Posts made by Clint

@join said in EVI and EWI Alternate Fingerings:

Hamming distance computation

I am thinking that Hamming Distance is a good starting point, but may have to be modified by issues of kinesiology such as "it's harder two swap two fingers (i.e. pick one up and put the other down) that are next to each other vs. on different hands". The condition where two fingers always move together (I think it's called Focal Hand Dystonia) may be an extreme example of this issue.

I wrote a quick YAML (Yet Another Markup Language?) parser in perl to check for errors and coverage, but wound up manipulating my experimental mappings in Excel and (gasp) pencil and paper.

One decision I am thinking for a designer of a finger mapping is:

"Should the finger mapping cover all the possible fingerings, or leave some NOP (no-operation) fingerings that would be ignored (i.e. play the most recent pitch)".

I chose to leave some NOP fingerings because

• (a) I suspected that additional fingerings might take up storage (does not see to be the case, based on the description of @join), and

• (b) the 15 NOP fingerings in my YAML spec (out of 64 non-pinky fingerings) do seem to me to be "mistakes" and are probably best left at the most recent pitch.

@join said in Support for high-resolution MIDI?:

Have you found a good solution for this?

Yes! For my current use - Sylphyo => Link/MIDI => Cantabile => Kontakt 6 - the facilities for drawing response curves has been the complete solution for handling this issue. This was suggested and discussed in detail in this thread on the Native Instruments forum:

https://www.native-instruments.com/forum/threads/high-resolution-breath-controller.442309/

... and I have found that the flexible envelopes (drawn, rather than the table option) are a straightforward and complete solution. I have recently been using envelopes for other purposes - controlling parameters on modular synths using elevation and roll (have not tried compass yet) and that is a fantastic alternative to expression pedals.

For other scenarios that do not have the flexibility provided by Kontakt, I am not sure the solution. MIDI filters do not seem to be the answer, since they are translating MIDI to MIDI, not extending the bit depth of the MIDI stream itself.

There might also be an issues for sound libraries that are encrypted (locked) by the vendor, rendering the curve inaccessible - but I'm not sure about that.

... and Thank You @join for the amazing amount of detailed information!

Right ... those rule-based descriptions in the manual are great, but I am thinking that the Sylphyo engine does not actually work on rules (based on work I did programming two new finger mappings).

It seems to have a set of patterns that allow closed, open, and "don't care" finger positions. And if no pattern matches (i.e. the 2^8 (256) possible non-thumb fingerings are not completely covered), then I am thinking the Sylphyo ignores the fingering.

Very interesting that you generated the PDF programmatically - I have been working on a TTF font - it is currently an (old-style) Windows symbol font, but I am planning on converting it to a bona-fide Unicode font using the Private Use Areas.

@williamjturkel I believe that there are no rules involved with finger mappings - at least they are not specified that way when developing a new finger mapping. There are finger patterns - like you show in your PDFs - with the addition of a "don't care" option for any given finger position.

I think anything that is not covered by (i.e. does not have a specified fingering) in the finger mapping results in a "do nothing" - i.e. continue playing the last pitch.

Interesting ...

I am wondering, however, if some of the fingerings you have listed are "producing" a particular pitch because it was a hold-over from the most recent pitch you happened to be playing. My experience is that fingerings that are unassigned in a particular finger mapping simply continue to play that most-recent pitch.

Also, what I have begun mapping are the "don't care" finger positions. I have found it useful to combine fingerings using a "don't care" graphic notation (maybe a grey circle, rather than black or white ... although this does not work well if you are building a TTF/OTF font).

The "don't care" system is used by the Sylphyo itself, or at least by the developers in programming the Sylphyo for a new finger mapping.

Folks who use Reaper might be interested in a set of track icons I developed for the Sylphyo.

I've made icons for the Sylphyo alone as well as versions that indicate the Link (upper right), and MIDI vs. Audio signal (lower left). Here's what they look like in a recent project of mine in Reaper:

As of Reaper v6.19, for Windows 10x64, the unzipped images should typically be placed in
/Users/<user>/AppData/Roaming/REAPER/Data/track_icons/Sylphyo

This package is released under the CC0 "No Rights Reserved" Public Domain Declaration (https://creativecommons.org/share-your-work/public-domain/cc0/)

I do not have sufficient privileges on this forum to post a ZIP file, so here's a link to the package on my server (another, more "privileged", user might want to fetch and re-post the ZIP file on this forum):

https://ClintGoss.com/zip/SylphyoReaperTrackIcons_ClintGoss_v1.00.zip

I've got my Sylphyo turned on and paired with my Link.

