The Photon
The latest in a series of experimental wind controllers by Chris Graham
If you have comments or discussion I'd love to hear from you.
You can contact me at "chrisgr at shaw dot ca"
Features of the prototype (see pictures below)
- Brass-like fingering (includes added pinky key) ; partials are selected with the mouthpiece; keys also sense after touch and tilt. A woodwind version is very possible. There are in fact sensors for left hand keys in the prototype for a woodwind version but the sensors and keys are not installed, and the holes through the body are not drilled for them. The CAD drawings show a woodwind version.
- New type of mouthpiece sensing: Senses multiple dimensions of embouchure; Highly precise, but highly controllable.
- Midi-out, midi-in, patch changes, firmware in flash memory - upgradable
- Fully software configurable, including fingering, breath curves, controller mappings. Eventually the configurations will be selectable with patch changes. Also, patch changes invoked by controllers on the instrument will send patch changes out through midi, allowing instrument configurations to be selected (e.g.. breath curve, bend curve, even fingering) at the same time as synth patch changes.
- Each "finger key" is a position-sensing disc onto which up to nine virtual keys can be mapped, plus pressure after touch and tilt. These virtual keys can be mapped through a customizable pattern interpreter into note numbers, modified by embouchure actions and/or thumb key actions. The key caps have ridges that allow the player to feel the positions of the virtual keys supported by each key. There are a vast number of fingering possibilities. Preliminary experimentation has shown some highly efficient tweaks on conventional fingerings, not to mention completey new ones. There's also the possibility of a multi-timbral chromatic fingering.
- For example, although the instrument in the picture has only four physical keys, it actually supports full EVI fingering (which actually only uses the three upper keys, with each physical key mapped to two virtual keys) There is no canister or canister ring because partials are selected with the mouthpiece. Three to four octaves are fairly easy to play - much easier than a trumpet, but the feel is surprisingly similar. (to me, anyway) Up to eight octaves are possible, with practice. :-) .
- Other versions of the instrument with the addition of four left hand keys for a total eight finger keys plus two thumb keys are possible. Eight keys (one for each finger) would support up to about 72 virtual keys, which should be mappable to support almost any type of woodwind instrument, plus EWI, WX. I've found that although the keying system looks different, it's possible to create fingering patterns such that a player of a given instrument (say sax, clarinet or flute) can transfer knowledge very quickly, no more difficult than for a sax player learning a WX.
- Unique new method of holding a wind instrument (see images)- no neck strap needed, very comfortable, very steady, frees right thumb for uninhibited operation of controllers.
- Instrument "brain" : A 32 bit "ARM" processor, 64k ram 128k flash memory, 60 mhz.
- Designed for ultra low power consumption. 3.3 volt power. Not currently battery powered, but planned.
- I'm speculating on the possibility of providing an internal cavity to hold the Kenton wireless midi transmitter, and the ability for the Kenton to draw power from a large rechargeable Lithium Ion battery pack inside the instrument that would power both the instrument and the transmitter. Should give very long battery life. This is TBD.
- Lots more possibilities of combinations of sensors and software. e.g. one or more sliders on the bottom to allow some continuous controllers to be adjusted and stay where they are set. (rather than springing back like spring loaded joysticks). See the CAD sketches for examples.
Gallery
CAD Images - Photon with Woodwind Keys
CAD Images - Modular Body (Notes: Wrist strap omitted from drawing, keys would be as in "Photon with Woodwind Keys")
CAD Images - Hypothetical Sax-Like Woodwind Body
Note: The above designs are provided because I'm seeking feedback on my research. There is a possibility a product will come from this work, but I have not committed to do so at this time, and there is no schedule for the release of a product in the near future. If a product does some from this, I cannot commit at this time that any particular features will be available in the first version.
Design copyright holder - Christopher Graham
"Photon" and "PhotonWind" are trademarks of Christopher Graham
