Hi! Finding a solution for breath controlled sounds created by a softsynth seems to be one of the big and well kept secrets. I have managed to convert my AKAI Z4 Sax and Trumpet sample programs to Logic's EXS 24 and I also can play them with my Yamaha WX5 through Logic's MainStage - that's the easy part. It seems that ES2 and Sculpture would also be great for "Wind-Midi friendly" programming but there is no literature or tutorials around that discuss the routing in the basic setup. The macProVideotutorials for ES2 and Sculpture are great but - of course - focused on keyboard players. Although I was sending a request by mail to the moderator, I did not get an answer how to setup ES2 and Sculpture for the use with a wind midi controller. So the good news for all EWI and WX5 players out there is, you can use Logic's Mainstage as your "Wind Midi Host" for softsynths, route CC2 to Volume at the instrument setup and play about every AU-plugIn right away. It's a little more complicated to modify programms and patches to be more "VL70 or EWI" like or even to create new instruments with Sculpture. I hope to get the basic answers from one of the Logic pro's to finally start making Wind Midi Instruments on Sculpture and ES2. Merry Christmas and a happy new year Oliver W. Austria/Europe [i]PS: If any of you readers should feel offended by my wording, expressions or mistakes in my writing, please excuse me - I am no native speaker.[/i]

Hi Steve! Thanks for your reply. First I have to say, that I really like your tutorials and I made a giant leap with my sound design after going through the videotutorials. "The Brecker Sound Thing" is a different story because the real interesting sounds he used were not sampled but programmed. Take the performance of "in a sentimental mood" for example (http://de.youtube.com/watch?v=TPPdtdx8jhw). Mr Brecker was using a sound that was built with 4 Oscillators and programmed to perfection - apart from his playing. So this is what I would like to do, create new Instruments for WMC based on Soft Synths. The question and/or problem is the activation of the velocity, let me explain. A KBD-Player is striking a key and sending a certain value to the sound module while a WMC-player is pressing a key and sending constantly changing values controlled by the breath to the sound module. In EXS24 the solution is quite easy because I can send "Velocity" via "Breath Control" to e.g.. "Sample Start" My approach of programming sampled instruments for WMC is to only use one sample per note and play it on full level "(127) the volume can either be controlled by a Lowpass/Cutoff Filter via CC#2 or by routing CC#2 to the volume-slider when using Mainstage. The color and brightness of each sound can easily be changed by using several filters or EQ-PlugIns within the Mainstage channel strip and they can also be controlled by the WMC or an external Midi Foot Controller. I know this is only one solution and there might be more elegant ones. I'm also aware of the "realism-factor" but if I want to play a sax I take a real one and use it - if I play a WMC I want to build new Instruments like a "Flumpet" (Flute and Trumpet) or a "Truharm" (Trumpet with Harmonica). As far as I understood Sculpture the "String" as "Mother" of the new instrument is activated by the velocity value sent by the KBD but there is no control to remap "velocity via CC#2". All other Midi controllers seem to be effective after the very first impulse. Yes I know I can control the volume by amplification and I can control this by CC#2 but think of a bowed instrument being played crescendo. It makes a big difference if a signal is amplified to a certain volume or created. To me it seems very important to use all advantages of the WMC which are the total control of the volume at any time and the huge amount of expression that cannot be achieved with a KBD. So wether it's an AKAI EWI or Yamaha WX5 or even a Yamaha BC3 Controller they all share the same power and only few WMC-friendly solutions are available (I know Patchman has them all) and there are hardly any for Softsynts. Until now I was focusing on Sculpture because I like the clear layout and structure of this PlugIn. Do I have the right approach with focusing on the velocity as the major impulse for the string? Is there a solution within Sculpture to route CC's? Starting with the default settings of, what would be the first necessary adjustments for using CC#2 to control the velocity? ES2 has the same routing features as ESX24 so I could start with Velocity via CC#2 - but where to for a good start? Looking forward to an interesting discussion that hopefully will encourage more WMC-Players to join in and share their experience. Best regards from Austria, Oliver

Hi Chris! Thanks for your "tutorial", I'll be trying it on the weekend and report about the results - sounds very encouraging! Best Oliver