Re: New EWI 4000s In The House

[Per Boysen <perboysen@gmail.com>]

On 19 dec 2007, at 04.38, Brian Good wrote:

> Per made some good points, and I would just add that the first step  
> in building wind-centric patches is to control volume with breath  
> controller (CC#2). How you do that depends a bit on the particular  
> synth, but usually there's some way to use CC2 as a modulation  
> source for the amplifier envelopes. And you'll probably need to  
> adjust the attack and decay times on the envelopes to avoid clicks.  
> If the synth has a legato mode, enable it. I usually enable  
> portamento, but use short portamento times.

Just a short note: If your sound module supports "Expression" it you  
might try that as well, set it up to follow CC2 (or CC11 "MIDI  
Expression" if you want to use that instaed. CC11 is kind of the  
quick key to play most NI Kontakt patches from an EWI). The sampler  
of Logic, EXS-24, has a parameter called "Relative Voume" that I  
found particularly playable with EWI. For software synths that offer  
a general "MIDI CC distribution matrix" for quick control of sound  
design parameters I tend to start out by simply set all channels to  
MIDI CC2 (or CC11 if in Kontakt2). For Glide, if the module supports  
that, I use CC5 (which is standard anyway and what the EWI defaults to).


On 18 dec 2007, at 22.48, Ian Popperwell wrote:
> I guess I wonder (having never played an EWI) how much harder it is  
> without actual mechanical keys?

He, he... how about : it's harder because it's easier - but it's also  
easier because it's not so hard - when you get used to the touch  
sensitive pads and rails. Just don't play it without shoes ;-)

Greetings from Sweden

Per Boysen
www.boysen.se (Swedish)
www.looproom.com (international)
www.ilike.com/artist/Per+Boysen