Interview with Robkoo’s Oscar Xie
We caught up with Oscar Xie CEO & Founder of Robkoo at Music China 2025 to discuss the latest releases from Robkoo and Pedro Eustache, wind synthesist and performer with Hans Zimmer Live.
The History of Electronic Wind Instruments
This post is an English translation of the article that originally appeared on the website DTM Station in Japanese.
Our sincere thanks to DTM Station for allowing us to repost it in English here.
DTM Station Home Page
History of Electronic Wind Instruments
The MIDI Association has close relationships with many websites around the world that focus on music production and so often carry articles about MIDI.
In fact many of these websites have translate our articles into their native languages.
Here is a list of some of the websites that we work with.
Sound On Sound is our partner for The MIDI Innovation Awards. https://www.soundonsound.com/
KVR Audio, news and information resource for audio, MIDI and mobile music-making and recording software. Founded in 2000 KVR’s mission is to serve the musician and music products community.
MIDIfan is our partner for at Music China and runs the X Stage where we do our presentations.
Hispasonic is our partner in Spain that covers MIDI and Music production.
DTM Station covers MIDI and Music Production in Japan. DTM stands for desk top music which is a popular hobby in Japan.
In researching our recent article about the June 15th event at the Kakehashi Foundation in Japan, we came across an excellent article from DTM Station.
On February 28th, the ” Electronic Wind Instrument Talk & Live – Electronic Wind Instrument Sound History ” was held at the Kakehashi Arts and Culture Promotion Foundation Hall in Waseda, Tokyo , and was a very valuable event that allowed us to trace the history of electronic wind instruments in one go.
For me, Ken Fujimoto, who acted as the moderator, it was a rare opportunity to see so many vintage and current models of equipment in one place and to hear directly from the developers.
For me, Ken Fujimoto, who acted as the moderator, it was a rare opportunity to see so many vintage and current models of equipment in one place and to hear directly from the developers.
Ken Fujimoto
DTM StationWe were going to reach out to Fujimoto-san and ask him if we could copy the article here, but it turns out someone had beaten us to it.
Patchman Music, the leading website for electronic wind instruments.
Copied from PatchMan Music-
On the stage of the venue, electronic wind instruments that have continued to evolve for more than half a century, from the Lyricon born in 1971 to the latest YDS-150, were lined up in a row, and it was a spectacular sight like an electronic wind instrument museum. We were able to spend a luxurious time experiencing the trajectory of the evolution while playing the actual instruments. At the venue, saxophonist Takahiro Miyazaki, who is also known for being a member of T-SQUARE, wind synth player BANANAsu, who is a strong player who owns 30 electronic wind instruments at home, Roland Aerophone developer Yuji Terada, the company’s demonstrator Yuri Nakamura, Yamaha YDS-150 developer Hiroshi Miyazaki and performer Kenta Fukui gathered. The development stories and technical details told from each expert’s perspective were a must-see for wind synthesizer enthusiasts.
For the rest of the article in Japanese, please click this link https://www.dtmstation.com/archives/71911.html
For the rest of the article in English, please click this link.
https://www.patchmanmusic.com/ElectronicWindInstrumentsSoundHistory.html
Special thanks to Ikuo Kakehashi of the Kakehashi Foundation for help in putting on these events on and in helping us locate the materials.
Respiro from ImoxPlus turns your breath into an expressive instrument
Respiro is a new generation software synthesizer using physical modelling that contains a “state of the art” sound engine able to reproduce the sound and behaviour similar to wind-instruments. It has sonic capabilities of woodwinds and can also create ‘never heard before’ sounds. It turns your breath and/or touch into a unique experience, providing amazing musical vibrations!
by imoxplus
Overview
Respiro is available as Standalone, AU and VST3 64-bit plugin for macOS and Windows.
It is designed to work with MIDI controllers that can send Pressure (Breath) via AT, CC02, CC11 etc… and note on/off including:
Aodyo Sylphyo
Emeo digital practice sax
Odisei Music TravelSax
Akai EWI
Berglund NuEvi
Lekholm DM48
Roland Aerophone
Cantux eCorder
Hornberg MIDI breath station
New-Type.asia. ID;001 breath controller
coming up – Photon intelligent mouthpiece
It also works also with any keyboard especially when combined with a breath controller such as the TEControl.
