Xantoné Blacq is a great keyboardist, vocalist, songwriter and product demonstrator for Yamaha Europe. For several years, he toured as keyboardist with Amy Winehouse and released several solo recordings of his own music. Check out this fascinating interview withXantoné andYamaha US Product Specialist, Blake Angelos.
And below that, enjoy a special treat – the original recording of “Your So Fly” from his record “To the Heavens and Beyond”!
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And stay tuned for more special moments from Superbooth 17!
The VL1 is best played using a breath controller like the BC2 or BC3, and how it responds to breath input is unlike any other electronic musical instrument. For example, blowing slowly and then gradually increasing the speed and amount of breath into a connected breath controller produces an entirely different response then playing in a short, tongued staccato manner. That input – coupled with the other physical controllers (like the ever important third modulation wheel) – allow for a different level of expressiveness. The VL1 was the first commercially available physical modeling synthesizer and it represented a significant step forward in synthesis technology. For a nice overview on physical modeling synthesis go here.
Check out the videos below: – The first one is from the great Katsunori Ujiie demonstrating some of the classic Voices of the VL1. – The second is an excerpt from a 1994 National Public Radio interview with Phil “Bad Mister” Clendeninn. – Lastly, there is a short musical demo I created using the VL1 with the original MOTIF Synthesizer. The VL Voice I start with is called “Floboe” – a virtual instrument with the attack and harmonics of a flute and the timbre of an oboe. Listen later in the piece where I changed to the Soprano Sax Voice.
Enjoy!
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And stay tuned – more tasty bits of Synth coming your way soon!
