Posts made by Peter Ostry

I have to buy everything.
I want this garage!

@Clint
Yes, if the screw just loosened, you can tighten it.
There are more like it on the Sylphyo, you should check them all.

The tool is called "Torx" or TX.
Quite common. From above it looks like a star.
Mine has the size "T10" engraved.

You can buy this tools as Bits or as complete screwdrivers or as wrenches.
The sets often include unusual shapes that can help repair equipment.
If you don't have such things, I recomment a solid box with assorted bits
and a Bit holder, preferably in SAE and metric sizes.

If you feel luxurious right now, you can look on Amazon for "iFixit Manta Driver Kit".
That is quite universal for household and electronics.
Or look directly at ifixit.com

Here is the prototype of my low-humidity container, which is supposed to keep the Sylphyo protected and reasonably dry. Seems to work, the long-term test is still pending.

The case is from Ebay, it's built by a hobby carpenter for displaying model cars and trains, and is originally intended for horizontal use. I just treated the raw plywood with linseed oil varnish.

At both ends the manufacturer provides acrylic glass plates, additionally I inserted two small wooden boards with holes. I put the Sylphyo only dry in, nevertheless at the lower board a usual kitchen sponge cloth lies, in order to catch possible dripping from the instrument. The small faces of the acrylic compartments and wooden boards have gaskets that rub lightly against the large acrylic faceplate. In fact, the gaskets are slotted sheats of audio cables.

To put the Sylphyo in or take it out, I slide the front panel up. The mouthpiece has its holder right above the Sylphyo’s body to remind me not to put it in with the mouthpiece on. The USB cable goes into the box at the back.

The construction is pretty tight, though not airtight in the technical sense. I trust the microclimate. If it works, I will probably screw the case to the wall. I have to add that I don't live in a very humid climate (Austria, Central Europe). With wooden instruments, for example, we rather have problems not letting them dry out from room heating over the cold season.

I hope the Sylphyo will feel comfortable in its new home, until now it had to hang in a cloth bag on a shelf.

Total cost:
Wooden box with acrylic glass panes from Ebay: €70 ($76)
1 kg (2.2 lb) silica gel from Amazon: €20 ($22)
Two nice bowls for the desiccant from the kitchen supply store: €8 ($9)
The other material like small plywood boards, some screws and linseed oil varnish I had at home.

We already had a short discussion about this controller in this forum:
Robkoo R1

@reidid789
Ah, I just read in the (planned) specifications that the Photon has adjustable airflow. Mechanically, I hope. If it comes close to the Sylphyo with that, it's impressive with the other features.

Then again, I wonder why I would put such a thing on the Sylphyo. We'll see if imoxplus really brings out the Photon and for which instruments there will be adapters. Aodyo has to programme the interface and their priorities seem to be elsewhere at the moment. But let's look hopefully into the future, maybe they are working on it right now and will be ready when imoxplus has the lost chips again :-)

Slowly, slowly... one strength of the Sylphyo is its very special sensitivity to airflow, which makes it probably the only wind controller that can really sound like a wind instrument. Of course, many of us would like something like the Photon mouthpiece, but it would make the Sylphyo a different instrument because the Sylphyo’s sensor is bypassed and the airflow is measured differently.

For me, it would be fine to be able to use the Sylphyo in two configurations. But I am not sure if I would still like to have these strange touch surfaces of the Sylphyo together with the Photon mouthpiece. I think with the Photon I would like mechanical buttons/flaps better. Special functions like sucking as a separate event are of course great, especially for experimental music.

But even though the Photon mouthpiece promises many features, I would actually prefer to have a better version of the Yamaha WX mouthpiece on the Sylphyo. To let the air flow through and to transmit the position and movement of the reed into the prepared slot to the Sylphyo electronics.

Thanks, now I can take a closer look and find a solution for myself.

Perfect!
I will send my Sylphyo to you in the future, you do it much nicer than me.

@Clint
You're right. I did a little research on the web regarding the storage of circuit boards and electronic components and learned the basics pretty quickly: keep the parts dry or they will fail. Of course there are technical details, but I think as musicians we can simplify things and keep our electronic instruments dry with the same conscientiousness as we avoid drying out wooden instruments.

Which products do you use for your 3D printing material?

@Clint said:

I am not sure what the air-path is that you are describing here:

"the inner gap between the housing and the blue ring."

