WX5

I've had my wx5 for about 4 years now and it is truly a blessing in the sky.It is the best sounding horn ever,next to the real thing you can't tell the differents, once you use it you will know whyI say this. Buy it it's worth every penny.

Opens lots of creative possibilities

As a sax player, it was easy to start making music with the WX5--the basic fingerings are the same as a sax.

I originally used a Roland GR-33 as the tone generator with the WX5 set for MIDI out (MIDI output level is at max (0x7F), and the breath control pressure changed the volume). This was good but, the sound was always the same. Then, I got a VL-70m and set the WX5 for wind control out. WOW! The WX5 went from a MIDI wind controller to an electronic wind instrument with all the subtile nuances of moving air and changing timbre as the volume changed. The sound came alive.

The keys on the WX5 seem to be delicate so I've always been very careful handling the instrument. The keys provide immediate response to changing fingerings. I've had to change my playing style a bit to release or change key combinations in a particular order. There are alternate fingerings available that will help get through fast music passages.

Overall, if you get the WX5, you should also get the VL-70m for some very realistic sax and WW sounds. (See my VL-70m review).

WX-5, The New MIDI Wind Controller

The current incarnation of Yamaha's WX line is the WX-5, following in the wind channels of the original WX-7 and the WX-11 which followed it. While not as elegant as the WX-7, the WX-5 is a workhorse with many, many times more options to make it more playable. Even if you're accustomed to the older models, this one has a learning curve and will take a while to get familiar with its idiosyncrasies. The octave keys are far, far better, but still take getting used to. Trust me, you can do it. It just takes a while. If your sounds aren't Breath Control sensitive you needn't worry. You can also output CC#7 (volume) or CC#11 (expression) to cover most MIDI instruments. You can set velocities for a constant, or you can attack them; again that gives more flexibility with more ways that sounds are typically programmed.

The instrument is lightweight, which saves neck fatigue, but it also makes it hard to hold. You can load it with batteries for more weight. That's also one of several options for power, and it will accept a regular MIDI cable for signal output; gone is the proprietary connection format and the little battery box, though it can still use that, too, if you have one and want it.

Greater range, easier control, more options including various fingering systems make the WX-5 the best wind controller yet. The WX-7 still is the most elegant looking, but looks do not make music. These devices can indeed make music, and while you're in for a learning curve, woodwind players should rejoice that there is still a MIDI Wind instrument that gives us such expressive capabilities.

Thanks, Yamaha!