Midi Solutions Breath Controller User manual

Breath Controller
OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS
MIDI Solutions

MIDI Solutions Breath Controller Operating Instructions M417-100
2023 MIDI Solutions Inc. All rights reserved.
MIDI Solutions Inc.
PO Box 3010
Vancouver, BC Canada
V6B 3X5
www.midisolutions.com

Thank you for purchasing the MIDI Solutions Breath Controller.
The MIDI Solutions Breath Controller is a Yamaha BC3A to MIDI interface that can be used to control the value of a
selected MIDI parameter in real time. The messages generated by the Breath Controller can be merged with the
messages received at its MIDI input. The Breath Controller is MIDI-powered and requires no batteries or power
supply to operate.
INTRODUCTION
To program the Breath Controller connect the MIDI Out from your MIDI interface to the MIDI of the Breath
Controller. The MIDI and BC3A input can be left disconnected during programming.
Once the Controller has been programmed it can be inserted wherever it is required in your MIDI setup.
Connect the Yamaha BC3A to the Controller's input. Connect the MIDI Out or Thru of the sending
device to the MIDI of the Controller. The Controller draws power from the device that is connected to
its MIDI input, so even if the Controller does not need to receive MIDI messages from this device the
connection is still required in order for the Controller to draw power (the Controller's Echo parameter
can be programmed to OFF to prevent any unwanted incoming MIDI messages from being echoed to the
Controller's MIDI Out). Connect the MIDI of the Controller to the MIDI In of the receiving MIDI device. It is
recommended that the number of MIDI Solutions products powered by a single MIDI Out or Thru be limited to four.
The Controller is programmed by sending it MIDI System Exclusive programming commands from a computer
with a MIDI interface. These commands are described in detail on the following pages.
Upon receipt of a programming command, the Controller's MIDI indicator LED flashes rapidly for about ten
seconds to indicate that the setting has been stored. Settings are retained after power is removed, and the unit can
then be inserted wherever it is required in your MIDI setup.
Ensure that the BC3A is connected to the Controller before it is powered up as its circuitry is sampled at this
time. The Controller's MIDI Indicator LED will light as soon as the sending device is turned on, and flashes
whenever MIDI data passes through the unit. Applying breath pressure to the BC3A causes the unit to send out MIDI
messages according to its programmed settings.
The following procedure will help you obtain the optimal settings for the and controls of the Yamaha
BC3A: Start by setting the to approximately the halfway point. Then increase the from zero until the
Breath Controller just starts to transmit MIDI data (the LED will flicker). At this point decrease the Offset slightly. Then
apply breath pressure to the BC3A to test these settings. Repeat the above procedure of adjusting the Offset with
different Gain settings until you have determined the optimal Gain and Offset positions.
In
Out
BC3A
In
Out
Gain Offset
Gain Offset
Breath
Breath
Breath Breath
Breath
Breath Breath
Breath
Breath
Breath
Breath
Breath
Breath
CONNECTIONS
PROGRAMMING
OPERATION
3
Yamaha BC3A
T M
Receiving Device
MIDI In
Sending Device
MIDI Out or Thru
MIDI Solutions
TM
Made in Canada
MIDI
Breath
Controller
In
BC3A
Out
MIDI Indicator LED
T M

4
PROGRAMMING COMMANDS
DEVICE PARAMETERS
The following Device Parameters are in effect regardless of the functions that the Breath Controller has been
programmed to perform.
When Echo is ON, all incoming MIDI messages received by the Breath Controller are echoed to its MIDI
output. When Echo is OFF, only the messages generated by the Breath Controller are sent to its MIDI output.
Specifies how much the output value vs. the applied breath pressure differs from a linear
response.
Specifies the direction of the curvature. If curvature direction is upward, the output value will
rise more quickly at the lower breath range and more slowly at the higher breath range. If curvature direction is
downward, the output value will rise more slowly at the lower breath range and more quickly at the higher breath
range.
To set the Breath Controller device parameters, send it the following System Exclusive programming command:
All bytes must be in Hexadecimal format (see hexadecimal conversion table at end)
= Echo ( = 00: Echo OFF, = 01: Echo ON)
= Curvature Amount ( = 00: no curvature, = 7F: maximum curvature)
= Curvature Direction ( = 00: downward, = 01: upward)
To program the Breath Controller to echo incoming MIDI data to its output and respond linearly to pedal movement
(no curvature), send it the following System Exclusive programming command:
F0 00 00 50 17 00 F7
Echo:
Curvature Amount:
Curvature Direction:
F0 00 00 50 17 00 aa bb cc F7
aa aa aa
bb bb bb
cc cc cc
Example
01 00 00

