connecting XpressO
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Is my connecting correct ?
midi connections are a big mystery to me -
Hi Bernard
Looks OK, but i do not know the XpressO. Is an audio coffee machine ? ;)
Let me explain a bit about Midi.
Midi is short for Musical Instrument Digital Interface.
Basic midi needs two components
1/ A device which generates digital midi notes, called a midi controller, after actions from a musician: like keypresses on a midi keyboard. The signal appears at the Midi out port.
2/ A tone generator, a device which converts a midi note into an electrical signal, which appears at the audio out connectors, which one connects to what you call an Ampli. De midi out of the controller is connected to the midi in of the tone generator.Often the controller and the tone generator are packed in one case, and called a synthesizer.
Originally midi signal is transported or connected with a midi cable only, with a round so called din connector at each. Later midi signals are also transported via USB cable.
The Sylphyo is a special version of a Midi controller, mimicking a wind instrument. Your action on the windcontroller will generate midi notes.
These midi notes are sent to :
the usb midi output on the sylphyo
To the tonegenerator inside the sylphyo: audio output from the minijack on the Sylphyo, for headphone or ampli. Non wireless operation.
wirelessly to the linkdevice:In the Linkdevice the midi is sent to the traditional midi out port, which you can connect to the XpressO or any other tone generator.
I hope this helps, just ask for more if you need
regards
Frank
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Thank you !
it's not a coffee machine because it forbids me to sleep -
Bernard
Hmm when i drink too much coffee i do not sleep, so the Xpresso must be a coffee machine!!I hope my story was of use. Feel free to ask questions.
It takes time and exercise to learn how to play also a virtual instrument. One has to learn how to feel the weight, the mass of the tone. It needs to adapt the settings of the controllers, according your playing style, and the amount of control the tone generator receives.
The Sylphyo has a beautiful set of controllers, more than other wind controllers. will take time to map them properly to the Xpresso .
actually there are three devices which have to learn how to cooperate : Sylphyo, Xpresso, and you.My advice is to start using a single instrument of a certain class: like a tenor sax. Learn how to play that instrument: and set the parameters to your thinking and playing style. Play, adapt and exercise till you are totally satisfied. Only than try a different sound.
On the Sylphyo i have started with just one internal sound. a flute like sound. or recorder. I use that to find the best fingering method. I am originally a sax player, and not all sax keys are there. I have chosen to use left pink half note up, right pink half note down. That needs relearning, sometimes that is easy, chromatic scales are wonderful, if you remember to forget old habits.
The half note fingering is great. I learned to play the recorder when i was six so glides to notes came natural.I have chosen not to use a sample based tone generator, i do not want to play an instrument which is already there.
Next to the internal sounds i have the excellent Respiro from Inmox. The program is easy to use, and has excellent sounds. But adaptation to playing is more extensive, because the possibilities are enormous. And that is fun.Lets share experiences here !
Regards
Frank
PS do not blame the espresso machine to be monotonous, and do not look for a midi in an audio out.. -
The mystery begins to clear up ....
XressO interests me because it directly outputs the sounds on an amplificateur, so no need for other equipment to play in a group ....
Respiro interests me too, but I guess the sounds come out of a computer.
I like it when there is little material.But I often have the opportunity to play alone, with a computer as an orchestra ....
XpressO would come between the Link and the mixer? Respiro would come between the computer and the mixer?
And I'm preparing a little concert with beginner amateur friends. I think I will try the following solution, which will allow the musicians to follow the score on a big screen in front of the band (no more desks that hide the musicians)
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Hi Bernard
Getting there ! But not all connections , and your instruments are there the Xpresso is missing
I am not good at graphics ( Lazy ? )
so i make it in a table
The Sylphyo sends midi information to the link wirelessly. so the arrow should have a different colour. Yellow?
The link does several things:
1/ It receives the wireless midi and changes it to wired midi: which appears at the Din, round connector out.
