Gibson Dusk Tiger

Gibson Dusk Tiger
Originally uploaded by mikemilton

This is just a little video to show how the Dusk Tiger tunes itself.

In this shot the guitar initially tunes to standard tuning, which it does by default each time it is turned on (and, yes, one can just tune manually and play if you wish).

The guitar is then set to an Open tuning and strummed. I like accuracy so I have the guitar set so that it re-tunes to accommodate any neck bending when the tuning change is significant

Eigenharp Alpha with DPA Microphone

Eigenharp Alpha with DPA Microphone
Originally uploaded by mikemilton

The DPA Microphone is a great addition to the Alpha. It plugs in just beside the breathpipe and includes a mount on a new breath pipe mouthpiece which the mic can clip to.

It is an electret mic for which the Alpha provides the polarizing voltage (the voltage levels can be selected either by belcanto or by the control keys as can the various controls such as vol, pan, effect send, etc)

Winter Studio

Winter Studio
Originally uploaded by mikemilton

Click on the picture to see this in Flickr (where there are notes on each item)

We moved south yesterday (yes, I know, we punted but it looked like the lake was icing over)

At lease there is more room to organize music and computing here

Komplete

I've been using the Komtakt player and Guitar Rig4 (which cam with my Gibson) for some time and decided it was time to 'Komplete' the suite.

It is delivered on 12 dual layer DVDs. So it will be interesting to explore all that content.

O'Brien Set

O'Brien Set
Originally uploaded by mikemilton

This lovely set of O'Brien Whistles sounds as good as it looks.

One fipple end-piece and 3 2-piece lower sections (D, C, Eb)

The fit is superb and the wood is well crafted. A variety of woods are available

Republic Reso GBDGBD

Republic Reso GBDGBD
Originally uploaded by mikemilton

I'm waiting (not so patiently) for my Gibson Squareneck Dobro and wanted to work on 'standard' tuning but GBDGBD is a bit much for a round neck.

Here is my trusty National with a nut extender and a Dobro capo. It is actually tuned to FACFAC but the capo nicely makes this what I want.

The capo has a metal bar that sits over the fret and under the strings. It can be rotated to accommodate higher string heights. A rubber-covered bar sits slightly to the head-side of the lower bar pressing the strings down and dampening any sound from the upper portion of the strings.

I'm busy practicing a bunch of Christmas songs for the holidays. They are an interesting thing to play on reso.

SX Lap Steel

So, Having ordered the square neck Dobro, I needed something to practice on while waiting for it to arrive.

This little lap steel was an obvious answer. It was incredibly inexpensive, came with a nice case and sounds amazingly good all things considered.

It was immediately tuned to GBDGBD and both Cath and I are quickly working on our first songs.

By the way, I can heartily recommend Lessons with Troy,  as a source for good instruction at reasonable cost. His videos are great.

Celebration Day

Yesterday was our annual celebration day with a family we know. It is easier to pick one day than deal with birthdays and other events and it makes for a great day.

This year I got everyone some ethnic instruments such as a Digeridoo, rain sticks, queros, shakers, thumb pianos, etc.

It was at least a novel idea.

Perhaps a Digeridoo is a good complement to the Alpha?

New Guitar on Order

I'd be much more excited if it was not for the fact that it might take a year to be built and delivered. It seems they only make them as they are ordered.

Focus and Name Change

I've decided to change the focus and name of this blog to be more generally oriented to music rather than specific to electronic wind instruments.

I have a couple of other blogs as well.

One is specific to Eigenharps: http://eigenharps.blogspot.com/
The other is a personal blog: http://parquinjournal.blogspot.com/

Home Again

The Alpha is home again. Eigenlabs have been just great in following up and in every other way. On the courrier front there was another mishap where they shipped it to the wrong distribution facility but that did not seem to delay the actual arrival.

So, with the bottom (as you wear it) strip controller replaced we are underway again.

Well, actually, with my retention of skills my first session was more of a re-start. At least I have most of the control sequences in my head

On Its Way

The Alpha is on its way to Devon for a checkup. 'Left today at about 3PM. I guess it was homesick

Still Waiting - Alpha Repairs

So, the courier just phoned to arrange pickup tomorrow (not today).

