Someone asked me how I set up my EWI, WX5, VST and other instruments. Here I summarize my configuration, setups and favorite instruments. I will update this post continuously.
1) EWI / EWI5000 / WX5 setup
- If you want to see my hardware setting, please click My EWI.
- I wanted to control more midi parameters by Midi. So I attached a Livid Guitar Wing, Source Audio Hothand USB controlled to EWI and WX5. I can have more buttons to control midi parameters but these two devices have motion-sensing accelerometer. I raise up and lower down wind controller to add more expression such as volume augmentation, flutter, growl, or portamento time control.
A. EWI Initial Setup reference
I think the following reference is very useful but you will need to choose your own setting that fits most to your music style.
- EWI5000 Setup and Calibration Video by Bernie Kenerson (see video below)
* I had used Sax fingering for years but nowadays I am adopting EWI fingering since I watched above video.
B. My EWI 5000 setup (from EWI Patch Editor)
C. My MIDI setup
I use Cantabile as a main performance music station, which enables multiple midi plugins, midi filters operation in various ways - creative ways! My EWI/WX5 are sets as the following ;
- Breath : midi CC 2
- Bite : Vibrato depth control
- Glide : Growl control
- Pitch down : pitch down
- Pitch up : pitch up or portamento time control by midi CC
- Livid Guitar Wing (button, sliders, motion): control volume or portamento time, other multiple midi controls
- Hothand USB midi controller (motion) : control flutter, etc
- Necktar Pacer midi foot pedal controller : control mutiple midi CC : Glide, portamento, expression, program change, etc
D. Audio Processing
In my opinion, most VST instruments sound flat, less dynamic and less musical. VL synth sounds are great out of box though. So I use multiple effect plugins to overcome these problems. My favorite effect plugins are ;
- Compressor : Fabfilter Pro-C, PSP Vintage warmer2, Soundtoys Radiator & Decaptator
- Voice enhancer : Noveltech voice enhancer
- Delay : Echoboy
- Reverb : Ozone 5 reverb, Fabfilter Pro-R, Soundtoys Little plate , Reverberate 2, Valhalla reverbs
- Equalizer : Fabfilter Pro-Q, Console 1
- Loudness monitor : Youlean Loudness Meter
2) My favorite instruments & programs
There are so many synths, VSTs for EWI players. I own many but the followings are my favorites(I also added some audio examples);
1) Flute – Swam flutes, XpressO flute patches
A. Swam Flute
2) Clarinet/Oboe – Swam clarinet/Oboe, VL1-m patches
A. Swam Oboe : Gabriel's Oboe played by Sandalo Giordano
B. Gabriel's oboe I played this with Swam oboe and Swam flute
3) Saxophones – VL1-m saxophone patches, Vl70-m Saxophone patches, Swam Saxophones
A. VL1 synthesizer Soprano Saxophone patch played by Miliotakis Kostas
B.VL1-m Soprano Saxophone patch played by me
C. VL1 Alto Saxophone patch player by Kostas Miliotakis
D. VL1-m Also Saxophone patch played by me
E.VL1 Tenor Saxophone patch played by Edgar Hernandez
F. VL70-m Alto Saxophone patch played by Dave Chambliss
G. Swam Tenor
H. Swam Alto Saxophone
4) Strings - Swam Violin/Viola/Cello, VL1 violin patches , XpressO violin/Cello patches
A. Swam Violin played by Alistair Parnell
B. VL1 violin patch played by Kostas Miliotakis
5) String ensemble – NI Session String pro , Motif Rack XS string patches
6) Trumpet – Sample modeling Trumpet, VL1-m patches, VL70-m patches
A. Sample modeling Trumpet , how to set up with Aerophone by Alistair Parnell
7) Trombone – Sample modeling Trombone, Motif Rack XS trombone patches
8) Brass ensembles - Impact Soundworks Bravura scoring brass, NI SessionHorns pro, Motif Rack XS brass patches, XpressO brass patches
A. Bravura Scoring Brass by Impact Soundworks (well responded to EWI)
9) Harmonica – VL1-m harmonica patches, VL70-m harmonica patch, Chris Heins Chromatic harmonica
A. VL70-m Harmonica patch played by Dave Chambliss
10) Analog Synth : Roland SE-02 with Boss RV-500
11) Analog Synth : Moog Mother 32
12) Digital Synth ( Monophonic Wavetable synthesiser) : Craftsynth 2.0
13) Digital Wavetable Synthesizer : Serum
14) Digital emulation soft synth : Korg Monopoly VST
3. My Patch Editing Programs
A. VL70-m : VL wizard , developed by Rudy Verpaele
B. VL1-m : SoundQuest - PC version and iPad version
C. Motif Rack XS editor : Yamaha Voice Editor Essential(iOS) , Motiff XS Rack Editor (PC)
Motif Rack XS Voice Editor : http://www.jmelas.gr/motif/voice.php
Motif Rack XS Mix Editor : http://www.jmelas.gr/motif/mix.php