If you look inside the main tube with the blue ring on, you will see a gap between the ring and the Sylphyo's body. The upper part of the Sylphyo is not airtight and it doesn't have to be, because the mouthpiece seals the main tube when pushed in, making the instrument playable. Only in your case does this seem to be a problem because the small channel to the electronics is not completely closed. Even with the mouthpiece in place, moisture can get in over time, but with the mouthpiece off, moisture will definitely get in there. As Laurent said, the hole to the electronics compartment needs to be sealed.

@Clint said:

Since I have no experience with Hot Glue, I have many concerns with attempting to seal the active mouthpiece port.

Will I melt the plastic of the body of the Sylphyo?

No. The melting point of hot glue is lower than that of the Sylphyo.

@Clint said:

Will I drip glue into the active mouthpiece port and into the Zone of Electronics?

No. Hot glue is too thick for the small hole. It won't go in easily.

@Clint said:

Will some undreamt-of calamity befall my Syphyo in my fledgling attempts at Hot Glue Art and I'll be left playing a kazoo at gigs.

No. And as we know, Kazoos have moisture problems :-)

@Peter-Ostry said:

Let it warm up and try a few times somewhere else, then you can go for the Sylphyo. If it doesn't work right away, just let it cool down and pull away with your fingers. If you put the blue ring on immediately afterwards, it's fixed just like Aodyo did.

That was an awkward description. I meant that you immediately put the blue ring on the hot glue to fix it. Only if the glue application is unsuccessful, you allow the glue to cool briefly and remove it. The glue is softer than the Sylphyo and it doesn't attack the plastic. It's a mechanical bond, not a chemical bond.

I'm sorry if I sound incomprehensible at times. My English is not good enough for technical precision and Google Translate is smart, but from what I can see it cannot be trusted for technical subjects.

@Clint said:

I believe that the O-Ring on my black mouthpiece does not make a perfect seal, since there is a very slight wobble in my mouthpiece when it is fully seated. Not a problem playing, but maybe there is a slight moist air leak back up underneath the blue ring.

Maybe yes. But "slight wobble"? I would say my mouthpiece fits quite well, at least as well as you can expect from a piece of plastic with an O-ring. The conical shape is well done. My spare mouthpiece fits the same way. However, I think two O-rings would be better for the fit.

But your O-ring isn't dry, is it? It shouldn't be. There are silicone-based care products for O-rings and seals in general. I have one of the type used for scuba gear, but there are many. Search for "silicone-based lubrication for O-rings".

@Clint
Hot glue is a no brainer, easy to apply and remove. It's not really an adhesive, but a thermoplastic mass that holds things together elastically. You can buy a set with the simple "pistol" and a few sticks online for little money anywhere.

Let it warm up and try a few times somewhere else, then you can go for the Sylphyo. If it doesn't work right away, just let it cool down and pull away with your fingers. If you put the blue ring on immediately afterwards, it's fixed just like Aodyo did.

You can also seal the opening with some soft kneadable mass that does not dry out or with "liquid rubber seal", but there's nothing wrong with hot glue and you can also use it to fix cables and other things where there isn't much stress.

And no, it will not melt the plastic of your Sylphyo. The melting point is around 100 °C, normal working temperature around 150 °C.

Thanks, Laurent, for clarification.

Clint, I think you should remove the old hot glue, let the electronics dry for a while just to be safe, and then seal the opening flat but tight with new hot glue and put on the blue ring.

The reason for this: Air from the main tube does not normally get through this opening to the electronics while the mouthpiece with the O-ring is in place. No air can get through the electronics chamber either. Air can only penetrate through the inner gap between the housing and the blue ring. But if it does, it can then condense on the ring, on the wall of the small duct and on electronic components in the compartment.

If you're drying the Sylphyo with your fan without a mouthpiece, you may have aided the unwanted process, but you couldn't have known there was an opening where there shouldn't be. According to current knowledge, I would not do the drying with a fan from below without a mouthpiece, because the cooler blue metal ring promotes condensation. I think it is better to use a different, dry mouthpiece. Maybe a truncated one with a larger opening, but the plugged-in part with the O-ring should keep the upflowing air away from the cool metal ring.

On my Sylphyo this hole was completely sealed. I removed the adhesive out of curiosity and yes that is a duct that goes straight into the electronics case.

It could be a ventilation duct, which was finally closed after all. Or a prepared connection option to a dynamic mouthpiece that should be closed for now.

