Yamaha WX5 Follow Hold, Sustain, Portamento

Basic Playing Techniques

Press the Key Hold button while no note is being

played to disengage the Key Hold function.

In the Normal Hold mode, no key off message is trans-

mitted to the tone generator when breath pressure is

stopped. Rather, the sound is stopped because the wind

sensor produces a volume value of “0”. Depending on

the settings of your tone generator, the held note may

continue to sound even when breath pressure to the WX5

is stopped. This will depend on whether or not your tone

generator is receiving the MIDI data generated by the

WX5 wind sensor. For example, if the WX5 is transmit-

ting wind sensor data as MIDI breath controller data (con-

trol change #02, the factory preset default) and your tone

generator is not set up to receive this type of data, the

sound will continue even when breath pressure is stopped.

In such a case setting the WX5 to transmit wind sensor

data as system expression or volume data may solve the

problem (page 22).

• The Normal Hold mode is automatically selected

whenever the WX5 power switch is turned on.

■ Follow Hold

Select the Follow Hold mode by pressing the [Down 2]

Octave key while holding the Key Hold button.

In the Follow Hold mode whenever a note is played a

second note will sound at a specified interval from the

fingered note. Volume, timbre, pitch bend and other varia-

tions will apply to both notes simultaneously.

Applying Follow Hold

Play a note on the WX5.

While playing the note, rapidly press and release the

Key Hold button.

The next note played will determine the interval to be

maintained by the Follow Hold function. Both the sec-

ond note and the note played during steps 1 and 2,

above, will sound simultaneously. Any subsequently

played notes will sound simultaneously with a second

note at the specified interval.

Changing the Held Interval

Play a note (a second note will sound at the specified

interval).

Rapidly press and release the Key Hold button. The

second note will stop playing and only the fingered

note will sound.

Play a different note to determine the interval to be

maintained. Both the second note and the note played

during steps 1 and 2, above, will sound simultaneously.

Any subsequently played notes will sound simulta-

neously with a second note at the specified interval.

Press the Key Hold button while no note is being

played to disengage the Key Hold function.

■ Sustain

Select the Sustain mode by pressing the [Up 2] Octave

key while holding the Key Hold button.

In this mode pressing the Key Hold button will cause a

MIDI sustain message (control change #64) to be trans-

mitted, alternately turning sustain on and off (“sustain

on” will be transmitted the first time the Key Hold button

is pressed after this mode is engaged).

■ Portamento

Select the Portamento mode by pressing the [Up 1] Oc-

tave key while holding the Key Hold button.

In this mode pressing the Key Hold button will cause a

MIDI portamento message (control change #65) to be

transmitted, alternately turning portamento on and off

(“portamento on” will be transmitted the first time the

Key Hold button is pressed after this mode is engaged).

Portamento produces a “glide” effect between notes

played.

• When using the WX5 to transmit portamento data,

make sure your tone generator is set up to receive

MIDI portamento data. Refer to your tone generator’s

owner’s manual for details.