Midi English 48key Coming Up !

[Chris Timson]

Though the "split point" might need to be variable, depending on what you are playing ? 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's a fairly standard facility on MIDI master keyboards. Yes, it should be variable. On my Wakker, when it comes, I should be able to set it up to play as either a C/G or a G/D, so I'd need to vary the split point depending.

 

Chris

[accordionmagic]

Right you lot!!

 

Adaptable IS my middle name......... I am glad I ordered more buttons than I needed!

 

New Specification for the new SUPER MIDI LACHENAL:

 

6 Instruments in 1 !!!!!!! spread over both hands.

 

1) 6 voices, channels used in pairs as follows to form 3 'split' channels 0,3 and 1,4 and 2,5 and others by special request (0-15 available)

2) 3 channel volume controls, analogue LOG response

3) 3 channel select buttons (see below)

4) 3 split point select button (see below)

5) 2 octavel +/- buttons (see below)

5) Bellows expression on all 6 voices (but that may change to selectable)

 

Usage:

 

Voice and split point VALUE selected from the 48 normal keys as below

volumes set with volume controls as below

Octave set with octave +/- buttons as below

 

Press:

 

Split point button 1 ONLY: Select split point between channel 0 and 3 pair

Split point button 2 ONLY: Select split point between channel 1 and 4 pair

Split point button 3 ONLY: Select split point between channel 2 and 5 pair

 

Channel 1 select button ONLY: Select voice 0 AND voice 0 volume AND voice 0 octave

 

Channel 1 select button AND

Split point button 1: Select voice 3 AND voice 3 volume AND voice 3 octave

 

Channel 2 select button ONLY: Select voice 1 AND voice 1 volume AND voice 1 octave

 

Channel 2 select button AND

Split point button 2: Select voice 4 AND voice 4 volume AND voice 4 octave

 

Channel 3 select button ONLY: Select voice 2 AND voice 2 volume AND voice 2 octave

 

Channel 3 select button AND

Split point button 3: Select voice 5 AND voice 5 volume AND voice 5 octave

 

Then I will throw in some LED's to show what's doing what.

 

Anything else Madam?

 

Regards

Roy Whiteley

[Chris Timson]

Anything else Madam?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Oh sir! I feel faint!

 

Can it play itself?

 

Chris

 

PS most impressive

[accordionmagic]

Ok people,

 

Another video of this instrument has been added to www.accordionmagic.com where you can see yours truly in a bit of a demo, sorry about the playing but "I'll build em if you play em".

 

3 minutes this time with different sounds and a demo of bellows response etc.

 

Navigate to gallery - concertina section (not MIDI section) and its at the bottom of the list.

 

Regards

 

Roy

Edited April 20, 2005 by accordionmagic

[Chris Ghent]

The page Roy is talking about

[Chris Ghent]

Interesting download (15 Mb) Roy. All that oomph coming out of a regular old Lachenal..! I have a few questions...

 

What does it feel like compared with an acoustic concertina?

What did John Nixon say about this?

And what does it sound like when you switch the knob to "concertina"?

 

If there is no actual concertina position on the switch on the average midi whatsit, could one be created?

 

I think I mentioned to you before, I think if the concertina was ever to become a mainstream instrument again, and I am by no means seeing this as particularly desirable, it will be because some pretty young thing uses one in a music clip that hits the public imagination. When that happens it will not be a Wheatstone they are playing, but it could well be a Whiteley.

 

 

Chris

[David Barnert]

I don't know if this will be useful to folks using the MIDI Concertina, but there is a very nice sounding "Concertina Sound Font" available free on the web. It is a digital sample of a Wheatstone and can be used as a QuickTime instrument.

 

It is provided by Phil Taylor, creator of BarFly, the abc Music program for the Mac. It is not clear whether the Concertina Sound Font can be used on other than a Mac OS, but I'm sure he'll answer that if you're interested.

 

Here are some of his comments about it:

The default set of sounds you get with Quicktime is a bit short on free-reed instruments, and in particular there is no concertina sound. This is a very high quality Sound Font in SF2 format, made from my own baritone Wheatstone English concertina (ca. 1906). It has been compressed with Stuffit, which is not very efficient, as the dedicated packaging programs (SFArk and SFPack) don't yet have Macintosh versions available. Consequently it's a very big file - 7.3 Mb in size. You must be using at least version 5 of Quicktime to use it.

The Concertina Sound Font can be downloaded here (scroll half way down the page).

[John Nixon]

I don't know if this will be useful to folks using the MIDI Concertina, but there is a very nice sounding "Concertina Sound Font" available free on the web. It is a digital sample of a Wheatstone and can be used as a QuickTime instrument.