Aodyo?
Should this channel be tightly sealed (like mine), or a little open (like Clint's), or fully open?

This is not a good development. And nobody seems to know if it's the Sylphyo or the Link :-(

Need a workaround? If you have to play a gig and need a larger range of action with a cable, use an active Lindy Extension Cable. One end to the computer or a powered USB hub, the other end connects to the Sylphyo cable.

I have a 5 meter Lindy Extension USB 2.0 with the red USB socket and it works with the Sylphyo. I'm pretty sure a longer one will do also. The cable is relatively heavy, but the lighter end (your standard cable) is at the Sylphyo's side. Of course you should tape the cable to the instrument and attach a loop to your body.

From the NodeBB community forum:

• "First, we have enabled the "Post Queue" feature so that our moderator must review the posts of new users. This allows us to catch the spam accounts and posts, but when these spam attacks come (usually in waves) it eats up a fair amount of the moderator's time – time when he should be helping our users."

It seems that the NodeBB Forum software has a moderation setting, but Aodyo doesn't use it. I suggested this a couple of times and even offered to do the manual "allow/disallow" job, which can be not much more than clicking a button for the first post of each new user. Since a while Aodyo deletes spam more often than it used to, but why they don't use the moderation setting is beyond me. Neither the amount of spam nor the amount of new users is an issue here. A few mouse clicks a day at most.

@Zelio said in Sylphyo Link wireless with another hardware synth/midi controller ?:

the Link : can it transmit the midi data from the midi in DIN through the midi out USB ?

Works here. I tested with a MIDI controller to Link MIDI DIN and I get the data from Link MIDI USB to the computer.

(In case you think about DIN only: MIDI Thru via the two DIN connectors does not work)

Just loud thinking ...

what if the Sylphyo had no internal sounds at all? Less powerful CPU, two batteries, an USB cable, the wireless connection to the Link. Bidirectional of course, to save and load settings. Only the Link would have the synth.

No more double-synth control. Cheaper Sylphyo, cheaper Link (because more people would buy it), smaller program, less maintenance by the developer.

The Link/Synth could run on batteries (can it?) for street musicians. Stage performers have power supply anyway. Studio people would use just the radio MIDI and their own synths.

... as I said above, just loud thinking.

—
(I am a little scared at the moment because of my bad experience with Eigenharp. This project with the best possible hardware died because of software troubles, updates, lost programmers etc. I don't want to see the Sylphyo on a similar path. Therefore I rather suggest to keep updates small and pragmatic and try to shrink and streamline the whole system, technically.)

@mbang
I think in the long run you want a serious keyboard with at least 49 semi-weighted keys and aftertouch and a few knobs and pads. Don't give priority to the DAW control, there are always problems with controller keyboards. Fine if it works, but if you're buying the device for synths, it should be able to handle those instruments really well, not just do something else and do everything halfway. I suggest saving money a little longer, maybe not buying other things (plugins for example) and taking your time to find a decent keyboard controller. A good one can also be a few years old. It doesn't stop working after a short time or fall apart, both of which are problems with today's cheap keyboards with hundreds of features.

Regarding the Faderfox EC4: This is a well built and well programmed controller. The 16 encoders per page give you great control over your various synth or effects setups. Now it comes down to what you want from your synth. I call the EC4 a "rather static" controller. If you want to sit in front of the knob layout and push ambient or sequencer sounds around, the Faderfox EC4 is very good. But if you want to play expressively with real-time control of some parameters, the EC4 is the wrong device. Then I recommend an Expressive E Touché (the traditional, not the SE version). It then also has the CV outputs that you mentioned as advantageous.

To give you an idea of what I'm talking about:
I'm on Mac with Logic and currently only have two small hardware synths, a Waldorf Blofeld and a Dreadbox Typhon. My keyboards are a Roland Stage Piano and a Seaboard RISE. A Faderfox EC4 and a Touché are among my controllers.

Well, they talked about a Sylphyo update and bug fixes and made the Anyma Phi. Then they talked about a Sylphyo update and bugfixes and started with Anyma Omega. I'm starting to realize that the company is stretched and the niche we're in with the Sylphyo is pretty narrow ...

What should we do?
I know – we drop the Sylphyo and start playing Otomatone: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QiT37yZzq_M

@wwoodard8 said in Double note:

I'll try the velocity as 1. (BTW, why 1?

