Breath Controllers and the Electric Melodica

[@TheAechBomb]

"these things are highly sought after" "I can confidently say mine is better"

[@bencastor9207]

Not so humble brag. Lol

[@BDHO73]

I had an original back in the day. They were shite.

[@alik250]

Easy to do as an engineering genius 😂

[@turbohotvedt]

Even more responsive than a real melodica? That IS a now the realest melodica

[@Tralfaz2007]

Very cool. Just a side note: OFFS also stands for "Oh for f%ck's sake."

[@grendelum]

_”oh fer fook’s sake !!”_

[@SONGSTICKS]

That must have been uttered several times during the invention and build of this :O) OFFS I've soldered the wrong lead to that or OFFS that's still hot !

[@Rheologist]

4:28 "that wasn't much of a performance" Are yiu kidding me??? That was fantastic!

[@JustWasted3HoursHere]

I was thinking the same thing.

[@Scodiddly]

Oh yeah, the breath controller! Back in the day I couldn't afford the keyboard, just the controller... and my brother had a Minimoog. A friendly repair tech at the music store pulled out the schematics and we figured out how to interface the two, worked great and a lot of fun to play.

[@mondair99]

Thanks for the Daft Punk vibes at 4:00 :)

[@luigibeatrice7857]

you should definitely sell your stuff

[@michaelmoore1434]

How many people they've liked this comment = people would have bought this so far

[@Plutogram]

He would make a fortune.

[@JGHFunRun]

@@Plutogram And quite possibly be cheaper (but still "better in almost everyway")

[@nigeladams8321]

Fortunately it's only a couple dollars in parts

[@Skyliner_369]

this whole unit seems that it could be made in a nice compact package. maybe using commercial opto couplers (as they're more precice and compact) and maybe using transistors to help make the light and I/O response more perceptually linear... maybe with nice tuning pots. the unit could have several controls to really customize how it plays. An idea of a knob list: -Gain -Offset -Curve -Volume -Flow (Just use a needle valve) And a nice bypass toggle switch. maybe with optional foot pedal input. you don't wanna blow yourself blue when you can finger the notes.

[@ProDigit80]

Having a better air exit, and a shorter tube, should allow for even greater responsiveness.

[@MegaFPVFlyer]

3:32 just gonna leave this here because I know I'm gonna watch it 800 times

[@zipherdias420]

"I'm just going to go tuh'tu'tu tuh" Precedes to synth your balls off.

[@SquimboRapper]

3:59 imma leave this here because sick beat

[@captainboing]

"that type of tongueing" *snicker* I made some noisless volume controls with incandescent lightbulbs onto LDRs when i was a lad. lovely

[@Niemandeiner]

PLEEEASE! please use it and make music!! the little demo performance you showed was just AWESOME!

[@Niemandeiner]

or let someone else use it!

[@eddyfree33]

Genius. Wish you were my neighbor. When not picking your brain and inundating you with great ideas that I have no idea how to pull off, I’d be more than happy to mow your lawn, detail your car, run errands, I even do windows! whatever you need doing so you can continue being genius...uninterupted. And would buy.

[@SianaGearz]

So what kind of ideas do you want implemented, maybe i can help out with those.

[@PeachIceCreamy]

Siana Gearz why don’t you marry him then?

[@adrenaline4981]

Lmao 😂

[@moracabanas]

To correctly map "blow twice as hard to get twice the volume" you have to apply a logaritmic signal map fix as decibels scales twice loud with 10X volume on linear scale. Our ear works like that. In other words you need to map 10x volume to 2x hard blow to get 2x hard sound. I mean AFAIK

[@stekeln]

What exactly is that function? A logarithmic function would map zero to negative infinity and an exponential function would map zero to one. We would want zero to map to zero since zero breath should mean we get zero volume. (Also, sorry for replying to an old comment...)

[@moracabanas]

@@stekeln you are right I have no idea but it is not linear

[@edgeeffect]

The "final version" (forgetting that Yamaha protocol) is SO simple... it's brilliant.

[@Bigl0r]

When did you decide to make every single dream _ I _ had come true? Awesome.

[@kinnectar820]

I just got trapped in a logic loop, thinking about how a breath controller would be great for controlling the FLASH synth and then trying to figure out where a cheap one was and if a MIDI Slide Whistle Controller was a thing. Of course here I end up circling back to the inventor himself having built the thing long ago. Always impressed! But how about a DIY slide whistle mod for this?