They gave me an account number that I need to give (their?) driver. (I guess they can't do this?)

They also said they needed (from me) 3 copies of the commercial invoice.

Finally they need *me* to print out some customs form which they will email me *if* they get it from eigenlabs (otherwise they will cancel the pickup).

Sigh. I'm not thinking this is going to be either easy or expedient

Waiting to go home :(

The Eigenharp Alpha in the garage waiting for pickup. I hope the trip will be short.

Posted via email from parquin's posterous

Eigenharp Alpha and Karn Player Piano

Eigenharp Alpha and Karn Player Piano
Originally uploaded by mikemilton

I thought it would be fun to have a shot of the Alpha in front of the old Karn player piano

Chance Meetings

There are some people who are immediately likeable. Ed Pilling is one of those folk. We met by chance this week and, by chance, started chatting about music.

Oh, yeah, I play guitar a bit, and sing says Ed. It's amazing what you pay for a blues harp these days. What'd'ya play he asks

An EWI says I and a new thing called an Eigenharp.

So, the next day at dinner I show him the Alpha and he is immediately energized by its potential.... 'we just gotta play that in the band'

huh...  what band?, well this one (with Ed singing)



So we had a few burgers and a couple of drinks to round out a great evening!

Eigenharp Alpha Arrives

Well, the Alpha arrived this afternoon.

First stop was to bring all the boxes into the main room. Of course the dogs had to check them out.

The first two boxes revealed the stand and the laptop bag with the base station, cables, software and guides

This left only (tada) the case with the beast itself inside.

Open it up, connect the cable to the (already running) software and here it is.

Happily at home in the cabin. We may not have running water, but we have DSL and a nice music studio!

Eigenharp Alpha Ships

I just got a call from Aaron at Eigenlabs and my Alpha ships today (April 28th)

April 29th: DHL Status 08:56 - "clearance delay" (sigh)

April 30: Arrived at Sort Facility London-Heathrow - UK  (yipiee)


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:York St,Dysart and Others,Canada

Eigenharp Alpha Details

Lots of details are now public about the Eigenharp_Alpha at Eigenlabs WIKI. In particular, the Quick Start guide (a PDF) is a good starting point to understand how the instrument is played.

Link: http://eigenlabs.com/wiki/Eigenharp_Alpha/

Dear Mike,

I'm just emailing to let you know that we have taken the deposit for your Eigenharp Alpha on the 7th April.  We have now started to build your instrument which is due to be shipped on the 16th April.  We will charge the remainder of your balance when we ship your instrument.

If you have any questions about your order please do not hesitate to contact me.

Kind Regards

Eigenharp Alpha

Well, Eigenlabs will finally ship to Canada and my Alpha is on order. I can hardly wait.

The Eigenharp Alpha

Double Slide Controller

An interesting and very promising prototype wind instrument

"Tomas Henriques plays his First Prize instrument, The Double Slide Controller, at the 2010 Guthman Musical Instruments Competition held at Georgia Tech Center for Music Technology. "

See the You Tube Video!!

Varejo - Ceia de Azeite

Here is a great example of more traditional music on the eigenharp by "palaires". It is an entry in the 'win an Alpha' contest.

Varejo - Ceia de Azeite Hey everyone, here's my third entry for the ALPHA competition: 2003 composition for a Clarinet quartet, ( this time with some added instruments), for a Contemporary Dance show (around the Olive and Olive three theme).

Playing my VL1 with the PICO

Eigenlabs default controller settings place the breath controller out to cc17.  One challenge is that cc16 and 17 are used for QED controllers on the VL1.  One (easy) solution is to use MIDIPipe (from Subtlesoft) to both map the MIDI out from EigenD to your VL1 (or whatever you use) and to map the controller. to do this:

1. Start MIDIPipe
2. drag midi in to the pipe and choose the eigenlabs port (this presently requires the latest unstable release of eigenD)
3. drag the message converter to the pipe and set it to map cc17 to cc2 (see screenshot)
4. drag midi out to the pipe and select the output to your synth

Your PIPE will look something like this (I added a slide controller as well):

then have fun

m

Eigenlabs picture of the PICO from their website. Mine is black.