Pressing the Up and Down (^ and v) buttons seem to do nothing. I was thinking that they should change the Link to output the next / previous sound setting on the Line Out and phones channels.

The Up/Down buttons themselves seem to work physically, since holding them both puts the Link into pairing mode.

What am I doing wrong??

When I first set up the Link, I was scratching my head a bit looking for the ASIO driver. Did not realize the USB connection was MIDI-only (it is MIDI-only, yes?)

Are there any plans to promote the Link to an audio interface? I am currently running the Line Out to an RME Interface on it's own USB port.

If it is not possible to run the Link on its own ASIO connection, I could re-wire the MIDI out of the Link into the the RME Interface and save a USB connection. My laptop only has three USB connections, and I'm guessing that using a USB hub would be a no-go for audio work.

Does the Sylphyo accept MIDI patch change commands from external sources?

I would love to use an external controller to change patches abd base keys without having to with the (admittedly easy) patch change and key change interfaces on the instrument itself.

Could you tell me whether the Line In and two Line Out connections on the Link are Balanced (TRS) or Unbalanced (TS)?

Any advice on taking the Sylphyo on commercial airliners? Does anyone have experience taking a Sylphyo through an airport security check?

I routinely fly with a flock of Native American flutes - wood flutes in a cylindrical case. I always board early (by standing in line) and store them in the overhead. U.S. law requires airlines to accommodate musical instruments if they fit in an overhead compartment (of any cabin class) at the time you board the aircraft.

So I guess the big issue is the security check. My flute cases are PVC or aluminum and the flutes are wood. Here is the current aluminum case I have now ...

... and here are the cases I have available ...

These XRay well and the security folks do not seem too bothered (although I sometimes have to take them out and play them).

Should I add my Sylphyo to my carry-on case? The sight of a stick full of wires and electronics on the XRay screen might cause issues ...

@Laurent_AODYO said in Support for high-resolution MIDI?:

requiring twice the bandwidth of a standard MIDI message

Watching the messages fly by, I suspected as much ...

I believe (hope) that the "server side" solution for Kontakt that I described above, as provided in the Native Instruments forum, is the complete solution. It does require the sampler to have such a custom envelope facility, and I have no idea if other samplers offer that.

Another "client side" ("Sylphyo-side") solution might be to offer another choice for Breath => Curve ... maybe a "Hyper-Logarithmic" or "Log-Log" or "Log-Squared" (Log^2) curve? That would probably approximate what I am doing in Kontakt ...

Here's (what appears to be) a solution for Kontakt. It was provided in the Native Instruments forum in post #6 of this thread:

https://www.native-instruments.com/forum/threads/high-resolution-breath-controller.442309/

In addition, I did find that in Kontakt 6.4.2, I am able to use the Volume modulation in the Amplifier section by using a Flexible Envelope. (I don't know if Flexible Envelope is available in all/earlier versions of Kontakt).

Using a Flexible Envelope - either using Bezier curves or the Table option - I can then define any curve I like. With a very gentle rising slope from the left (CC2 = 0) end of the range ... I have reduced the stuttering to almost inaudible.

As Stephen23 pointed out ... "You'll find 7-bit control entirely adequate".

(However, I just found out that Kontakt 6 does not handle 14-bit BC MIDI commands ... Sigh.)

No Luck. Setting MIDI Mapping => Note-off delay to 1ms is substantially worse. Values of 20ms and 75ms are no improvement. I reset it to 10ms.

I also experimented with setting Breath => Filtering to Off, which made this stuttering issue much worse. Setting Breath => Curve to anything other than Log made the stuttering issue worse. Log-Lin was worse and Linear was much worse.

I have also been experimenting with various MIDI filters in Cantabile to try to minimize stuttering, with no success ...

I am thinking that any solution short of 14-bit BC commands will inherently be prone to stuttering at low volumes.

What are the prospects for 14-bit Breath Controller output from the Sylphyo?

I looked into this recently. GigPerformer and Cantabile seem to be the front-runners on Win10 systems.

I've been using Cantabile (for no particular reason - could not find an authoritative comparison of the two), and so far I have been very happy with it. Did a recording session (a pianist playing a MIDI keyboard rendered using a dozen massive virtual pianos in Kontakt) as well as one live gig on the Sylphyo (one piece only - just a test run) in the first two weeks. Cantabile performed with no glitches!

@Support_AODYO Thanks for the info.

I tried setting Breath => Minimum to 5, 1, and 117. This seems to change the minimum breath pressure where a "Note On" occurs from very low to pretty hig, but the first Breath Controller value transmitted is still 1 (looking in MIDIView). And, if I "hang out" right at that minimum breath are, I still get a "stuttering" that I'm pretty sure occurs when Breath Controller values of 1, 0, 1, 0 are transmitted (I have seen strings of at least 10 of these [1,0] sequences before a Note Off is transmitted).