The Aodyo Sylphyo
Roland Aerophone,
Specifications:
- Latest version has 150 instruments + variations.
- Automation & MIDI CC mapping.
- Easy to use interface.
- Pure physical-modelling synthesis for maximum expression and timbre variations.
- Wavetable synthesis.
- No pre-recorded samples used, fast loading.
- Designed for wind, breath and MPE MIDI controllers.
- Highly responsive to tonguing and breath pressure.
- Easy to shift and morph timbres by using automation or CC mapping.
- MPE (single channel) support.
- Hi-Resolution pressure input.
- Load your own Impulse Response reverb.
- Microtuning support (keyswitches or CC102-113).
Imoxplus – plugins for wind controllers
Imoxplus is a provider of VST and AU instruments specialised for wind & breath controllers.
Re.corder re.invented as a MIDI Controller
re.corder gives you three different ways to play.
- Play acoustically, with or without the application running. It’s a regular recorder.
- Play digitally (you can mute it with the supplied mute-plug) silently and use the sounds of the app’s library, alone or play with up to three other friends! This will allow you to to practice everywhere, day and night, without annoying anyone!
- Use the re.corder as a MIDI wind instrument controller. The re.corder features BLE wireless MIDI connectivity
The breath sensor is an high performance pressure sensing device, that can measure the strength of your blow, and transform this information into an expression parameter. This is used by the app, and most softwares, as a modifier for modulation or other sound characteristics. The mouthpiece of the re.corder can also sense your lips, understanding when you really want to play or not!
Under every note hole there’s a single or dual touch sensor that detect your finger and the note that you want to play. The software can be modified to swap fingering styles or to allow impaired mobility players to have their own custom fingering map.
We didn’t left out anything and in fact, to allow extreme expressivity and many other applications, we implemented an inertial platform with a 3D accelerometer MEMS. This sensor is capable of interpreting the movement and the attitude of the product, opening the possibility of modifying the sound following the player’s gestures.
by artinoise
Different ways to be expressive
With breath and lip sensors plus a 3D accelerometer has plenty of expressive capabilities as MIDI controller. Here a few examples of what you can do with the re.corder.
For more info, checkout the re.corder kickstarter page.
the recorder, re.invented by Artinoise — Kickstarter
Artinoise is raising funds for the recorder, re.invented on Kickstarter! A modern take on one of the widest used educational instruments in school. Stimulating music learning and creation.
Roland Brings Wireless MIDI to Digital Wind Instruments!
As one of the inventors the Musical Instrument Digital Interface, Roland has continued to push the boundaries of the now 36-year old protocol(!) by continuously developing MIDI-based applications which bring totally new creative opportunities to musicians. One such application is the Roland AE-05 Aerophone GO, a unique digital wind instrument which uses MIDI (and Audio) over Bluetooth to dramatically expand the playing experience.
Connecting to a compatible iOS or Android mobile device using Bluetooth allows the Aerophone GO to interact with a range of apps including Roland’s own Aerophone GO Plus and Aerophone GO Ensemble.
With Aerophone GO Plus, a player gains 50 new sounds triggered by MIDI over Bluetooth and can jam along to their favorite songs from their smartphone. In addition to an integrated metronome, the app also allows for customizing the connected Aerophone to suit the player’s technique, with all changes being communicated by MIDI over Bluetooth.
A second app, Aerophone GO Ensemble, connects up to 7 players with a single mobile device for group performance using a common bank of sounds, all facilitated by MIDI over Bluetooth. Whether the application is a lesson with teacher, a duo performance, or a complete ensemble, MIDI over Bluetooth supports a unique wireless playing experience that would have been difficult to imagine 30+ years ago!
Not only the volume but also the sound itself is dynamically affected by the force with which you blow into the mouthpiece and the strength with which you bite it, providing a natural and richly expressive sound.
by Roland
The Aerophone has tons of internal sounds and built-in speakers, but it is also a great MIDI controller. Here are some of the parameters you can control on the Aerophone AE-10. The Bite Sensor can control pitch and vibrato. The strength of your breath effects not only volume, but other parts of the sounds
Roland – Aerophone GO | Digital Wind Instrument
Aerophone GO: Digital Wind Instrument – Explore the Inspirational World of Wind Instruments