We would like to set 0 but this gets interpreted as note-off.
Velocity 1 is the least evil.

@wwoodard8 said in Double note:

My assumption is that synths built especially for wind synths will just totally ignore velocity

Well, the synth needs the start of the note and that comes with velocity greater than zero. And it needs the end of the note. However, synths made for windcontrollers should not make sound with velocity 1 while most other synths do. Actually a dedicated wind synth should not sound without the "sound event" it is prepared for (i.e. CC2). But since we seldom know what a synth exactly does internally, we set the velocity as low as possible.

Working with CC2 should be the default setting for a dedicated wind synth, but this can usually be changed to another CC number or Channel Pressure, just to be usable with different input devices and settings.

@Clint
Either leave this strand as it is or cut it off.
Do not pull it!

What you see is some glue that connects a middle soft plastic tube to the two hard plastic tubes at the top and bottom of the Sylphyo. If you pull on your glue strand, you may produce a hole and that may disturb the air flow.

In addition to the screws, the Sylphyo is held together with hot glue in a few places. At my instrument, this glue lost it’s strength and I could safely disassemble the instrument without knowing details. See the photo below, in the places marked with arrows are the glue areas of the tube:
 

 
WARNING:
Do not disassemble the Sylphyo unless you have experience with such things. You could damage the board, a ribbon cable or connector or whatever.

(Btw, my Sylphyo contains a standard rechargeable 18650 battery in a socket, additionally held in place with two cable ties. An electronics technician can replace the battery.)

@Paul-Flute
I don't expect them to put in a mechanical button, even if we would prefer that. But what you describe can be solved with software. For example, tap twice or hold your finger on it longer. They would have to discuss that with the players who are affected. I myself have never accidentally touched the button.

@Paul-Flute said in Music example: Sylphyo in a cave:

@Peter-Ostry The link appears to not work?

Ah, maybe because of security restrictions. It’s HTTP, not HTTPS.
You can copy/paste the link to your browser.

Or, if you prefer that, I’ve put it on SoundCloud:
Sylphyo in Hang Son Dong (Section, on SoundCloud)

An example of using the Sylphyo.

The piece linked below is part of a music project that aims to describe a journey through Hang Son Doong, the largest cave in the world. A Sylphyo is used in this part.

Initially you will hear the end of a "jungle path" leading to the cave entrance. Then we go down a water-bearing slope into the depths of the cave, while two embedded Sylphyos help support the rather scary situation. Then an underground river is crossed and in the following, quieter room, the Sylphyo becomes the main instrument. The music of this excerpt ends before we enter the next room of the cave.

I'm not the best flute player, but here the music thrives on the composition and mood, not on individual instrumental performances. In my opinion, the Sylphyo fits well into this environment and you can clearly hear how sensitive the breath controller is. That's why I love the Sylphyo.

Link to the .zip compressed WAV file:
Sylphyo In Hang Son Doong (Section)

Have fun in the dark :-)

@blipson
Just my 2 Cents:

USB Host connectors did never work for me. Not the Kenton host box nor at a digital mixer I had and not the Sylphyo Link. I do not know why, maybe my personal Karma or the temperature in Austria. And I never found out if the problem was at the host or at the connected device.

The first USB host that works flawlessly here is the BomeBox. I have an active USB hub on the host port of a BomeBox with all my MIDI gear connected including a Sylphyo Link and no problems at all.

I am writing this because, if you don't find a failure, don't blame yourself or your gear. It may just be your Karma or the air pressure in your bicycle tires or the colour of the wine on your table. The function of USB hosts seem to be a mysterious secret.

@wwoodard8
Thanks for the lab work, I think that's exactly what I want too :-)

@reidid789
They probably have a backup somewhere with the best entries from Asia.

@Jean-Louis
Good idea! And takes up less space than a small keyboard where you would also have to switch octaves. There's still time for a MIDI keyboard later, if composing becomes more important to you.

@Jean-Louis said in Sylphyo to enter scores with the MuseScore application ?:

Not knowing how to play the keyboard and not being a composer, but practicing the flute for a long time, I imagined to save time for the regular input of acapella scores for a choir

I suggest reconsidering that.

