Yamaha WX5 Wind MIDI Controller: Plays like a woodwind, Sounds like... Anything You Like!

Extraordinary Playability and Versatility

The Yamaha WX5 Wind MIDI Controller takes wind MIDI control to new levels of performance and playability. With precise, responsive wind and lip sensors, a choice of single-reed or recorder type mouthpieces, and a range of fingering modes, the WX5 makes expressive wind control more accessible than ever before. The WX5 gives experienced wind players a new medium and vastly expanded sonic possibilities in a familiar format, playable enough for beginners.

Expressive Controls: The WX5 provides expressive control and nuances that are simply not available with keyboards or other MIDI controllers. Although it is ideal for use with just about any MIDI tone generator or synthesizer, combined with a state-of-the-art tone generator such as the Yamaha VL70m Virtual Acoustic Tone Generator, the WX5 is capable of expressive depth and tonal subtlety that rivals the finest acoustic instruments.

Most Advanced: The Yamaha WX5 Wind MIDI Controller is simply the most advanced, most versatile, most playable and most expressive MIDI controller of its kind.

If You Already Play a Wind Instrument…

The WX5 is your key to vastly expanded expression and musical scope. You'll be able to use familiar fingering and techniques to play an unlimited range of new sounds. Play the WX5 like a saxophone, for example, but sound like a trombone, piano, electric guitar, bass … literally any sound that gives you the musical effect you want. Why leave this type of sonic versatility to the keyboard players?

If You've Never Played a Wind Instrument Before…

The WX5 is easy to learn. You can choose a fingering that you're most comfortable with right from the beginning. And, unlike an acoustic wind instrument, it doesn't take months of practice just to get a decent tone. The reedless recorder type mouthpiece supplied in addition to the saxophone type mouthpiece makes playing even easier. An extensive range of customizable parameters lets you set up the WX5 to play the way you want it to.The WX5 can open the door to a whole new world of expression.

Play Any MIDI Tone Generator: MIDI, the Music Instrument Digital Interface, is the standard used by virtually every modern MIDI tone generator or other electronic music device available from any manufacturer. Since the WX5 is a 100% MIDI-compatible controller, it can be used to play any MIDI tone generator on the market today – starting with the extensive lineup available from Yamaha.

Specifcations:

Use the WX5 with the Yamaha VL70-m or MU Series Tone Generators

The Yamaha VL70m Virtual Acoustic Tone generator is a perfect match for the WX5. Although a mono tone generator, its advanced computer-modeling technology delivers some of the most realistic and expressive wind-instrument sounds available in any tone generator system. The MU-series XG tone generators are also an excellent choice. But you're in no way limited: choose the MIDI tone generator that provides the type of sound you want.

High-Resolution Wind and Lip Sensors with Precision Calibration Controls

The WX5 translates the player's breath and lip pressure to MIDI data via high-resolution wind and lip sensors that can be precisely calibrated to match individual playing characteristics. If you normally play sax, for example, you can set up the WX5 so that it plays almost exactly the same as your acoustic instrument. That way you can switch back and forth between instruments without even having to think about adjusting your style.

A Choice of Fingering Modes

Whether you're an experienced wind instrument player or a beginner, one of the WX5's four selectable fingering modes will provide optimum playability for you. The "Saxaphone (c)" mode, in particular, allows the same type of alternate fingerings that sax players use to add subtle variety and expression to their sound.

• Saxophone (a) Fingering Mode: Basically the same as saxophone fingering, except that the fingering remains the same in all octaves, and thus easy to learn.
• Saxophone (b) Fingering Mode: This mode is similar to Saxophone (a), but with additional trill key functions to facilitate rapid passages. This fingering is similar to that on the WX5's predecessor, the Yamaha WX11 Wind MIDI Controller.
• Saxophone (c) Fingering Mode: A variation of the Saxophone (a) fingering mode, this mode allows saxophone-type alternate fingerings. Although alternate fingerings produce the same note, they produce slight variations in pitch and timbre which can be used for musical effect.
• Flute Fingering Mode: Similar to flute fingering, this mode is ideal for players who are familiar with flute fingering. Rather that continuous pitch bend in response to lip pressure, the pitch jumps up one octave when lip pressure is applied simulating the "overblow" octave shift on an acoustic flute.

Addtional Functionalities:

• Octave Keys: These keys allow you to shift the pitch of the instrument up or down by one, two, or three octaves while playing.
• Pitch Bend Wheel: Like the pitch bend wheel on keyboard synthesizers, the WX5 pitch bend wheel can be used to produce smooth pitch bends.
• Key Hold Button: The Key Hold button controls any of the four assignable key hold functions.
• Program Change Button: Used in conjunction with the instrument's keys, the Program Change button can be used to transmit MIDI program changes and bank numbers to the connected MIDI tone generator in order to change voices directly from the WX5.
• MIDI Out Connector: When not using the WX cable, this connector is used to directly connect the WX5 to a MIDI tone generator via a standard MIDI cable.
• WX Out Connector: This connector allows the WX5 to be directly connected to compatible Yamaha tone generators (such as the VL70m) via the supplied WX cable.
• Customize the WX5 for Your Playing Requirements: The WX5 has 16 DIP switches which allow it to be customized to meet your individual playing requirements.

Dip Switches:

1. Velocity: determines whether the key-on velocity (i.e. the attack of each note) will be fixed or controlled by wind pressure.
2. Wind Sensor to MIDI data: specifies the type of MIDI data which the WX5 wind data will be transmitted.
3. Wind Curve: determines the relationship between breath pressure and the output MIDI volume data.
4. Tight Lip/Loose Lip Mode: selects the Tight Lip or Loose Lip playing mode.
5. Lip Data Range: determines the range of data which can be produced via lip control – "Normal" or "Wide".
6. Lip Data: specifies the type of MIDI data which the WX5 lip data will be transmitted – "Pitch Bend" or "Modulation".
7. Lip + Control Change Data: determines whether or not MIDI control change number #18 will be added to the lip data transmitted by the WX5.
8. Transpose: sets the "key" of the WX5: i.e. the actual pitch played when all keys are closed – "C2," "Bb1," or "Eb2.".
9. Fingering: specifies the WX5 fingering mode – "Saxophone (a)," "Saxophone (b)," "Saxophone (c)," or "Flute".
10. Fast Response: sets the speed at which the WX5 will respond when a note is played.
11. High D/D# Key Assign: determines whether the high D and D# keys will be used normally as playing keys, or to transmit control change data.
12. Pitch Bend to MIDI Data: determines the initial power-on Pitch Bend Wheel control mode.