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From: rgh@inmet.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.music
Subject: Re: What is a Lyricon? - (nf)
Message-ID: <937@inmet.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 24-Feb-84 05:56:50 EST
Article-I.D.: inmet.937
Posted: Fri Feb 24 05:56:50 1984
Date-Received: Sun, 26-Feb-84 00:32:16 EST
Lines: 26

#R:cbosgd:-95800:inmet:6600088:000:1182
inmet!rgh    Feb 23 20:09:00 1984

Re breath-controlled synthesizers:

    The Yamaha BC-1 Breath Controller can be used as a
control input to Yamaha's DX-7, DX-9, and CS-01 synthesizers.
It generates a single control signal based on how hard you blow
into it.
    It's probably more useful with the CS-01, since the DX-7 has so
many other control inputs (touch velocity, touch pressure, foot
pedal, modulation wheel).  The CS-01 is a portable battery-operated
monophonic analog synthesizer;  there are two pots on it which determine
how much of the BC signal is routed to the VCF and VCA.  Since the
CS-01 only has a single ADSR envelope generator (which can also
control the VCA and VCF to varying degrees), the BC is a significant
addition to the instrument. (The BC-1 is about $30 and the CS-01 
is about $150-200.)
    It's not such a great controller, though.  Unless you have a free
hand (or one of those dinguses folk guitarists use to double on 
harmonica), you have to clamp the thing between your teeth.  It
makes an annoying amount of acoustic noise -- there's a little
hole of the top to vent your breath out which acts a bit like
a whistle.
				    Randy Hudson
				    {harpo,decvax!cca!ima}!inmet!rgh