The solution might lie in the volume curve of the virtual instrument I am playing. I am not sure right now what I volume curve my virtual instruments are using (or how to change it ... I'm pretty new to virtual instruments), but I can imagine that there is a curve someplace that tells Kontakt how to shape the volume output based on Breath Controller inputs. Rather than a straight line, if it were an "S" curve or Bezier or some such, then the volume output with Breath Controller = 1 would be greatly reduced and the "stuttering" might be inaudible ...

I am a bit confused. Do (some or all) Sylphyo devices have a LED someplace? I cannot find it on mine.

The LED on Link receiver does work as you describe ... Does the setting on the Sylphyo somehow control the LED on the Link??

An outstanding design @meteredsection ! I work in OpenSCAD (a solid geometry design language), but an STL file would be very helpful as a reference.

Would you consider releasing it (maybe Thingiverse) or sharing it here? Alternately by direct email (I am at clint@goss.com) would be great ...

Thanks for this design!!

Could you describe the LED setting?

It is on my Sylphyo v1.4.7, at the top level between Receiver device and Diagnostic.

@meteredsection would you be open to sharing your design? Maybe a photo? Possibly an STL file??

I will be away from my 3D printer for a while, but would be interested in a range of options for controlling flow and back pressure.

Was thinking of maybe a series of different plugs with different port diameters, possibly in different colors to keep them from getting mixed up. Alternately, a single, adjustable device, maybe with a screw-type arrangement that could be turned to change the port size.

Would be interested in how your plug sits in the hole. Hard plastic (PLA, I am assuming) my not be easy to wedge into the existing Bell Port hole.

I am hoping this explains what I am hearing at low breath pressures. I've only been working with the Sylphyo for 3 days, but my playing style does use low breath pressures, and so this issue stood out.

I recorded a short demo emphasizing low breath pressure. The demo is on the Sylphyo via Link through the Patchman English Horn sample set, using Kontakt and recorded in Cantabile. Here is the waveform:

Here are links to WAV and MP3 (Lame -v2) versions of the recording:

https://ClintGoss.com/mp3/LowBreathPressureDemo.wav

https://ClintGoss.com/mp3/LowBreathPressureDemo.mp3

... The critical areas are in the areas (in seconds) of 1-2, 13-15, and 20-22.

Is the "jittering" in those areas due to 7-bit MIDI?

@Support_AODYO said in Mold growing inside Sylpho:

... I also don't think fungus likes plastic very much, as wood is a much more natural habitat for them.

This article: https://ultra-fresh.com/can-mold-grow-on-plastic/ (possibly self-serving, but it does look reasonably balanced) talks about the ability of mold to break down the additives to many plastic, and also the ability to thrive in a moist environment with deposits on the plastic surface.

However ... the mold issue that I described above happened once in 17 years to a single flute (of 300+) that I overplayed for several days in a row and did not allow to sufficiently dry.

I am suggesting Tea Tree oil only as a possible remedy - not on a regular basis.

I am thinking that removing the mouthpiece and suspending a medical swab with one or two drops of oil in Sylphyo main chamber would be a good first attempt at a remedy for mold.

Here is my diagram of how I recommend this for Native American flutes (a two-chamber flute) ...

Another idea would be to put 1-2 drops on the inside of the mouthpiece, insert the mouthpiece, and lay the Sylphyo down overnight horizontally (so the oil does not drip down into the instrument). The idea is that the fumes of tea tree oil are what affects mold. The mouthpiece is ?probably? impervious to tea tree oil), and in any case could easily be cleaned or replaced.

Again, these are my (untried) ideas for a remedy ...

Yes, La Poste did provide a tracking number with USPS. However, that number was not useful, since the USPS tracking site provided no information on the package (always reporting "status not available").

The holiday season certainly affected delivery, so I am thinking that 22 days total delivery time was "not bad" in this situation.

However, optionally offering other shipping options (DHL?) might be useful for those who want a Sylphyo quickly (and who doesn't?)

Another downside of USPS is the wear and tear on the package. My Sylphyo box looked like this on arrival:

and I was horrified that there might be damage. Thankfully, the internal box and instrument were completely un-damaged.

Looking into my wood flute one day and seeing a forest of green and brown hairy things growing inside made me cringe. I did a lot of research and eventually used Tea Tree oil, with excellent results. The mold was gone for good within a week, and the Tea Tree aroma dissipated completely within 4 weeks.

