Posts made by ErikOnSax

@StevieK I believe you are referring to the hardware update that included the ability to use internal sounds. THAT was huge. We all remember that time with misty nostalgia. Since then, we have been conditioned to accept no other hardware improvements., especially to the very restrictive key work options. By now, I would have expected they would have released an updated Sylphyo, with Bis keys, side keys and etc. But instead, we are stuck here in this reality.

Hello,

I only made very obvious comments. I play two different Sylphyos on most days. The shortcomings of not having expected key functionality is always disappointing. The quality and immediacy of most the sounds has the opposite effect. My frustration is the comparison between what should be vs what is available. For example, the decision to remove the most usable Phi sound was removed (DudukPhi) during software updates was very disappointing, as was the decision to leave AltoSaxPhi and FlutePhi. It seemed that production decisions were being made that were either insensitive to modern musicality, or from a hard financial course that could not improve on the obvious shortcomings. Then I saw the Omega and realized that any keyboard player could immediately relate and connect with performing with one. This is what the Sylphyos are missing. It is the odd dog owner versus the main stream dog owner metaphor. If you choose to own an unpopular dog breed, yes the dog can love you, play fetch, hang out, etc. But you will miss out on all the specialty gear available for the Labs, Shepherds, Poodles, etc. Hats, T-shirts, Bumper Stickers, Buttons, etc. An instrument is more than the sounds it makes. The missing (pinky and Bis) keys on the Sylphyos force it to the niche end of wind synths. No, I have never proposed moving hardware keys (my Lyricon I and Aerophone Pro both have those), just distinct places to place fingers that any band member can relate to. In fact, I love the EWI-like silence of the Sylphyo key layout. It works particularly well at church and at night beside a sleeping baby (it needs more available LH keys (like Bis) and notes RH at the bottom end though, for example, not ending at at least low Bb is a truly surprising and restrictive choice). This is not new or unusual thinking. We aren't talking about practicing Sylphyo for the sake of improving Sylphyo performance, but rather pulling Sylphyo toward the center to increase the user base and bring it out of the niche market into the mainstream. The Omega design shows that someone at Aodyo gets that, or else it could have been released with a chicklet keyboard with great sounds and advertising would notify potential buyers, hey, just practice and hope for the best. Sorry if you intended to jam out on Spain or Donna Lee, but you need a real keyboard for that. Imagine if the Omega had only a single octave of keys available. This would be a non-starter. However, considering that keyboard players can simply Midi connect to an 88-key controller, their situation is less critical. Controlling a Sylphyo from another device is far more complicated due to the reliance on Sylphyo motion to alter the responses of patches. If I could reliably control a Sylphyo externally, with the same unique motion-sensitive responses I would.

Please release a Sylphyo with all the key options. I notice the Omega has all keys available, which immediately create familiarity and capability for expected keyboard-like modern passages. Recorder fingerings don’t cut it anymore. I would use the Sylphyo FAR more often, including professionally, if it could play rapid modern passages cleanly. We need side keys and right hand keys for the pinky fingers. There are simply not enough present on the first iteration of Sylphyo. This is my honest opinion after a couple of years of usage. The expression (morphing, vibrato, etc.) is possible, but not the expected woodwind-like facility for nimble, smooth fingerings for people expecting a Boehm-like set of keys. I love both of my Sylphyos (at home), but they have physical-design limitations that cannot be ignored.

@pedro1690 True...so very pure and true. Well...instead of relentlessly lamenting the overly-obviously shortcomings of the initial Sylphyo key setup. I have been practicing and looking for the instrument strengths, of which there are many. I have an early release Sylpho that was subsequently improved with hardware sounds in later releases, so I know that Aodyo is aware and listening to the needs of performers. I am not angry that I purchased an early iteration. However, before I upgrade, like many others, I am waiting for the keys to be upgraded too. This way I can perform with it live, instead of using the increasingly useful Roland AE-10. If no keyboard update comes soon, perhaps, I will purchase the AE-05 and benefit from its built-in wireless Bluetooth MIDI and modern keyboard options, or wait for a built-in wireless MIDI EWI release.

Flutter-tongue, really? I have been doing that on EWI for decades! It is so very easy. Try growling. It also works well on EWI, especially on the older analog-styled 3000m to 3030 modules.

