Reader Jon Stubbs sent word about an online petition to ask Yamaha to bring back their BC-3a breath controller:
I just found out about an iPetition that someone set up to bring back another production run of the Yamaha BC-3a. According to the creator of the petition, if the petition gets 1000 signatures, a more formal request will be made to Yamaha in Japan. Might not work, but there is no harm in trying.
Note: After commenting, the iPetition site prompts you to make a donation to help support the site. This has nothing to do with the individual petition and is completely optional.
If you are interested in this petition, you should know that the BC-3a requires a compatible device (synth or converter box). Some synths have a compatible BC input (K2661, K2500, etc.). For the time being, MIDI Solutions makes a box that takes input from BC-2 or BC-3a and converts it to MIDI. I expect that if Yamaha does do another production run of BC-3’s, MIDI Solutions will continue to make these.
http://www.midisolutions.com/prodbth.htm
There’s also some buzz that someone named Nick Batzdorf is in the process of manufacturing a breath controller with a MIDI output. As I gather, the release has been delayed several times, and information about this project is not to be found.
If you are a BC-3 user (wanting replacements) or if you are one of those folks who’ve been wanting one but don’t want to pay hundreds of dollars– might as well sign this– even if Nick’s project comes to fruition.
Nope, was never that impressed the first time round…..
Well, thanks for giving us your blunt judgement. I hereby allow you to ignore this petition.
I can understand that this type of control is not for everyone. My experience with a melodica was so inspiring– i.e., controlling the attack and amplitude with my breath– that I wanted to pursue this further. My keyboard has a BC input, so it is a bit easier for me to embrace this particular version.
With keyboards, the wheels or after-touch are the main hands-on controls, but I don’t find that I have the same immediacy with them– even though I have used them for decades. Since literally no one makes a breath controller at this time, I haven’t had an opportunity to use one. But with melodica experience has me sold.
Hmm, petitioning for something you’ve never even tried, but presume will be wonderful, pretty pointless.
Wasn’t my petition. Just signed it. But I thought folks on this here forum might find it interesting. Oddly, some find it irritating.
I’ve always wondered what would happen if I plugged that mythical device into my KX88.
you may been interested in take look at http://www.mrtaudio.com/ to learn about different solutions by MRT MIDI Breath Controller System.