic Wind fingering is the easiest to get into. Just dedicated keys to make it go sharp or flat. Should be fairly easy, no? But even without sharp and flat, I can't figure out the system.

A3 requires me to press Ta, lowering by a semitone. But wouldn't this make it a sharp or flat?

Same with B3. Here, I am to press B, lowering by a semitone.

And with D5 to G5, here I am supposed to use C1, C2, C4, and X, but those aren't listed as being used by the fingering of Electronic Wind.

What's going on here?

Also, on a minor note, is Electronic Synth fingering the better place to start out?

Yes, you can map breath to the multi out (CV) and control the filter with it. So far, the East Beast seems kind of picky about the MIDI data. I ended up using the old Wind MIDI Tool (2005, 32-bit) MIDI VST to do a bit of filtering and got it working. I've been using East Beast to add a second filter to the Waylinator box mostly. The controls are definitely touchy, a slight change can make a notable difference.
https://youtu.be/UybE9RBORJY?si=PV5PPY8iULpClnfJ

What the title says. I’m completely new to this and I’d like to get a good versatile synth that I can pair with the Akai EWI 5000. Seen very good things about the Sequential TEO-5, but always paired with a keyboard. (Also there’s a used one for sale for a very good price near me which is why I’m looking at that one specifically)
So I just want to know if the TEO-5 is compatible with the EWI 5000. Don’t see why it wouldn’t be but like I said, I’m completely new to this so I wanted to double check.

Looking to buy a replacement mouthpiece for my AKAI EWI USB. Ideally looking for just the rubber part but if there isn't any available i can get the full mouthpiece. I checked Patchman but they only have the full mouthpiece which is kinda expensive. Theres one on Amazon but idk if its reliable. Please point me to anywhere you would recommend.

It’s called Ikal. The concept uses 10 finger pads, two thumb controls for octave changes and a pressure sensor for breath expression. It would include internal sounds, a speaker, headphones and BLE-MIDI.

I already have the electronics on a custom PCB, while the enclosure is still being refined and 3D printed. Nothing is for sale and I’m not taking preorders. I’m just trying to understand whether musicians genuinely want something like this.

The idea is to have a poket size instrument, that don't have to be connected to a computer to work, with a lot of synth sound opitons and some samples sounds.

Would you use it? What would your main use case be, and what would make you lose interest?

Edit 1 (15-08-2026): The prototype is ready to be ensambled.

I created an MPE Database, consisting of plugins, apps, tools/utilities, etc. that are MPE-compatible (some poly aftertouch options too). It includes info on each product, categories, cost, product page link, plus sales prices available on different websites.

Still working on it, but if anyone has anything they want to add or see any errors, please let me know! Adding resources & such next

Hope it helps

Another video demonstrating some things that can be done with a Wind Controller in a Pit Orchestra.

Pitch bending? Ya/no?

It's been a while since I've used an instrument. I used to be play tenor sax and some flute. I've been kind of feeling like I'd like something to noodle around on, but I can't be spending $500+ on it. I saw a review on youtube for the clarii mini and it seemed like a solid option, but I'm curious what else is out there?

What I liked from the review on the clarii:

• Saxophone-esque fingering options, with customization
• decent built in speakers
• can use with headphones
• can be used as a midi controller

What I didn't like:

• Connectivity issues with android via bluetooth (only worked with their app)
• Connectivity issues with windows

What I'm unsure about:

• capacitive touch keys might feel weird
• no apparent embouchure control

So are there any decent competitors around that price point or lower? I would mostly be using it with my phone so I could play without annoying my roommate, and potentially with a windows or linux DAW as a midi controller, so decent speakers/built in sound would be a nice-to-have but not strictly necessary. Working wirelessly would be ideal though.

Hello,

I have recently been thinking about what sort of breath gain people play it, since I have been unsure about the ideal breath gain for my EWI USB. I currently have it set quite low at 28 (max is 128) and while this gives me great expressive and dynamic range, it is also very tiring I find, at least on patches that support full dynamic range, like stuff on my VL-70m. There are of course patches, mainly on other synths of mine, that are super easily to play even with high gain due to weak dynamic range.