2/ It sends the received midi information to the USB midi out
3/ It is a tone-generator: the midi received is transferred to audio signal, which we connect (green) to the mixerNow if we want to use the Xpresso, we connect the round midi (yellow)out of the Link to the midi in of the Xpresso. And the audio out jacks of the Xpresso
If we want to use the Respiro, which is software and needs a computer. We connect the USB midi out of the link, to the computer. And the Audio out of the computer to the mixer.
If you make a drawing like you did, and give them the right colour, you can see which cables you need, and how many.
Actually the manual is very informative as well
see : https://www.aodyo.com/user-manual-page-21.html
and in French https://www.aodyo.com/manuel-d-utilisation-page-fr-21.htmlwow I am updating my French: La table de mixage! La partie sono: la partie midi
I had French at secondairy school, even had to read Literature Ilke Jean Paul, Simone et le petit Prince. But i never had a French only speaking girlfriend , so it is dormant , in the back of my head.
I hope this helps, let me know if i am unclear, or if it is not enough
Kind regards
Frank -
450/5000
Wonderful, I become intelligent!
Yes, it misses my XpressO device that comes between the Link and the mixer, but it was to show an installation that I planned in concert in a small group, without this device, because I have not bought it yet.
Thank you very much, I think I learned a lot of things that I did not find as well summarized.
And my English is helped by the translation on the internet. -
Hi Bernard
I wish i could increase the intelligence of people. Icannot.
Maybe you gained some knowledge, or the knowledge you had was sorted just a bit.What type of music you play? What instrument do you want to want to play with the Sylphyo?
I have been a windcontroller user for a long time. Started with the Yamaha WX11, Through the wx5 better. After they brokedown, i shifted to EWI 4000, 5000.
I found that the tonecontrollers with the most realistic sounds, like sample players were the least satisfying. The VL70m was better, but not the beautiful presets, but those sounds i edit myself, those which had the same mistake as when you play on a mechanical instrument. The mistakes in pitch per register, the way the sound changes when you blow to loud.
The preset sounds always lacked the character of a real player. And than i talk about the top of the bill VL70m with the patchman rom.I admire the possibilities of the Xpresso, but i have the idea that it will have the same limits as the VL. Very good sounds, almost. But instruments which will not come alive.
The combination Sylphyo / Respiro i find more inspiring. A lot of more work, but the possibilities of getting past the almost level.
For once you have to learn how to create an instrument, and more how to play. While play you note what you miss in an instrument, and so you enhance the model..If you are interested in the Respiro : In December the price will increase.
Kind regards
Frank
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Usually I play mostly old music with recorders.
I also had an EWI 5000, which was interesting, but with poor sound quality.
The Syplhyo suits me well, because I find the fingerings flutes I know, but there are only two or three internal sounds that suit me.
I would like to find real sounds of flutes, cromorne, oboe for example.
I look forward to the software that will allow the Sylphyo to make or modify its sounds.
I saw that the ExpresO was going to be out of stock, and that the new boxes would arrive maybe in January 2020.
I'm a little afraid of the complexity of Respiro, for two reasons:
1 - I do not really want to rebuild sounds as I would like, nor the time to do long research
2 - In addition to the SylPhyo, the Link, the mixer, the amplifier, you also need a computer. Here are a lot of materials to connect.
On the other hand the price of Respiro is lower .... So I hesitate ....
And sometimes, I have to play in places without electricity: old castles for example. I must be light and autonomous. When I play alone, without a computer, I feed the Link, with a USB phone battery, connected to the sound of the show, it works.
I am a little musician, not a virtuoso, but I like to play music. The only one who does not like when I play at home are the cat of the house, and my wife .... -
You can get a lighter set-up by using an iPad instead of the computer
This is what I have done
XpressO for the acoustic sounds and iPad for Synth Sounds (even if the XpressO has a Analog Modeling Sound engine
There are some very nice apps for the iPad (Thor Synth, MiniMoog, Nave to name some...) In combination with Audiobus 3
I use the iPad also with NewZik which allow me to read the Music Sheets
It should work and it is very light to move and all can be powered by Power bank (XpressO, iPad and if like me you have a pair of BOSE S1 Pro they are also powered by batteries so. (they also have 3 inputs so and integrated mixer so no need for additional mixer
Do you know that you can also put you Backing tracks in the XpressO and trigger them by notes or footswitch there are many different solutions -
Hi Bernard
Usually I play mostly old music with recorders.
