Muskoka
Saxophone Society           

The “Wind Synthesizer” and Physical Impairments

by Gerry Gerhart

I have played the Yamaha WX5/vl70m combination of wind controller and physical modeling tone generator for three years now. The combination is wonderfully realistic and responsive and has now become my instrument of choice. I thought it might be of interest to the community to note an additional reason for the woodwind player to consider this instrument as not merely an oddity or toy.

Consider the clarinetist or saxophonist who encounters major dental difficulties such as the necessity for dentures or reconstructive surgery to the jaw. He/she faces months of healing before the teeth and mouth can begin to re-assume a reasonable embouchure. During this period, there is no possibility of practice or playing. Indeed, such activities will most probably be detrimental to the healing process. There is no recourse for one who wants to play, but can’t, but to sit on the sidelines and wait for healing to complete before even beginning to regain technique and embouchure. In the meantime, the skills so patiently acquired through a lifetime of practice and performance slowly but surely begin to slip away, and we all know how difficult it can be  to “regain your chops” after only the slightest of time away from your instrument! In this instance, the wind controller, requiring very little in the way of strength or dental stability can come to the rescue! The Yamaha WX5, for example, comes equipped with a “recorder” type mouthpiece, which requires no more jaw pressure than a penny whistle! Pitch bends and “scoops” can be accomplished by using the built-in pitchbend wheel. Vibrato can be programmed in to add warmth to the tone and breath pressure so set that the slightest breath results in a tone produced. The player is no longer relegated to the total absence of the ability to participate and is able to resume, at the very least, some participation in the music he so loves.

Also, consider the brass player with, God forbid, a serious lung disorder. As mentioned above, the wind synthesizer can be set up so that the least breath will produce a tone. True, the Yamaha WX5, being basically a woodwind emulator, will not be of much use in the case, but the Akai EVI (Electronic Valve Instrument) or MDT (Morrison Digital Trumpet) can be a godsend in this instance. Fingering identically to the 3-valve instrument and sharing the ability to be as sensitive to breath response, it could easily become the answer to this performer’s prayer.

These instruments are NOT CHEAP, being true instruments and not toys, but the blessing is that they can, in most instances, be rented for the expected time of recovery and can provide a real alternative to inactivity at a time when our spirits are lowest.

 The above examples are only two of any number of scenarios where electronic instruments can be the “ray of light” for those of us who can no longer, for purely physical reasons, play our instrument of choice. Others will easily come to mind if we can put aside our prejudices and realize that it is the player that makes the music – the horn is just the means to an end!

Akai EVI

Morrison Digital Trumpet

Yamaha WX5

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