My name is Tim and I’m a saxophonist and have also been playing a wind controller for a few years now. I currently use the Sylphyo which is wireless midi (Bluetooth) to the “link” receiver. I’m using a Roland xv2020 via midi out from the link box as my sound module.
The “link” box in not just a receiver for the sylphyo but it also has a sound card built into it with a few sounds that I could connect straight into a PA system if I liked the sounds, but I actually don’t really like the built in sounds as they are not what I’d use.
Having stumbles across the Zynthian site, I was thinking it would be awesome if I could affectively replace the link box with the Zynthian box. Therefore I have two questions
Do you think it would be possible to get a Bluetooth connection to pair with the sylphyo for a wireless midi?
I really want to use real instrument emulations for sounds/patches. Ie, ethnic flutes, cello, chanter, muted trumpet ECT. Is this doable through a Pi?
Nice to meet you … and welcome to the zynthian community!
Currently no, although we hope to integrate “Bluetooth LE MIDI”, the official specification based in Apple’s protocol. Anyway, i’m not sure Sylphyo is using it. I couldn’t find any information about it, so probably they are using its own “closed” bluetooth protocol …
Of course yes. You will be surprised of the amazing synthesizer a RBPi could be …
Currently zynthian can use SF2, SFZ and GIG soundfonts, and also have a good amount of modern synthesizers, vintage synth emulations and physical modeled instruments. And you can layer several of them … really funny
The first gen sylphyo used panda midi beam for the wireless and I think that the link uses their own version but similar. Neither of which our compatible with iPad direct.
I’ve not had any experience with sound fonts expect from using ThumbJam on the iPad so I’m not sure how expressive they are compared with the likes of the Roland. I really like the sounds of the SWAM stuff or dynasample but the cost makes it unobtainable
I’m impressed with your project wolfpaw. I saw this a while back. May I ask what setup you have in the zynthian module and what kind of sounds you mainly used?
sylphyo are quite likely to use a proprietary protocol in which case it would require some reverse engineering of the protocol and low-level code to integrate to a Linux based platform like Zynthian. Such a project would require access by a developer to a sylphyo device and the time and enthusiasm to do a lot of protocol sniffing and decoding. A fun project for a dedicated person. In the meantime, just use your sylphyo link to drive Zynthian.
@Axeman
I agree although dynasample has done a good job too, but tbh if I want a sax sound I just pick up my sax
It’s more flutes and Celtic sounds.
@riban
I think you are right and would be outside of my abilities. If I was to build my own unit I do wonder if the guys at aodyo might help with the Bluetooth, after all they are pretty good and are fellow musicians at heart.
