Dave Smith Instruments SYNTHESIZERS

I'm also a windsynth player, Richard (WX7), but haven't tried programming 
the Evolver for WS.  I can certainly imagine it being great for that.  
Have any Evolver/WS patches that you'd be willing to share? :)

ELby

> newbie here. Someone was asking about using breath controllers. I'm a
> yamaha wx5 player and I've had the DSI evolver for a few weeks and I
> think its an incredible windsynth, very programmable and tiny for
> gigging. Its an terrific sequencer too and just all in all a great box
> to get hold of - inexpensive as well. Programming is fairly easy
> considering its a semi-modular, the UI is really well thought out. It
> has all the razzle and speed of the Akai EVW2000 but a much huger sonic
> range  - closer to something like a Nord Modular (though sonically the
> evolver kicks its ass), going from pretty decent acoustic emulations to
> all out sonic feedback destruction. It doesn't quite have the warmth and
> richness of a monster like the Alesis Andromeda but I think it has a lot
> more going for it as a windynth than the virtual analogues I've heard.
> Something about the way the analogue oscillators and filters follow the
> breath and fingers is just faster and more convincing than the current
> stae
>   of digital, while resonance and ring modulation are just... dunno ..
> real I suppose. There is also a wealth of modulation/delay and feedback
> possiblities and many distortion possibilities... as an adjunct to my
> yammy VL70 modelling synths its a killer, it does everything they don't
> 
> 
> the only real shortcoming is that it doesn't recieve midi CC data on
> 16-18 and 80/81 which as wx5 owners will know is pretty useful. I could
> get a midi mapper I guess, but as it is I'm beginning to think that
> maybe controlling as much as possible just from the breath could be the
> way to go....
> 
> 
> Richard
>

I'm glad to read about Evolver as a wind player's synth. I have a question 
I'm too embarrassed to ask on the wind controllers list. Hope it's not too 
off-topic.

What's the easiest key and scale for an absolute beginner to play on a WX5? I 
just want to record MIDI to a sequencer, and I can re-map note data to any 
other key and/or scale on the way in. 

I love the expressive potential of it, but I haven't gotten around to 
learning any fingering--one of the consequences of Toy Overload. I can play around 
and figure it out if someone tells me (root note and WX5 key) where I should be 
starting.

Thanks!

(Tsk, Stefan smokes. That's tragic. Ah well)  :-(   
 
--Amanda
 _                                   www.cikira.com
|_) _  _||\/| _  _ ._         www.redmoon-music.com
| \(/_(_||  |(_)(_)| | ~~~ evolutionary electronica

Thanks for the words about the WX5, Richard.
 
>don't you find it difficult to
>begin
>something with just so many choices? Do you really use everything or do
>you
>end up working with a narrower number of those tools?

To start off a project, I narrow things to the extent of using next to none 
of them! On the RedMoon pages (URL below) you'll see that I just compose by 
sending loopy pattern data to the most generic of modules. The point is to set 
aside production issues until I've developed a musical idea to the point of 
knowing what kinds of effects I want to create with which tracks. I might put in a 
wobbly pitch or filter pattern that's destined to be an Evolver sequence. 
Then I can play with synths later on knowing what I'm trying to accomplish. The 
maxWerk-developed song structure is just a guideline, so I can stop trying to 
compose and think about voicing.

When I use my app maxWerk to generate a melody line, it's a point of 
satisfaction to substitute my live recording of that line later, along with any other 
parts I possibly can play myself in some way. That's why the WX5 appeals to 
me. 

Because I avoid going anywhere on holiday weekends, my weekend is looking 
like I'll be puffing snd tweedling in C! 


--Amanda
 _                                   www.cikira.com
|_) _  _||\/| _  _ ._         www.redmoon-music.com
| \(/_(_||  |(_)(_)| | ~~~ evolutionary electronica