Originally a guitarist, I started recording MIDI guitar into scoring programs years ago because it was the instrument I was most familiar with. It turned out that was only a good idea if you want to record guitar tracks. In all other cases, where it is not a question of playing but only of the notes, a keyboard proved to be better suited. Especially in programs like MuseScore, which only allow note-by-note input. And especially for ensemble or choir where the intervals and harmonies are laid out in front of you on the keyboard. And with step-by-step input with the keyboard, you usually have one hand free to operate the program.

I don't want to dissuade you from trying the Sylphyo, but its basic construction doesn't make it easy to write music with, even if you're good with wind instruments. What you know best is not necessarily the best tool for everything. I know someone who is excellent at playing saxophone, flute and wind controller (Yamaha). But for scoring he doesn't use the wind controller, but either a "strictly" set TEC breath converter and a keyboard or just the keyboard alone, for the reasons mentioned above. This is more efficient and depending on the program it can be more precise.

I can imagine that because of your knowledge of the instrument and the similarity between voice and wind instrument, you would consider the Sylphyo a logical tool for scoring. But give it a try and if you have the opportunity try the same with any keyboard. For step input, possibly with a fixed velocity, the quality of the keyboard does not play a major role.

The situation is of course different when it comes to technique and performance. But you can't use MuseScore for that anyway.

I just tried it, did not work for whatever reason. I switched off all additional stuff in the Sylphyo, activated dynamic velocity, set the channel to 1. Sylphyo as input was selected in MuseScore and Midi Monitor (on Mac) showed incoming notes with various velocities. But MuseScore did not react. I can write notes with the Keyboard in Muse Score.

But why would you want to use a windcontroller to enter single notes in MuseScore? A keyboard is much better for that. You cannot record your performance anyway, just painting note after note. At least I don't know another way in MuseScore, maybe I am wrong.

My Sylphyo does not send anything when switched on. Not a single event. Not via the link, nor directly via USB. The first messages I see are Elevation CCs when I take the instrument out of the vertical power on position.

@Clint
I am afraid you won't have a chance until Aodyo gives us controlling possibilities like setting the base note by sending something to the Link and sync it to the instrument or vice versa or what-do-I-know ...

Just loud thinking:

• Do not change the base note on the Sylphyo but rather at the destination. Near the MIDI input, in Cantabile, before the plugin, whatever is possible. It's only about adding a value to incoming note numbers.

• I don't know how you operate the EC4, but if pushing knobs doesn't interfer with other functions I would use the push functions of encoders 1-11. They have labels and pressing the corresponding knobs makes manual changes more or less failsave.

• If you can send SysEx from Cantabile or through another software, maybe Aodyo can give you a string to set the base note on the current Link. You wouldn't see the change on the Sylphyo but I think you could live with that.

• If you can program that in Cantabile or in another software, you could switch the base note on the Sylphyo, then do something on or with the Sylphyo you never do while playing (telling the software that the base note is coming) and then play the base note. Like a keyboard player handles key switches.

None of the above is an ideal solution, but maybe I could give you some ideas.

Just a note:
If you need MIDI processing but don't have a software for that, consider Bome MIDI Translator Pro. They have a very helpful support guy in the user forum. BomeBox could be an additional option but that little monster is expensive.

@mistergibson
I don't have an Anima Phi but a Touché.

If you use hardware patches in Lie Software, under the MIDI tab you can set CC numbers sent by the available movements. Click on "Instrument View" shows you some settings including the MIDI channel.

According to the Anima Phi specifications, CC numbers cannot control everything in the Synth but controlling playing performance is possible.

@TheSongSystem said:

You mention the Sylphyo having both sideways roll and compass (sideways angle) - these are two different things?

Yes. Airplane and ship movements are a good comparison:
(Source: Wikipedia)

Ship YAW = Sylphyo COMPASS
Ship PITCH = Sylphyo ELEVATION
Ship ROLL = Sylphyo ROLL

—

@TheSongSystem said:

Also, you mention the Sylphyo sounds being the "smaller", medium synthetic versions of sounds that Anyma Phi does better. Does this mean that the same preset sounds are in both devices, at different resolution levels, ...

I don’t know if there are some identical presets, but so far I know the Sylphyo and the Anyma Phi are made by the same people and the latter has a multiple of CPU power and can produce sounds in more detail.

—

@TheSongSystem said in Prospective user with questions:

I've been looking into some of the other sound sources you mention, and am noticing that the Anyma Phi seems to straddle the line between a digital pedal and synth software. Would agree with this observation?