[@mohammadaminsameti3122]

That's how I love it. Simple, hands-on, usable and effective. Keep it up!

[@runforitman]

I love that you uploaded schematics for this!!

[@splodge9]

Please make this, I would buy it at any (vaguely sensible) price.

[@PatchmanMusic]

The Yamaha breath controllers actually work really great BUT you need to have special patches in whatever synth you are connecting the breath controller to so everything responds correctly. All the parts need to be there for it all to respond the way you would expect. Patchman Music has released a lot of breath controlled soundbanks... www.patchmanmusic.com/WindControllerBanks.html Folks can learn about this topic here: www.patchmanmusic.com/WindControllerFAQ.html

[@J4yy_]

You're honestly the most underrated channel I have come across. Seriously, your content is more original than half the site! I know this is an older video, but keep up the good work! I'm glad I've found this channel.

[@OnnieKoski]

You’ve just invented TOSLINK!

[@PeachIceCreamy]

Onnie Koski LOL

[@Synthetica9]

Analogue toslink tho

[@Laurabeck329]

@@Synthetica9 Technically there is nothing stopping you from sending an analogue signal through a toslink cabel. It would be ridiculous and completely incompatible with everything else but it can be done

[@argenteus8314]

I know this was posted a long time ago, but I love this solution. I'm by no means an electrical engineering expert; I don't think I understand it well enough yet to even call myself a beginner. But I find it amazing how hacked together that solution of using an LED and a light sensor is, and that it actually works well despite how hacky it sounds in theory.

[@T3hBeowulf]

Today I learned what a breath controller is... and then I learned just how much potential has been missing. Neat!

[@GerhardAlbinus]

Absolutely brilliant. Wonderful engineering and building skills. Thanks

[@MintyFarts]

this would be amazing to set up with paralyzed or locked in persons computers so the had a creative musical outlet. many people cant even talk but they can blow and interact with a computer with their eyes and mouth.

[@thestraynetwork]

Well spoken, articulate. Thank you!

[@TooSlowTube]

This is great work, but LDRs are inherently slow to react. If you look up Vactrols (an LED + an LDR) you'll see some graphs of turn on / turn off times, at different currents. Opto couplers get high speeds by using a photo transistor, or a photo diode, as the detector. Another way to keep it simple is to use a MOSFET as a VCA. You need to bias it into its linear region, so it's not just behaving like a voltage controlled switch, then just have a pot used as a potential divider to control the gate voltage.

[@SianaGearz]

Why MOSFET? A JFET is almost a VCA on its own, close enough for a control signal. And without much gate capacitance there isn't much there to cause slowness.

[@franciscopen1681]

Siana Gearz mosfet is AN VCA, also more linear, isolated gate and no current loss

[@radeklew1]

No spit valve? It looks like spit would pool in the tube, is there any chance of it getting inside?

[@jjaapp18]

I would hope you have enough sense not to spit a ton when you're making sounds as you do the same when you're speaking to someone face to face. Even if you did manage to accumulate enough saliva in the tube that it would "pool", water conveniently evaporates in open air. So just leave it out overnight, and it should be gone by the morning.

[@nathanricketts2415]

@@jjaapp18 i mean if its anything like a saxophone itd go away, but itd also get pretty stinky

[@jjaapp18]

@@nathanricketts2415 Good thing your nose isn't inside your mouth then!

[@iFireender]

@@jjaapp18 it's not as much spit as it is condensation

[@nightshade1807]

jjaapp18 you don’t really understand lmao, get a straw and blow in it for a while. Water will pool very quickly. How but I didn’t spit?? It’s condensation. And YES it can pool if not given a pool or an easy way to remove the tube.

[@petougao]

I congratulate you. It is an excellent solution!

[@johnhurd3257]

awesome work!

[@tsbrownie]

You have some great videos. Just a thought in case you ever re-do this you can use a photo-interrupter (or pair). They are very cheap, purpose built, no ground loop, electrically efficient, etc.

[@RonWylie-gk5lc]

I took apart my EWI usb and there is almost nothing inside it lol, just a longer version of what you have made here {and yours looks more professional than theirs!, get building you have people waiting to give you their money

[@pbxmusic]

kickstart ! go go go!

[@pbxmusic]

this is an idea that can be turend into a product .