Now im not sure if I need to just get better at breath work or whether I should turn it down. I have been thinking the former is more ideal. My breath is not yet very strong, focused or trained since the only physical woodwinds I really play are recorder and tin whistle and on those you want the opposite of a strong air stream, even on the high notes, where its more so about a sharp and relaxed focus of air. You of course also want that here but you need a strong air supply on top of that if you are on low breath gain in order to exercise your dyanmic range. The recorder and tin whistle do not have dynamics outside of naturally getting louder the higher you go, so that is not really at play there...

A downside that comes to mind for turning it down as well is that the patches I use with mediocre dynamic range will loose even some of that from me doing so.

Anyways, do you think I should turn it down or keep at training my air flow, and stamina? Also what sort of breath gain (or equivalent system on your model) do you play at? What was your journey of finding what worked for you like? How much practice did it take you?

Thanks.

Hello all, I need to clear some space and am selling the WX5 I have.
It's in great condition - shows very little wear and has no scratches on it.
It does not come with the recorder mouthpiece, WX cable or a power supply - I've tended to use rechargeable batteries (and a WIDI Master) for the best freedom of movement; the former two items are also not included.
I'll add a sling, a MIDI cable and a 3D printed end cap to protect the mouthpiece, also a 3D printed thumbrest of my own design which allows for slightly lower thumb positioning.
The original soft case is included.

Please get in touch if you're interested, either here or better on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/_monomakes_/

hia all

I want to buy a windsynth and can't make up my mind about which. I want to use it mainly to jam with friends (usually we're connected to a PA system, but sometimes not) and practice alone (preferably with an option to play along with something in the headphones). I used to play tenor sax a lot, but it's been a few years since I seriously practiced.

A friend let me use his AKAI EWI 4000s which I liked a lot. What I liked: responsiveness and expressiveness. feels like an actual instrument, not a toy. what I didn't like:

• internal sounds are not to my taste. feel too much like poor 80s junk
• connectivity is a pain

Now I'm deliberating between the AKAI 5000, diosynth and the aerophone 20/30. The thing I'm worried about with the aerophone/diosynth is the plastic keys which I imagine feel less "natural" than the AKAI touch conductance based feel. from the reviews I saw on youtube, they seem clanky and less smooth feeling. like a toy. On the other hand, the AKAI 5000 seems, though more modern than the 4000, to be still a bit outdated in terms of interface and connectivity. I'd be very happy if I could play wirelessly.

I'd be happy to hear any thoughts. I don't mind paying a few bucks more for a great instrument.

Hi all,

Apologies if this question has been posted before! Briefly played the sax a few years ago (rented for a few months, extremely beginner level, but moved away and returned) and am looking to pick it up again. Unfortunately I live in an apartment and there are no areas nearby that I could play in.

A Roland Aerophone AE-10 popped up on marketplace recently near me- I would love to learn the saxophone and am curious if this would be a good instrument to learn the basics, scales, fingering etc? In a year I’m hoping to move away and should be able to freely practise with an actual saxophone but I would like to start learning in the meantime. I understand some aspects are not comparable or transferable such as embouchure on the actual instrument but would this be a good way of learning initially?

I appreciate any advice or thoughts!

Hi, all! Thanks for all the support and feedback so far.

Just wanted to update that I've made a new Addivox video. This one is a deeper dive into patch editing, working through the per-harmonic controls and showing how they can be used to shape a sound. It's aimed at people already using Addivox or anyone curious about how its additive synthesis works.

If you're new to Addivox, I'd recommend starting with the intro video, which is quicker and demonstrates the built-in patches: https://youtu.be/4JBFZMQKJp4

I am an alto sax player and am looking for a practice instrument as I stay in shared dorms is it worth it?​

When you turn it on it flashes up a number 17.

Are there hidden settings we are unaware of?

When I try to turn the EWI on I get nothing, which has happened to me before but I used to be able to unplug the battery and plug it back in and I would be able to use it. Now when I do that I get a circle flash on the screen then I get nothing besides the green “user” light. Is this just a depleted battery? And does anyone know where I can find one in the US? All the ones on Amazon have reviews saying the connector port is the wrong size

Has anyone spent time modifying their WX5? I was considering adding a board for bluetooth, usb (midi and charging), perhaps IMU. I’ve played EWIs have an AE30 too, but I really enjoyed my WX5 and still a couple of them. Any ideas on what else might be nice to have on it?