The PICO is running

Given my clumsiness with it I'm amazed I can play the wx with the same fingers (well, - not really good with that either). I guess (hope) practice will make acceptable.

Initial thoughts and observations.

• It will load any AU one wants and will run a midi HWsynth although mapping the controllers is an interesting exercise
• It has two modelled instruments of its own (clarinet and cello) and more are planned 
• Soundfonts are soundfonts but theirs are actually quite good (if less than expressive. They are definitely ok in a mix and the supplied piano is good for a solo
• The amount of data this thing spews is astonishing and has not (yet) been tapped by the software
• The software works and is stable but it is really early days. Eigenlabs are working to release a 'workbench' to create setups and an interface to 'belcanto' which is their scripting language. These are needed additions. 
• The interface is completely via the instrument. This is wonky but brilliant for performance and intriguing as a concept.

Pico Arrival

So, we got a package today. Actually Cath had to go and get it because there was quite a confusion about UPS handing off the package to Purolator and collecting taxes and so on. But it all worked out

Opening it up revealed the new PICO

Click this link to go to the product page.

An editable PICO

An editable keynote slide for the PICO

Wanna make key charts. This isn't polished, but it should work (you may need to change the font to something you have on your system if you do not have inkpen. Just click the link above to download it

If you just want a jpg you can insert somewhete, print and write on....  here it is. Just click the image and save the larger version.

Yipiee

Dear Mr Milton

We are pleased to let you know that your Eigenharp Pico has been shipped to you via UPS to the following address...

An Interesting Book

Expressive FM Applications by Sal Gallina is one of the harder-to-get books. It is a collection of patches for using FM synths with a wind controller.

It has patches for TX81z as well as 6 operator FM synths (specifically the DX7ii, but they work on most subsequent yamaha FM synths)

The included cassette audio demos of the patches starting with two performances Sal "created in order to show you some of the capabilities of these voices"


Reference Info: ISBN 0-88188-762-5

Serendipity

As mentioned in an earlier post, I am using Bruno Degazio's VLONE/70. This post is a testament to paying one's shareware fees.

Bruno had obviously put a lot of work into this editor and I wanted to register my appreciation. His page just lists an email and postal address and it seemed prudent to see that it was still current before sending off my contribution so I sent him a note.

Now I've been wanting a VL1 since I was invited to the Canadian launch at Yamaha on Milner Ave in toronto. At first it was out of my price range and then it was discontinued (sigh).

Imagine my delight when, in passing, Bruno mentioned he was selling a VL1!!. Here is a picture of it sitting by my computer above the VL70 that I use to connect my WX7 and 5.

The moral of the story is: pay your shareware respects

Now if only I could find a MFC10 foot controller. Whay does Yamaha discontinue all the good stuff??  More frustratingly, why do they continue to list the MFC10 as an accessory to the WX5 when they won't sell you one (that is just plain mean)

m

VL Editor

One of the issues with Yamaha's VL line of synths (hmmm, well with Yamaha in general really) is the availability and ongoing support of software for the MAC. In the case of the VL synths, the last editor / librarian for the MAC only runs under OS9.

One of the most popular librarians for the MAC is MIDIQUEST. I downloaded their demo but the module for the VL70 has no ability to actually edit the voices.

If all you want is a librarian, your best bet is the s n o i s e SysEx Librarian

My problem was solved when a kind soul posted a link to Bruno Degazi's site. His VLONE/70 edits both the VL70 and the VL1 and can even convert voices between the two. It also has a MIDI Thru capability that lets you route your controller to the desired synth

m

Back from a long Hiatus

I've been away from playing my wind equipment for a few years. My original WX7 suffered a fall and was playing erratically which was most frustrating.

Some surgery returned it to a condition where it was only "mostly dead" but playing was still unrewarding and so it sat for a few years.

Finally, I bought an AKAI EWI USB. I have to say that I was under-whelmed with the soft synth that came with it which was totally unexpressive. Of course, one could route to anything one likes but the lack of a loose lip setting and the glitchiness of its need for electrical contact for playing (particularly the octave rollers) left me cold.

Finally, eBay came to the rescue and I now have a WX5 and am back at it in full force

Hopefully I can fill this blog up with things of interest and use to other wind players

m