[@StopChangingUsernamesYouTube]

I'm not sure if there's any practicality in it at all, but you could also take/make a DC air pump, assuming there's something fast/responsive enough out there, and use an analog audio signal for adjusting the flow rate. Makes about as much sense as a player piano currently does, but it's another way to play an aquarium pump.

[@OnnieKoski]

Could you turn this into an HID device for disabled computer users?

[@acidtears]

BCIs are far more useful in that regard than blowing into a tub for hours on end. How would you imagine it to convert blowing into control?

[@nagualdesign]

@@acidtears Simple; first strap a bocarina to a disabled person's face with an elastic chord, they then communicate with an AI that's been trained by listening The Clangers, which interprets and carries out commands.

[@acidtears]

@@nagualdesign I had to look both of those references up lol Tbf it might work though... Instead of playing a specific song they could be asked to produce a certain frequency which is read in by the AI and then converted into a command. Works but still wouldn't help people with Locked-in/ALS because they have no motor control whatsoever.

[@SteveJones172pilot]

This is cool.. As an original Yamaha DX7 owner that used to have a BC-1 (lost in house fire) I can say though - Dont get rid of the abliity to plug into the BC input on a synth.. One of the things I used mine for most was to use it in the FM synthesis as another modulation wheel basically.. I appreciate in the software synth you may be able to do the same though I guess without the compatible output for the Yamaha standard...

[@alisondefrenne3608]

"if it looks stupid but it works, it isn't stupid"

[@thinkythinkypanic882]

I love this! This is so dope bro your entire channel is amazing

[@achmadjohanm]

2024 and still I hope you sell this. I really want to buy it

[@galaxydefender1033]

This guy its an engineer and a music? Both sides of the brain active?

[@markcsorgo143]

and a music yes

[@clodman84]

Is only half your brain active?

[@michaeljoseph8229]

I'm this way it isn't super uncommon

[@siccbastard4580]

How does one become a music?

[@galaxydefender1033]

Musician

[@no7mac]

A melodica and accordion are reed instruments like a harmonica

[@multiverseone8115]

"Bought a YAMAHA keyboard" BUILD A HATSUNE MIKU VERSION.

[@glenesis]

Wow! Great work!

[@stefanhennig]

I am currently refurbishing a Farfisa organ from the late sixties and they are using the LED ( light bulb in that case ) / LDR pattern in quite a few places. 4 ex in their foot pedal.

[@bluybrink4526]

that's pretty impressive indeed, well done

[@Scrogan]

Ever heard of an operational transconductance amplifier? One could work well for voltage controlled amplification. A mixer like an SA602 could also potentially work, so could a JFET circuit. You’ll lose your optical isolation, but it’s still a more consistent method that avoids issues like matching the components and their geometries. If you really want that isolation then maybe a ring diode mixer could work, if you’re willing to use a couple of audio transformers.

[@MrAnthonyKennedy1]

Dude you rock! This is so cool! Thank you!

[@telecomcrypt]

This is SO SICK!!!!!

[@JGHFunRun]

With eurorack you could make full use of this, without the downside of being separate from the synth (eurorack is a modular synthesis protocol that's analog and, since it's modular, you can route anything to anything, who's up for some FM synthesis (Filter Modulation, you move the filter with your audio signal)) I wish I could afford a eurorack system... (I plan to build one from kits and my own designs, but even with the kits I've found bringing it down $200 I can't afford TwT, but when I have one I'm _definitely_ making an eMelodica module, not only are the disadvantages gone but you can route it to stuff you never thought of, and even stuff that's probably a bad idea) Edit: The obvious disadvantage of eurorack is that polyphony is hard with eurorack, and really expensive

[@TheMagickMan]

Let me know when you have one for sale 🙏😇🙏 that can midi hook up to my Akai Force or Novation circuit or Arturia MicroFreak that would be Awesome Sauce ( I know you probably won’t have one to sell and unfortunately I don’t know how to put together myself , but love your channel and your approach as Mad Scientist but Practical to making your ideas into reality ) keep up the good work

[@freeelectron8261]

Wow! Very nice.

[@sylvur]

You digitized Beat Boxing!!!

[@masterkit9517]

Midi message help please! CC2 i dont know please give midi message for me

[@gabrieljacobs2]

Great! You are a genius.

[@zebrapares]

Sounds really good, but I guess you can only control the overall volume dynamics this way and not a specific parameter in the synthesis?

