Yamaha WX5
# Yamaha WX5

The Yamaha WX5, WX11, and WX7 are models of monophonic MIDI wind controller musical instruments manufactured by the Yamaha Corporation that have since been discontinued. The fingering system is based on the saxophone basic fingering. Like a keyboard controller, wind controllers send MIDI note information electronically to an external sound module or tone generator which in turn synthesizes a tremendous variety of musical tones. Unlike a keyboard controller which is usually polyphonic, a wind controller is monophonic. The only limits to the kinds of sounds available are the limitations of the external module/tone generator, not the WX5 itself. A WX5 performer can sound like any melodic instrument: wind, string, percussion, keyboard, or purely electronic, including special sound effects. In addition most tone generators a mix of instruments can be programmed.

The WX5 wind controller simulates a wind instrument because of the way it is played, the key layout, and because it responds to breath (wind) pressure as well as lip pressure on a simulated reed mouthpiece similar to that of a saxophone or clarinet. The wind and lip pressure information is converted to MIDI data which is interpreted by the external sound module. Usually the wind pressure is interpreted as loudness and lip pressure is interpreted as pitch bend; thus, the instrument responds much like an acoustic wind instrument and extremely realistic musical phrasing is available to the player.

The WX5 has a 16-key layout similar to a standard saxophone. It also includes a built-in MIDI output connector, a dedicated connector and cable for direct connections to Yamaha WX-Series tone generators, a high-resolution wind sensor, and a thumb-controlled pitch bend wheel. Yamaha recommend that this device be used with the Yamaha VL70m Virtual Acoustic Tone Generator.

The WX7 was the first model that Yamaha produced, beginning in 1987. This was followed by the WX11 in 1993, and then the WX5 in 1999—2001. The WX5 was discontinued in October 2017.

Note: the 1993 date for introduction of the WX11 is in doubt. On the 1991 CD release "Love In" by the Australian band "The Freaked Out Flower Children" (Discogs: https://www.discogs.com/release/4281005) Sophie Lee is credited as playing the WX11.

