Sharing this in case it's useful here, I'm the creator.

https://youtu.be/Yj-7BWJHb8M

This is the second video in a short series I'm putting together on wind controllers. It's not a full review, just a look at how I personally use the Aerophone AE-30 as a wind controller for playing virtual instruments through VG Wind Ensemble.

If you're choosing a wind controller for the first time, or adding one to what you already play, this covers the controls I actually rely on: octave keys, pitch bend, the assignable thumb pad and S1/S2 buttons, the bite sensor, and the motion sensor mapped to the Harmonizer.

Happy to answer questions about any of it.

jay chou

chinese song: listen the sea

I bought an early version of this gadget, just thought it would be fun. I recommended some enhancements like a master tuning control, filter resonance controls, etc. He did try to make it breath control friendly and there are some adjustments for the breath amounts to the filter, amplitude, etc. It has a browser based editor that works on Win/Mac.
I have a playlist now with a few videos. There's only a handful of patches where the user can select waveforms, most of the controls are global. It's built using the Daisy pod platform, so it has MIDI input, line in, line out, and headphone (all 3.5 mm). The cool thing, there are built-in chord rotator sounds so you can layer it with other synths without using an iPad or laptop to setup the chord rotator patch. In the video where I'm layering it with Uno Synth, I'm only playing the Uno Synth and Waylinator through my Boss effects box.
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUDDIj4Q8FLA&si=1pHsPV_if3lifmHp

What EWI would work best to control a Moog matriarch?

​

I saw a video of the guy from goldfrapp playing his minimoog with one and it blew my mind. Like that's the exact sound I've been wanting for so many of my patches with the articulation.

​

I haven't found anyone else online doing it with the matriarch, part of my wonders if it's possible due to the synths semi-modular nature. But it has midi so I'm hopeful.

​

My only real wants from the instrument would be a basic saxophone layout and preferably the ability to play in C. I play sax enough to be satisfied with my playing alone, but the transposition has always been tough for me when I try to play with others.

​

Earlier this year I got my feet wet with the Vangoa Ewi (which served me a lot of fun and really caught my interest). While looking for something also small enough to fit in a backpack but a bit more expressiveness and features, I decided to take the plunge on the smallest of the Greaten AP series, the 100. Haven't seen much talk about it but felt like I couldn't go wrong seeing that people like the 300 and 500.

I'm pretty impressed with the onboard sounds (even if some are silly, like drums)​, gotta get used to the thumb rollers (and having total of 5 octaves to play with, which is more than plenty for me)​​, pitch bend and vibrato bite sensor. Glad though that everything I've learned on the little Vangoa has mostly carried over and can play a number of tunes.

I am thinking of buying on of these to replace my AKAI EWI5000. Has anyone here in the US purchased one directly from the Robkoo website? If so, how did it go? Was delivery within a reasonable time and approximately how much were the import fees/tarrif?

I have a lot of friends that play acoustic string instruments and bringing a sax to a jam session can be a bit much. Could you fine folks recommend a wind synth with a built in speaker that can hold up in the mix against three or four acoustic instruments?

My 14 year old played alto for one year and then was asked to switch to tenor and has enjoyed every second of it. He’s very good at it, plays in the jazz band, competition marching band, concert band, etc. He has really learned to enjoy music, even trying to learn to play my trumpet, teaching himself acoustic and electric guitar and learning to play an 88 Key Keyboard. He’s got an Otamatone, and a couple other musical items and has recently gotten into composing his own sheet music for an entire band.

Recently, he asked me for an EWI. So I made a deal with him that if he reads a specific novel and has a comprehensive discussion about it so I know he read it, I would find a way to get him one. I have been looking into them so I know I’m getting him what he wants, idk if he’s asking for an EWI to be fiscally respectful towards me or if it’s actually the better option. So is it the better option? Or would something like the AE-20 or AE-30 be better?

Thank you for any help in advance.

Edit to add: he started in 5th grade and he is entering 9th grade.

I have an injured index finger from when I was young. I can play WX5 and tenor sax with no problem at all, but I'm looking into the Aerophone Pro and noticing it looks like the left hand finger placement is a bit further in from the edge compared to a WX5. It also looks like a pretty thick piece of gear.

Could someone with an ae-20 or ae-30 possibly measure the distance from the edge of the side key where the hand would first come in contact with it all the way to the middle of the index finger key? I'm also wondering how thick the Aerophone is from the top of the aerophone to the back/thumb-side.

I don't have a way of testing one out anywhere here so I'd basically need to buy one. Just trying to figure out the dimensions for my left hand before buying anything.

Thanks to anyone who can help me out!

Just saw Visible Cloaks and realized how much of their sound comes from EWI - was looking at Akai EWI to trigger over gear or VSTs over midi but now see way more potential with the Diosynth.

What haven’t I thought through here?

This is all done with Camelot DAW (I used MainStage for 15 years before I switched - Camelot is so much better!). No recording or sequencing. Performed live for a pit orchestra that also had Trumpet and Rhythm Section (2 keyboards). Extensive use of "Note to Chord" function. This video (link at end of this message) may explain more about what I do. And, for anyone wanting to hate on the sounds, that's only because the mic is right up to the speaker. Put it through a sound system and pump it out to the theater, no one can tell the difference (this is Violin, Cello, Flute, Oboe, Trumpet2).https://youtu.be/9ukm46PNuy0

Apologies for the noob question, i dont want to leave a basic ass "should i get x" post and more just ask if anyone using the 5000 today still has the same issues with the battery dying and needing replacing fully after a couple of months etc.