I agree.

ad 1:
Best clarinet feeling has the Yamaha WX5 at an Yamaha VL-70m synth with the Patchman Turbo chip. The Sylphyo is a different beast. It has a soft long airflow. You can manipulate that via electronic settings and additionally attach different plugs (for blow-resistance) at the lower air-hole but basically it feels always like a flute. The strength of the Sylphyo lies in it's very special soft and precise airflow detection and in the type of available control possibilities: Air pressure, sideways roll, elevation (vertical angle), compass (sideways angle) and key-bend by rolling the finger tips. The Sylphyo has no mechanical keys and the mouthpiece does nothing. Very expressive and very different from a clarinet.

ad 2:
I like your music I heard on YouTube and I am not sure if the Anyma Phi is the right synth for you. Hopefully Aodyo doesn't beat me for that, but I find the sound of the Anyma Phi very synthetic. The Sylphyo has the "smaller", medium synthetic version of these sounds and the Anyma Phi does them better, if you know what I mean.

ad 3:
The internal sounds of the Sylphyo are not customizable. You can use the assigned controllers and that's it. But some of the sounds are a good base for an effects chain like yours.

ad 4:
Anyma Phi sounds are customizable, it is a fully featured physical modeling synth. The Sylphyo sends CC values from various sources that can control everything MIDI aware.

ad 5:
Hardware and Software depend on your musical wishes. For example, I find classic FM synthesis like in a TG77 rather boring with the Sylphyo. Generally, older synths were not built for the range of control a Sylphyo delivers. Modular systems do work but I find them too brutal for the Sylphyo's nuances. So far I heard, Roland's Integra sounds good with a Sylphyo. I have a Waldorf Blofeld and a Dreadbox Typhon and both work well with the Sylphyo but I would not recommend exactly these two because I always miss some expression and power I expect from hardware synths.
Regarding software – Respiro is physical modeling and built for wind controllers, probably the only softsynth today that works out of the box for this type of instrument. You can change and control the sounds to a certain degree but it tends to imitate real world instruments, which is the whole purpose of physical modeling. I use Respiro and I like u-he Zebra for it's wonderful warm blowlike sounds and UVI Falcon for it's endless sound and control capabilities. Both must be set up for a wind controller but this isn't too complicated.

Additional comment:
If you consider to buy a Sylphyo, also consider the Sylphyo Link box. I am pretty sure that you will prefer wireless playing and for that you need the Link.

@Clint said in Dual Sylphyo Setup:

I am guessing a Link only remembers one pairing connection?

This is good for your duo configuration. Each time a player switches on his/her Sylphyo, it should connect to the same Link=Synth.

Ok, when did your trumpet and bass flute get the last update, apart from the cleaning cloth and a few drops of oil here and there?
Don't blame me, this was meant as a joke :-)

I'm not a fan of frequent updates for an instrument where I have to internalize or even relearn behavior after changes. The Sylphyo works for my use and as it is, along with the Link box, as a standalone system, I can play it forever. For my guitars and other instruments, I rarely want updates and if so, then only for certain areas of playability...

...and that's a method I'd like to suggest to Aodyo. A large proportion of users think that software for electronic instruments needs to be updated regularly. Although this is actually not the case, as can be seen with most keyboards and synthesizers. For the more sensitive Sylphyo I think it is possible to improve the software in separated sections, concentrated on the most requested parts that you are trying to get perfect.
That could result in an update every six months or so. With an overhauled main section (the theme) and a few bugfixes.

I support this feature request.

But I expect a problem with Compass. How do we tell it the direction we want to play?
We would need some sort of Center, Reset, Set Direction, however you name it.

Otherwise we could only play on stages that face north :-)

Well, with new user's first post moderated and to be approved – if one of the Aodyo people checks the forum once or twice a day, you don't need sub-moderators at all. May be a more attractive option for a company forum.

@join said:

The best thing would be to approve new topics, ...

Not new topics. This would hinder regular users.
You want to block/approve first posts from new users.

@join said:

... but it means we should organize to guarantee a maximum response time in order to avoid stifling new discussions.

You have users who connect on a more or less regular basis, like Clint and me, and you may know a couple more. If a few users get the permission to approve a post from a new user, most of your current problems are gone.
 
If none of the volunteer moderators knows how to handle a post, they simply leave it in waiting state until you decide what should happen. This is how we deal with it in another forum and the waiting time for desired new users is never more than 12 hours.