5
MESSAGE TYPE
DUMP SETTINGS
There are five programmable parameters that specify the type of message to be generated by the Breath Controller.
These parameters are or
and
specifies the type of message to be generated. Selectable message types include Control
Change, Aftertouch, Pitch Bend, and System Exclusive.
or specifies the Control Change number if the Message Type (aa) is Control
Change. If the Message Type (aa) is System Exclusive, then bb specifies the byte of the System Exclusive message
that is variable, i.e. the byte that changes in response to the applied breath pressure.
specifies the MIDI channel of the generated message. This parameter is ignored if the Message
Type is System Exclusive.
specifies the minimum value generated by the Breath Controller.
specifies the maximum value generated. If the Minimum Value is greater than the Maximum Value, then the values
will decrease as more breath pressure is applied, allowing the device to be used in reverse operation.
To program the Message Type to be generated by the Breath Controller, send it the following System Exclusive
programming command:
All bytes must be in Hexadecimal format (see hexadecimal conversion table at end)
= Message Type ( = 00: Controller, = 01: Aftertouch, = 02: Pitch Bend, = 03: System Exclusive)
= Control Change# (if aa = 00) or Sysex Byte# (if aa = 03)
= MIDI Channel (see MIDI channel table at end)
= Minimum Value transmitted
= Maximum Value transmitted
( ) up to three optional additional MIDI channels
To program the Breath Controller to generate the System Exclusive message F0 22 33 44 55 F7, varying the fourth
byte, with a minimum value of 9, and a maximum value of 127 (=7F Hex), send it the following System Exclusive
programming commands:
F0 00 00 50 17 01 F7 followed by
To dump the Breath Controller current settings, send it the following System Exclusive message:
Upon receipt of this command the Breath Controller will dump its current settings to the MIDI Out.
aa: Message Type, bb: Control Change# ( Sysex Byte#), cc: MIDI Channel, dd:
Maximum Value, ee: Minimum Value.
Message Type (aa)
Control Change# Sysex Byte# (bb)
MIDI Channel (cc)
Minimum Value (dd) Maximum Value (ee)
F0 00 00 50 17 01 aa bb cc dd ee (cc cc cc) F7
aa aa aa aa aa
bb
cc
dd
ee
cc cc cc
Example
03 04 00 09 7F F0 22 33 44 55 F7
F0 00 00 50 17 10 F7

The value in the programming commands is assigned according to the following table:cc
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MIDI CHANNEL TABLE
MIDI CONTROL CHANGE TABLE
Decimal
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12-13
14-15
16-19
20-31
32-63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75-79
80-83
84
85-90
91
92
93
94
95
96,97
98,99
100,101
102-119
120-127
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
Dec/
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
00
01
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
09
0A
0B
0C
0D
0E
0F
Hex
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
4A
4B
4C
4D
4E
4F
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
2A
2B
2C
2D
2E
2F
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
6A
6B
6C
6D
6E
6F
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
1A
1B
1C
1D
1E
1F
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
5A
5B
5C
5D
5E
5F
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
3A
3B
3C
3D
3E
3F
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
7A
7B
7C
7D
7E
7F
HEXADECIMAL CONVERSION TABLE
Hexadecimal
00
01
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
09
0A
0B
0C-0D
0E-0F
10-13
14-1F
20-3F
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
4A
4B-4F
50-53
54
55-5A
5B
5C
5D
5E
5F
60,61
62,63
64,65
66-77
78-7F
Control Function
Bank Select
Modulation wheel or lever
Breath Controller
Undefined
Foot controller
Portamento time
Data entry MSB
Channel Volume
Balance
Undefined
Pan
Expression Controller
Effect Controls 1-2
Undefined
General Purpose Controllers (#'s 1-4)
Undefined
LSB values for 0-31
Damper pedal (sustain)
Portamento On/Off
Sostenuto
Soft pedal
Legato Fsw (vv=00-3F: Normal, 40-7F: Legato)
Hold 2
Sound Controller 1 (default: Sound Variation)
Sound Controller 2 (default: Timbre/Harmonic Content)
Sound Controller 3 (default: Release Time)
Sound Controller 4 (default: Attack Time)
Sound Controller 5 (default: Brightness)
Sound Controllers 6-10 (no defaults)
General Purpose Controllers (#'s 5-8)
Portamento Control
Undefined
Effects 1 Depth (formerly External Effects Depth)
Effects 2 Depth (formerly Tremolo Depth)
Effects 3 Depth (formerly Chorus Depth)
Effects 4 Depth (formerly Celeste (Detune) Depth)
Effects 5 Depth (formerly Phaser Depth)
Data increment, Data decrement
Non-Registered Parameter Number LSB, MSB
Registered Parameter Number LSB, MSB
Undefined
Reserved for Channel Mode Messages
1MIDI Channel
00cc
2
01
3
02
4
03
5
04
6
05
7
06
8
07
9
08
10
09
11
0A
12
0B
13
0C
14
0D
15
0E 0F
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MIDI Solutions Inc. warrants this product to be free from defects in material and workmanship for a period of one (1) year from
date of purchase. This warranty is void if the product has been damaged by accident, misuse, alteration, unauthorized repairs
or other causes not arising out of defects in material or workmanship. Under no circumstances will MIDI Solutions be liable for
any loss of profits, benefits, time, interrupted operation, commercial loss, or consequential damages arising out of the use or
inability to use the product. MIDI Solutions specifically disclaims any implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a
particular purpose. If the product requires service, a Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) number must be obtained from
MIDI Solutions and the product must be shipped prepaid to a specified Service Center. MIDI Solutions will repair or replace the
product at our discretion and will pay return shipping fees. The customer is responsible for any damage or loss sustained
during shipment in any direction.
WARRANTY
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