[@marksteiner3493]

Nicely done!

[@bigboybreadstick8477]

I love melodicas

[@BWPT.]

I was going to suggest buying a couple of ready made and matched Vactrols from a DIY modular synth place but then where is the fun and learning experience in that!

[@kinnectar820]

Would be ideal as a Eurorack module, eliminates the issue with the signal chain placement.

[@0xssff]

"If I blow twice as hard I get twice the amplitude " of course XD

[@4.0.4]

Yes but that is a problem if you want twice the audible volume instead of twice the waveform amplitude.

[@the_washingmachine1295]

2:49 greetings from a LMNC-viewer c:

[@leepshin]

Is it possible to modify the breath controller to use an expression pedal instead?

[@modularcuriosity]

Maybe I missed it, but why didn't you use a pre-made optocoupler IC instead of making your own from LEDs and photo resistors?

[@allansmith5894]

Good for u mate!!!

[@te4ch2ni0cs]

I love this. Can you build me one?!

[@georgeparkins777]

So if I had the Yamaha breath controller, could I hook it up to a modular synth's VCA and get a similar effect?

[@MrSafer]

good grief that is so cool.

[@jaredcohen9552]

In your tutorial for the breath controller, you said you hooked up the melodica mouthpiece and it allowed for air flow, where does the air come out through?

[@randyharrigan4790]

the peter frampton of the synth world🤣 cool

[@dominicstocker5144]

How much back pressure is there when using the breath controller? There are some health concerns with high back pressure

[@ignusa749]

pretty cool!! I use an mrt breath unit, it is full midi, and works on all synth modules as well as yami. units. please post a performance with the final unit!!

[@cutseencinematics]

SELL THESE

[@beyouthefullyou9956]

Amazing! Can I buy one from you?

[@anaccount9929]

So dope!!!

[@WagonLoads]

LOoks cool.. I'm not sure if you are saying this, but why not just use the system used by patch cord synthesizers. VCO, VCF, VCA, etc and then you could control all sorts of parameters including ASDR or even time shift delays. Let me know if you try this...

[@chrisw1462]

Gotta wonder.. Could this be done with an ESP32 and Bluetooth Midi? _Should_ be fast enough, but guess I'd have to test it. Wireless breath control...

[@howardunderwood1572]

Are they on the market yet? And can be bought in the us

[@technophant]

Yamaha expression pedal interface?

[@FiddlingwithmyWhistle]

Interesting.... I play the Tin Whistle, and I just bought a WARBL... and it's ok.... but it too is lacking that something.... I am off to read your bLog...

[@butth0le_inspector]

Couldn't have you used a optocoupler instead of the led and that other component?

[@marekcernoch1355]

It is an optocoupler, just not factory made

[@butth0le_inspector]

@@marekcernoch1355 I know it is, but would be more viable to buy one. It's cheap...

[@marekcernoch1355]

@@butth0le_inspector he probably didn't buy these just for this project, he just had them lying around, so it was probably a difference of buying an optocoupler or using what he already had

[@maxmatson1578]

My apologies if you already said the name of the Yamaha module in the video, but I can't remember if I caught it or not?😅 could you please tell the name of the Yamaha module that you're using the breath controller with please🙏 thank you!✌

[@michaelduggan5434]

Hi. Are you selling these?

[@CHSidChou]

its not that over kill, this kinda set up is often used as a roto encoder in some printers. have you tried with photo transistor instead of photo resistor?

[@nerv4316]

3:48 Darude : you called me?

[@uniqueprogressive9908]

You have just beaten Yamaha's game

[@tysoncook5152]

Cool!

[@Resomius]

soooooooo, space-sax next?

[@Misterjankens1221]

that was hot

[@TheStudio49]

Hi would you be interested in building a breath controller for me ??

[@fergar6570]

How can i get one of this ?

[@gormauslander]

But can it vibrato?

[@ΘάνοςΖησιμόπουλος]

its better than the real thing.. but still there is room for improvement..

[@clazymon]

Hi, I tried the website you put in the video, it is some lawyer in Ohio. Have I put the wrong website in or does the information exist elsewhere?

[@sain2472]

would buy

[@The_Babydavid_]

So are these for sale now orrrrr 👀

[@XZenon]

A spit valve might be of consideration. Then again, you can just plug out the tube, can't you?