However, there are caveats ...

I have added recommendations regarding Tea Tree oil to my page on Flutopedia - see the bottom of this page:

https://www.flutopedia.com/care.htm

I'm hoping someone from Aodyo can respond ...

Is it OK to use one or two drops of Tea Tree oil in the Sylphyo?

Also, see cautions on that Flutopedia page about possible allergic reactions.

As an alternative to placing a drop or two of Tea Tree oil directly into the Sylphyo, you could use a diffuser. You place a drop or two of tea tree oil on an medical swab (not a Q-tip, which can leave lint) and suspend the medical swab inside the bore of the instrument. The fumes of the Tea Tree oil provide the antifungal action. I believe that WoodSounds Flutes distributes a product specifically for this purpose

Is is OK to completely block the Bell Port?

("bell port" is my name for the breath exit hole at the foot of the instrument inside the bell.)

I really need a lot more back-pressure that is provided when the bell port is completely open. If I completely block the port with my finger, there does seem to be another exit path for the air ...

There are mentions on this forum of partially blocking the bell port, but no mention of fully covering it up.

I ordered my Sylphyo+Link directly from Aodyo on Monday, December 7, 2020 and it was delivered to our address in Florida (USA) on Tuesday, December 29 – 22 days after ordering. My experience with overseas shipments that partner with the US Postal Service is that this is a typical timeframe.

Details: The shipment arrived at La Poste (France) on Fri Dec 11.

The shipment left France on Mon Dec 14. The La Poste web site noted the Shipment number with their partner service, USPS (U.S. Postal Service).

However, the USPS tracking site never provided tracking for the number listed by La Poste. The site indicated “Status Not Available”, even after the package was delivered.

When the shipper partners with the US Postal Service (USPS as opposed to DHL (as @troy used), FedEx, etc), my experience with overseas shipment to the U.S. is that postal tracking end when the item leaves the country of origin. Paying extra for “international tracking” does not seem to make a difference (i.e. it is worthless). There’s no way to track the shipment until it arrives at my doorstep – typically in 2 to 4 weeks from the date of shipment.

I am handy with a 3D printer (see www.BreathFlute.com) and my newly-ordered Sylphyo is working its way though La Poste France (on it's way to the U.S.) ... Alternate thumb rests might be an easy project.

I've just sent my contact info ... looking forward to working on this.

I have drafted a proposal for a set of fingerings that I think would make a good start. This single-page document is available in PNG and PDF at these addresses:

https://ClintGoss.com/img/FingeringChart_Sylphyo.png

https://ClintGoss.com/pdf/FingeringChart_Sylphyo.pdf

Feedback welcome!

Caveat: Please realize that I don't actually have a Sylphyo in my hands at this point. Ideally, I would love order one with an initial version of these Native American flute fingerings as an option, for testing and development ...

FYI, the finger diagrams are done as a TrueType .TTF font - I would be happy to make this freely available as this effort moves forward. I've done TTF finger diagram fonts for many ethnic flutes - see https://Flutopedia.com/fonts.htm

P.S. I just noticed that the Color Key examples were not changed to Sylphyo finger diagrams ... oops.

We actually used this! Led a music workshop for Native American flute players a few weeks ago - in person and with N95 masks over the are of the flute (upper middle) where most of the air escapes. Notice the masks over that sound hole area:

Thank you for addressing this, Maxence!

Native American flute fingerings are highly variable across the wide range of flute makers. My Flutopedia web site publishes a range of fingerings. Here is a summary chart - the black fingerings are primary:

https://flutopedia.com/fingeringChart_SixPentatonicMinor.htm

I could develop / suggest a set of "Sylphyo standard" fingerings that I think would be ideal Native American flute players ... if that would be helpful.

Please tell me the challenges / difficulty of implementing a new fingering pattern ... I would not want to venture down this road if it is too difficult for all concerned.

I've notice mention of a possible feature - custom fingerings - and this is a key feature for me, so I'm wondering what the possibility or prospects are for this feature.

My main work is with Native American flutes, and I am interested in sampling a range of these instruments, including a wide range of current and historic (back to the 18th century) Plains and Woodlands flutes. The fingerings of these instruments are very different from all of the current Sylphyo choices (their primary scale is minor pentatonic).

Having a set of fingerings for Native American flutes would open up the Sylphyo to a rather substantial (and largely underground) community of players, but several sets of fingerings would be needed, which is why I am thinking about custom fingerings ...

From demos I have seen, I am thinking that the Sylphyo would be the most suitable instrument of the wind synths available for implemented an open-hope instrument.

Any info would be appreciated!

-- Clint Goss