Wind instruments and GarageBand

[Geert Bosch]

Does anyone know if the Software Instruments that GarageBand provides will be compatible with MIDI Wind Controllers such as the Yamaha WX5? These instruments use continuous breath control as opposed to the velocity/aftertouch and envelopes more appropriate to keyboardand percussion instruments.

I'm a clarinetist without appropriate space for practicing (hard to find in NYC) and am thinking about getting an electronic version that can be used with headphones etc. Being able to play this with GarageBand would be awesome, as playing a solo instrument is more gratifying with some patient band members

 

[Jodeo]

WX7 User Weighs In

GB, my WX7 can be configured to transmit velocity and after touch instead of breath controller data. I'm sure it's the same for your WX5 (which is newer than the WX7 -- Dear Yamaha, may we recommend a book on LOGIC?!?!?!).

That being the case you should get plenty of expressive response from the software instruments in GB. John Mayer demonstrated the AT on one of the guitars he played using the keyboard.

 

[cpjakes]

I would guess it depends on the controller number - if the one from your WX5 outputs on a controller number that means anything in GB. Aftertouch is its own controller number and may be different than breath control. So I suppose it'll be an experiment!

cpjakes

 

[Squire]

This is interesting.

So do you think a guy could buy the controller (I'm thinking WX5 or Akai EWI... any advice?) and connect it directly to the Mac without bothering with an acoustic tone generator (VL70m or 3020m)? Of course you'd need a MIDI to USB adapter but that's peanuts compared to the 600-800 bucks for the tone generator.

Squire

 

[cpjakes]

Originally posted by Squire
This is interesting.

So do you think a guy could buy the controller (I'm thinking WX5 or Akai EWI... any advice?) and connect it directly to the Mac without bothering with an acoustic tone generator (VL70m or 3020m)? Of course you'd need a MIDI to USB adapter but that's peanuts compared to the 600-800 bucks for the tone generator.

Squire

Yeah - GarageBand IS your tone generator, provided your controller can provide pitch and velocity data. You're limited to what Apple gives you and probably cannot edit the sounds, but it seems that with the expansion pack that most everything should be covered.

cpjakes

 

[Squire]

Thanks for the info! I would probably end up getting a tone generator eventually anyway. However, it's good to know that a wind controller would work alone with GB. This way, I don't have to throw down the whole 1100 bucks at once.

Baby steps, so to speak.

Cheers,

Squire

 

[Hammzee]

I am pretty sure you could rig it up so that the vibrato controls on an ewi would work for modulation on GB, and pitch bend, or other controls too. THis should probably work.