@frank I have read what you refer to as control. I personally prefer EWI fingerboard control to others (especially control of Matt Traub's EWI Patchman Music programming), although I am a historical sax/clarinet player. The control I need is the ability to leave and re-enter a register without using the octave slide (palm keys on sax/oboe or the bridge crossing Bb/A/Ab keys on clarinet). This is standard within Boehm fingerings. I did not invent this. Nor did I invent the ability for alternate low B/Bb left hand pinky fingerings, once again, leaving the octave without use of the octave slide. Additionally, right hand pinky Eb is always standard. The availability of these fingerings allow for the playability of virtuostic improvisation, classical passages, and the like (in other words, performance of complex musical passages that have been mastered after years of sweat-equity woodshed training) for musicians familiar with Boehm-styled fingerings.

Likewise, the currently produced piano keyboards uniformly do not surprise players by moving the position of the C#, Eb, F#, Ab, and Bb keys. That choice would limit the ability to sell the keyboards, regardless of the control/malleability of the sounds produced.

Finally, my request for improvements is also part of the natural progression of any instrument that becomes widely accepted by musicians and audiences. See below, links to a sampling of the historical relationships developed between musicians, composers, instrument maker and more recently engineers throughout history that are linked to instrument maturation.

https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Clarinet/History
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saxophone#Early_development_and_adoption
https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Lentis/Electronic_Inventions_that_Shaped_Popular_Music
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hammond_organ#History

Acceptance of an invention almost always spurs a desire for perfection of the original invention by the early adopters. From the clarinet evolution, to the saxophone evolution to the electric guitar iterations, and even the Hammond Organ engineering history, early adoption inspires the desire for improvement. I certainly hope that like the EVI/EWI1000/EWI2000/EWI3000/EWI3020/EWI4000s/EWI4000sw/EWI5000, the WX7/Wx5, the AE-10/AE-05/AE-01, the Sylphyo also evolves into what it must become.

BTW I want to play Sylpho every week at my gigs but cannot at this time, due to the lack of modern fingerings. After viewing YouTube, I can see that I am not alone. Can you imagine all the free advertising that Aodyo could benefit from, after turning the profit from increased sales over to R&D after wide adaptation (due to fingerboard improvements) by currently performing musicians on a global scale?!

@frank Hello,
Actually, because I have played EWI instruments for over 30 years, (going back to my EWI 2000/2000m), I find that the acoustic-based restrictions of the sax, clarinet, and flute are not present on the EWI. Additionally, because I also play the Roland AE-10, Yamaha WX-7, EWI 3020, EWI 4000s, and a few others, I can compare the contemporary approaches to instrument fingerings. One thing that is unilaterally applied is maintenance of modern flexibility and options for the modern performer. It is not cool to eliminate the standard options from an instrument that is meant to be performed live. I perform with each of my other instruments with the exception of the AE-10 (not due to a lack of fingering there, it is more of an actual flakiness in tonal consistency and expected response with the AE-10). Each of the other instruments accounts for my suggestions in their own way. It is a simple matter of practice to get used to it. However the Sylphyo is more like an early 20th century saxophone before the articulated G# key became standard. Every instrument evolves, not just the Sylphyo. Sure I can choose to play an historic 18th century instrument, but most people play piano, not harpsichord or clavicord for very reasonable, very practical reasons. I really like most things about the Sylphyo and want it to become great.

However, the Sylphyo fingerboard is REALLY holding its worldwide adoption back. That is the truth...but only until it (the Sylphyo) is updated, using very sensible, simple to implement, very expected changes that can easily differ from what I suggested, just like the AE-10 differs from the EWI and WX-7, but they are on "the same modern page".

@Bernard-Béville The XPressO is not as powerful as the XPression. The library is identical, however, due to the lack of processing power in the "tiny" XPressO, many of the multi-timbral sounds are unusable (silent).

@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.

Two top keys can extend the top range by three semitones. An additional left hand side key can bend pitch down one semitone. An additional bottom key can add flexibility by adding an Eb, where an Eb belongs (hint: it should not include the left pinky). A "Bis" key can aid greatly with the commonly fingered LH Bb and all iterations of scales and arpeggios requiring rapid fingering combinations.