 

It is provided by Phil Taylor, creator of BarFly, the abc Music program for the Mac. It is not clear whether the Concertina Sound Font can be used on other than a Mac OS, but I'm sure he'll answer that if you're interested.

 

Here are some of his comments about it:

The default set of sounds you get with Quicktime is a bit short on free-reed instruments, and in particular there is no concertina sound. This is a very high quality Sound Font in SF2 format, made from my own baritone Wheatstone English concertina (ca. 1906). It has been compressed with Stuffit, which is not very efficient, as the dedicated packaging programs (SFArk and SFPack) don't yet have Macintosh versions available. Consequently it's a very big file - 7.3 Mb in size. You must be using at least version 5 of Quicktime to use it.

The Concertina Sound Font can be downloaded here (scroll half way down the page).

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[David Barnert]

...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I assume this means you liked it. I've always been better at understanding words than smilies.

 

I, too, have been very happy with the quality of the Concertina Sound Font. It is the default sound on my copy of BarFly (when I notate a tune in abc, I hear it on Phil's concertina).

[Chris Timson]

If on an anglo or duet you play melody on the right hand and accompaniment on the left, you could then assign different instruments to each hand. Wouldn't that be nifty!

It would be pretty weird on an English, though.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Re-reading this, I don't think it would. On an anglo the effect of a split point properly placed would be to allow you to have different sounds assigned to the left and right hands. Not on the English. There the effect would be to have lower notes played in a different voice from the higher notes, not left and right hands, which could be quite useful..

 

Chris

[David Barnert]

If on an anglo or duet you play melody on the right hand and accompaniment on the left, you could then assign different instruments to each hand. Wouldn't that be nifty!

It would be pretty weird on an English, though.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Re-reading this, I don't think it would. On an anglo the effect of a split point properly placed would be to allow you to have different sounds assigned to the left and right hands. Not on the English. There the effect would be to have lower notes played in a different voice from the higher notes, not left and right hands, which could be quite useful..

 

Chris

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

But I was responding to the words "you could then assign different instruments to each hand."

[Chris Timson]

But I was responding to the words "you could then assign different instruments to each hand."

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ah, then I've treated a good joke seriously. I'll try harder next time.

 

Chris

[accordionmagic]

Hello all again,

 

Progress has been made and I now have an ANGLISH or ENGLO 48 key concertina!

 

At the flick of a switch, we can now switch the MIDI english to anglo 20 key...

by turning the concertina 'away' from you 90 degrees-ish. Try to imagine the normal palm rest where the pinky rest is and playing the two middle rows.

 

I am going to add a palm rest and anglo straps soon and do another video.

 

Interesting finding:

 

On change of bellows direction while holding a note it is possible to 'strike' the note once more. Useful for fast anglo playing but no good for soft bellows shake effects.... I will make it switcheable!

You do need it when playing Harp!

 

P.S. Split voices not an issue.

 

Regards

Roy

[accordionmagic]

Hello all,

Just to let you know that a new video of the Anglo/English is now available to see at AccordionMagic (7Meg)

 

Regards

Roy

Edited May 7, 2005 by accordionmagic

[Charles_Mackay]

...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I assume this means you liked it. I've always been better at understanding words than smilies.

 

I, too, have been very happy with the quality of the Concertina Sound Font. It is the default sound on my copy of BarFly (when I notate a tune in abc, I hear it on Phil's concertina).

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

I don't know if the Mac sound fonts work on Windows PCs either, but it would certainly be interesting to see if the MIDI concertina develops in a manner akin to the Roland V accordion, where a selection of sampled sounds could replicate treble, baritone and bass concertinas at the flick of a switch. Even better with the added sophistication of making the sound characteristics of steel versus wooden ends, steel versus brass reeds, Lachenal vs Wheatstone timbre etc.

 

Charles Mackay

[Jim Stetson]

Well, this changes everything. Between tunes we will finally be able to tell a joke and, using only the concertina, add a realistic sounding rim shot after the punch line (but-a-boom)--something that has been sorely missing in ITM.

 

But seriously folks, I really want one of these things.

 

Jim

[pauline de snoo]

When I was in Swaledale I had the opportunity of playing Roy's midi concertina and I was very impressed. It feels almost exactly the same as playing the ordinary concertina. The pressure of the bellows does have the same effect on the sound volume. I look forward to using the midi concertina with my computer and in some of the general music teaching that I do.

Pauline

[d.elliott]

I also played the midi instrument at Swaledale, and was as impressed as Pauline. A fine bit of engineering, whilst showing a sensitivity for the instrument as well.

 

Dave