I think than you will feel at home with the Sylphyo and the Respiro !
I was a Sax player, but one of the first times i had a pleasant surprise. While exercising i somehow automatically found the half fingering. And that was from my recorder time: too long ago actually. It compensates a lot for the lack of pitch bend in de mouthpiece.
I use legato on: and when one makes an octave jump one gets nice bend towards the intended pitch.I also had an EWI 5000, which was interesting, but with poor sound quality.
I had a 4000 too and the way it is setup vibrato on bite , made me sell it quickly. I Hoped the 5000 would have been better but no.
I am very happywith the lotsof controolers de Syl hasThe Syplhyo suits me well, because I find the fingerings flutes I know, but there are only two or three internal sounds that suit me.
I would like to find real sounds of flutes, cromhorne, oboe for example.
I look forward to the software that will allow the Sylphyo to make or modify its sounds.Yes it would be nice to have the editor: But i thought you did not like editing so musch ?
I saw that the ExpresO was going to be out of stock, and that the new boxes would arrive maybe in January 2020.
It not a bad machine at all i think, but the price, and one is stuck to the factory sounds.
I think a proper laptop gives more flexibilityI'm a little afraid of the complexity of Respiro, for two reasons:
1 - I do not really want to rebuild sounds as I would like, nor the time to do long researchActually the real complexity is hidden. and each sound has up to 8 sliders, with with each sound explain what they do. Like more or less breath noise, more brass. And the comments are more for a musician than tech.
Here are examples of standard sounds sounds
It is played with a 4000 which is less suitable, less life controls than the Sylphyo. One can get far more expression on the sylpyo with respiro2 - In addition to the SylPhyo, the Link, the mixer, the amplifier, you also need a computer. Here are a lot of materials to connect.
On the other hand the price of Respiro is lower .... So I hesitate ....actually with a laptop there are one cable more. One from the laptop into the Link ( Not using a mixer) and one usb cable from the link into the computer: For midi and charging. I can make drawings for you if you want.
The laptop has the advantage one can add effects also ...
I am not in favour of working with an Ipad. Processing power is limited, Limited software instruments are available and expensive.And sometimes, I have to play in places without electricity: old castles for example. I must be light and autonomous. When I play alone, without a computer, I feed the Link, with a USB phone battery, connected to the sound of the show, it works.
Replace the phone battery for a respiro laptop...
I like to play music.
Me too! when i go extra light i take the Syphyo and a cable ( Mini jack to jack) plug in the headphone output, Jacks in the mixer or amp available. Not wireless but ultralight.
Wireless I add the link, two jacks in the mixboard
With more and better sounds, I add the laptop. With Respiro. Mini jack to minijack and connect the audio laptop into the link , and usb cable from link to laptop.
Still only 4 cables easy setup !! (Two jack jack from link into mixer or amp, one mini jack stereo into link , one usb into laptop)I am not going to explain me my concert setup
The only one who does not like when I play at home are the cat of the house, and my wife ....
I have a parrot inherited from my mother, she flies around. freely. She sings along with the music she likes. Firstly the Sylpho was seen as an intruder. Now they are friends, sing along, and when she goes to sleep she greets the sylphyo.
dinner time
Kind regards
Frank -
@Bernard-Béville Hello. - Connecting to the XpressO is is simple. Use the USB cable. It connects to either USB connection (A or B) in the front of the XpressO. I use both my XpressO and my XPression using by Sylphyo with zero problems and no setup time other than plugging in. I hope this answers your question.
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I'm waiting for Santa's gift to buy the equipment. But I do not know if there are still some in stock. I will finally wait for the month of January 2020.
Thank you Franck, EricOnSax, SaxFred for your advices.
