Klarinet Archive - Posting 000055.txt from 1994/06

From: Myron Bennett <usr3962a@-----.EDU>
Subj: unpopularity of electronic woodwinds?
Date: Sun, 12 Jun 1994 15:55:09 -0400

Getting back to the original question; my answer as to why electronic
woodwind instruments are not very popular is based on the fact that I
have one. (Perhaps I should let you know two things first; that I am
sort of an interloper here, because clarinet is my worst instrument. I
am a very amatuer player, mostly of oboe-EH and saxes (playing EH in a
semi-pro orch, and not much sax outside the home lately 'cause dance-
band gigs are fewer and fewer these days), but unable to resist trying to
play the flute and clarinet and bass clarinet also.)
At any rate, a few years ago I found the AKAI EWI 1000 (EWI = electronic
wind instrument) at a remarkably good price, so I had to get one. It is
a breath-controller and limited synthesizer (the synthesizer is also used
for AKAI's EVI, electronic valve instrument.) The fingering is based on
saxophone, but is remarkably flexible, since it is based on the principal
of some keys lowering a half step, some a whole step, some raising etc....
so that, for instance, the G# key could be used to raise any tone a
half step.
A previous post talked about the awkward octave keys on something he/she
had seen. The EWI has 8 rollers in the left-thumb position, so it is very
easy to change octaves ... yes, 8 octaves!
As to popularity, it is in fairly widespread use. Mike Brecker, a jazz
and studio saxophonist in much demand, uses it very well, with some
modifications to the synthesizer part. And although I do not follow
The Yellowjackets, I do know the sax player in that fusion group uses one.
There is also a similar, but different electronic wind inst. made by Yamaha,
in fairly wide usage also.
Now, with that as background, I still mess around with it on occasion, but
after the fun of learning it, the limited number of tone-colors begins to
pall. One can choose from many erzatz evocations of existing instruments,
and quite a few very synthesizer type tones. Or, if you have the inclination,
can create your own tone color if you can figure out what the manual means
when it tells you how to do it.
So in short, I think they are less popular than they could be because most
woodwind players like to sound like woodwinds ... which are already capable
of very exciting sounds.
That is my report based on what I know. Now, ...
About a month ago, on the Emusic-L list, there was quite a bit of discussion
about Yamaha's new YL-1, which I gather is a vastly improved wind controlled
synthesizer, getting a lot of notice because, for instance, their "bassoon"
tone is much closer to what a real bassoon sounds like. But much of the
discussion in Emusic-l centered on the idea that "..if I want a bassoon
sound, I'll do better hiring a basoonist..." and still wanting a better
capability of making original sounds.
For what its worth, there it is.

Myron