People go on holidays without notice or lose interest for a while, so you need more then one helper, either in-house or external. The owner(s) of a forum should check it at least once a day and I think this is not the case here.

@join
Automatic spam blocking will never be watertight. Nowadays it is more of a coarse sieve.

Please don't get me wrong, I'm really in no position to criticize your forum job. But I was an Internet Service Provider for many years and I know how it feels when you see 2% user traffic and 98% aggressors, spams and idiots on the server. And for a forum, that would be a very good ratio. If you are less lucky, you can quickly end up with 0.1% or 0.01% legitimate traffic.

Well ... NodeBB claims to have "unparalleled moderation tools". So it has at least a "moderate new users" function, right? Enable that and, if the bad guys do not manage to go around, most of the bot-show will be over. Then comes IP- and user-blocking and an administrator who has a look every couple of hours.

It's really not necessary that so much spam comes through and, worse, stays in the forum for days. You could even recruit a few volunteer forum users to help out with administration as moderators. Many forums do it this way.

"ackrolix123"
Great. Best bot text I've read since years. I wonder if they work with people or if the algorithms are really that good now.

However – the Aodyo forum is the only forum I know that doesn't care much about spam. A little annoying, not?

@clint - I'm just over 70, by your age theory I shouldn't be able to hold a drinking straw anymore.
But I can. I can still climb a 5.9 and play a wind controller. Just not at the same time :-)

This Robkoo R1 is a toy, more or less. A dramatically stripped down WX5 copy with half the keys, without the mouthpiece and, as I learned, 20-30 ms wireless latency. But nice on stage, you can plug it into an amp with your guitar cable.

@jcfitn said in How about a Sylphyo update now?:

I like to use Roll to chage the fine tune, but if is not in a smaller range is less interesting. And in absolute with 360º of range is not sensitive enough.

Yes. Similar problem here:

I like to map Roll CC to Pitchbend (unfortunately not directly available in the Sylphyo yet). In normal mode there is a hysteresis in the neutral position, a kind of "platform", where values do not change. This is basically good, but you cannot pitch smoothly across the neutral position. Absolute mode would be the method of choice, but here your Roll range is 90° left/right, which is hardly playable.

One could say "scale the absolute Roll CC to the range you want", but not everyone in every setup can process 14Bit pitchbend coming from the Sylphyo. If you are bound to 7Bit pitchbend, you would upscale less than a quarter of the 0-127 full range and this leads to audible steps.

I think high-resolution sensor output should be scaled in the instrument, while full sensor data are available, not after MIDI translation.

@jcfitn said in How about a Sylphyo update now?:

An option to limit the "roulis" absolute angle (like we can do in Elevation)

My Sylphyo cannot set an angle range in absolute Elevation.
But you are right, setting a +/– range in absolute mode is important and I miss that. Best would be for all three: Roll, Elevation, Compass.

Sorry for slow thinking ...

An additional CC as indicator for the Roll direction left/right is not the best idea. Selectable CCs for left/right would be the way to go. Set them to the same value: play as usual. Set them different: You get one for Roll left and one for Roll right. Same for Compass.

Same for Compass.
(Why not ...)

Currently:

Normal Roll
Left 0-127, Right 0-127. Full range at both sides, but no side indication. We cannot send this to different targets based on roll direction.

Bidirectional Roll
This we can send to different targets. Left 0-63, Right 65-127. But we have only half the MIDI resolution. Can sound stepped, depending on the controlled instrument parameter. Unusable for greater pitchbend ranges since most instruments support 7Bit pitchbend only.

Absolute Roll
In normal and bidirectional mode we have a "platform" between left and right roll output (= hysteresis = good). But you do not always want that. We could switch to "absolute" Roll to get smoother output across the middle position, but in absolute mode the movement range goes nearly to 90° left and right, which is impractical. MIDI goes 0-127, so scaling this output to a usable movement range and mapping it to left/right in software leaves us at about 20% of the MIDI resolution.

What I want:

Normal Roll
An additional CC output that tells the Roll direction.

Absolute Roll
Scalable movement range in degrees like in normal and bidirectional modes.

Sure.
USB to Computer.
———
The Link Box has the same synth as the Sylphyo. You need the Link only if you want to go wireless and/or for direct MIDI I/O via DIN jacks.