Most of the time, if you’re looking for a MIDI controller, you’re going to end up with some kind of keyboard or a fancy button pad. The saxophone is an altogether more beguiling instrument that makes for one hell of an interface, but there’s a problem: they’re seldom MIDI-compatible. This build from [AndrewChi] changes all that.
This digitized sax relies on a SparkFun ESP32 Thing as the brains of the operation. It uses Hall effect sensors, the digital switch type, to detect the action of the keys of the sax. Choosing parts that are quick to respond is key for musical use, so [AndrewChi] selected the Texas Instruments DRV5023 for its unipolar operation, short output delay and fast rise time. Beyond setting up the basic keys to send MIDI notes, the instrument also received additional octave controls for greater range. With sensors and magnets attached to the saxophone and keys with Sugru, the instrument is ready to serve as a capable MIDI controller. Thanks to the ESP32, it’s capable of sending MIDI data wirelessly over Bluetooth for the maximum freedom of performance.
It’s a nifty build, and a great way for wind players to get into the world of controlling digital synthesizers in an intuitive fashion. We’ve seen some great MIDI controller builds before, too.
It could also use an air pressure sensor and a touch pressure sensor in the mouthpiece, to measure how hard the player is blowing and how tight their embouchure is. I never played sax, but I played oboe and the latter has a dramatic effect on the tone and pitch with that instrument – air pressure=tremolo, lip pressure = vibrato.
So like the akai ewi?
Yes! But you can play ‘ewi’, normal sax, or both at the same time from your regular horn.
Amazing concept Andrew! I’d love to try it. I’m especially curious about playing the horn and controlling a synth at the same time. Cheers to inovators like you!!
Yes! That’s exactly what I did, actually the day before yesterday! :-)
The pcb has some unused pins and I’ll update both the instructable and the github very soon to accomodate the pressure sensor!
I am very thankful (in fitting with today’s holiday in the US) for all the work that Andrew put into this project. I was thinking of taking on a similar project, but was intimidated by the effort I knew it was going to take. Now, I’m thinking of the additional functions that could be added that wouldn’t be found in any commercial wind controller. It looks like a great scaffold to build and play (pun intended) upon.