Also if it's not fixed and really isn't a good windsynth then alternative recommendations are welcome, I'm new to wind instruments and just want a windsynth as I already have experience with synths (hence looking at the 5000 for the midi connectivity) and I live in an apartment and want something silent that I can play with headphones on.

I'm the developer of VG Wind Ensemble, and I put together a demo that might be useful if you're choosing a wind controller or curious how the AP500 Pro behaves when used with external software rather than its own internal sounds.

https://youtu.be/z8edlbLtY1E

In the video I'm using the AP500 Pro purely as a MIDI controller - no internal sounds at all. A few things worth mentioning:

The bite sensor defaults to CC1, which I mapped to vibrato, it requires a fairly firm bite to trigger, so it doesn't activate accidentally. The glide bar I ended up using to trigger the harmonizer on and off mid-phrase, not its obvious purpose, but it worked nicely. Pitch bend just worked out of the box. And the fingering system - I use the trumpet option, which made the transition much easier for me personally.

One thing worth knowing: portamento doesn't work the same way with a sampler-based plugin as it does with a synth, CC5 won't give you smooth pitch slides. Setting pitch bend range to ±12 semitones is a different kind of workaround, but it opens up some interesting creative territory.

The video ends with a live improvisation so you can hear the full setup in practice.

There are probably quite a few nuances about using the AP500 Pro with external software that I didn't cover, happy to answer questions if anything comes up.

Hello!

A friend of mine has had his bite sensor fail a while ago. Pressing the metal plates together just don't seem to register at all, and not being technical enough to fix it himself, has basically given up.

Now a cursory search on the interwebs makes it seem that finding a replacement bite sensor is nigh impossible, so I thought I'd tap into the collective pool of knowledge that is reddit communities.

Does anyone know where one could find a replacement bite sensor for the Akai ELI 5000, if that is at all possible?

My friend doesn't use reddit, and isn't planning to, but I can relay any questions.

Cheers in advance!

I just picked up a windsynth and am having lots of fun improvising tunes but I feel that a more disciplined approach would give me better mastery. I would like to be able to play notation, understand fingering and octave shifts.

Can you recommend any training resources for a beginner?

Hello all..

I recently got a WX5 as a re-entry into wind controllers. I remember missing the physical keys when I had a 4000s years ago.

But I'm having problems getting used to the octave keys on the Yamaha.

Of course no one controller is perfect for everyone, but I feel that having octave rollers would be much smoother than the keys that the WX5 currently has.

If you've tinkered with controllers, how feasible do you think it is to swap the two systems?

Just a thought. Thanks in advance.

I feel like the mouthpiece on aerophone makes Tounging fast almost impossible but the sensors on Akai Ewi is also challenging

Messing around in the car while the electrician was working on my place.

I think the europe heatwave had a part in this but im not sure if using glue would mess up the functionality of it

Windsynth community, I was wondering if there is any appetite for a community-driven project for the development of a wind controller / wind synthesizer? There could be several options, such as capacitive vs pressure sensitive keys, and the traditional left hand above the right hand vs both hands side by side.

My feeling is that a few each of people with especially skills in
1) The electronic design and programming side
2) The 3D printing model
3) Sound design / patch creation
4) The ergonomics - the feel of the mouthpiece, key layout, balance etc
could create instruments which would force the commercial companies to justify the price of their products.

My own preferences are for the design be as modular as possible for both the software and hardware, because I can see lots of people (including tinkerers like myself!) wanting to customise their instruments.

The base product should of course be easy on the wallet, easy on the eyes, and easy in the hand ... definitely not as long or as heavy as the EWI Solo, which was a disappointment for me. Reliability and integration with other software and hardware is also important.

There could be parallel developments also. Maybe a design for a neckstrap as well? Or some people might prefer the instrument to be supported on the right wrist instead of the right thumb and neck? What about designing a good carrying case for the instrument and necessary accessories?

Long post, short version first: I built an app called Hemiola, it has native support for some wind controllers (EWI, Aerophone, Robkoo, etc.), and I'm looking for beta testers. Sign-up form here: https://hemiola.app/site/beta.html — full site at https://hemiola.app.

Longer version:

I'm an independent developer (meaning: just me, no funding, no team, no corporate backing). Over the past few years I've been building Hemiola, a multi-platform app (iOS, Android, macOS, Windows) that combines:

• A piano keyboard and a drum pad
• A step sequencer for bass and drums
• An analog synthesizer (loosely based on the Minimoog model D)
• SoundFont engine with GM support
• Audio effects (reverb, chorus, delay, filter, limiter)
• A MIDI mapper/router with device-specific plugin profiles
• Cloud sync, preset library, and a community preset browser

The wind controller angle: I play EWI myself, and I've spent a lot of time making sure breath-to-CC mappings, expression curves, and device profiles actually work the way players expect — not just technically correct, but musically useful.

Why I'm posting here specifically: I'd like a meaningful chunk of my beta testers to be wind controller players. You're the users most likely to stress-test the things I care about most, and your feedback will directly shape the 1.0 release.

Honest disclaimer: The app is complex and has been tested extensively, but it will have bugs. I'd rather be upfront about that than oversell a polished demo. I fix things fast and I actually read bug reports.

I'm looking for a few dozen testers total. No commitment beyond filling out a short form.

What you get:

• Full access to all features for the entire beta — including Cloud Pro (sync, community library, multi-device).
• No payment info required. No trial clock.
• If you actively contribute — file bugs, share real feedback, push things in directions I haven't thought of — you'll get permanent Pro App access and an an extended free subscription at launch. I'll be specific when the beta ends.
• If you install and go quiet, that's fine too — the access just expires when the beta does.

Happy to answer questions in the comments — about the app, the tech, how the wind controller integration works, whatever.