Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!ucbvax!hplabs!hp-pcd!hpmcaa!patrick
From: patrick@hpmcaa.mcm.hp.com (Patrick Hawke)
Newsgroups: comp.music
Subject: Re: Voice MIDI
Message-ID: <1430004@hpmcaa.mcm.hp.com>
Date: 1 Sep 89 16:19:30 GMT
References: <1638@mtunb.ATT.COM>
Organization: HP McMinville Division
Lines: 61

Regarding Voice MIDI:

 WOW, I have thought alot about this, there is a product especially designed
for this application, and it's _A-LOT_ of Fun!  In Electronic Musician Nov '88
on pg. 16 there is a picture and a breif description of the Vocalizer 1000 by
Breakaway Music Systems. 
 During a trip to Boston last March I stopped in a "The Sharper Image" store 
and happened accross one of these.  I watched as a couple of kids played with 
it.  I took a catalog (March), and then returned home and thought about it for
a few months.  Finally, it got the best of me, you see, I don't play an 
instrument but have a yearning for music as a DJ.
 I ordered the Vocalizer 1000, when it arrived, It was smartly packaged and
a well built product with _a-lot_ of extras (cart, adapters, etc.), and an
attractive manual (however the manual was lacking a good description of the
MIDI implementation, the MIDI info was in an insert).

-Begin Text-
Electronic Musician: The Vocalizer 1000 ($299) is a human voice-controlled
synthesizer that converts the pitch of sounds picked up by its microphone
into a MIDI signal and/or one of 28 preset synth sounds including sax,      
piano, fuzz guitar, marimba, steel drum, "spirit", and "warp."  The unit
also includes a built-in, multi-track sequencer for recording your compositions
or playing along with pre-recorded song sequences included with the 
Vocalizer 1000.
                   Breakaway Music Systems
                   PO Box 5621
                   San Mateo, CA 94402
                   (415) 341-8300
-End of Text-

The package came with all kinds of adapters and gadgets.  The Prerecorded
rhythms are exceptional and the "voices" are all PCM quality.  The fuzz
guitar was my favorite patch, you can really create some fantastic guitar
leads with it !!!  
 I was disappointed with the sequencer.  The sequencer didn't record/playback 
through MIDI, one of the reasons I purchased the Vocalizer. I called Breakaway 
about the sequencer and they verified my MIDI concerns.  They said that  
possibly two more Vocalizers are in the works, a low end (Pitch Controller 
NO MIDI) and a High End (FULL MIDI).
 The microphone is more of a controller.  There is a mouthpiece and windscreen
that can be attached to the microphone.  They suggest you use Doo's to make
the vocalizer function but humming, whistling, or singing will work too.  
The controler features a slide button (Infinite Pitch Bend!) and an Octave
button that will raise the pitch one octave.
 I ordered the Vocalizer from The Sharper Image, but returned the Vocalizer 
because of my disappointment with NO MIDI in the sequencer.  The Vocalizer 
hasn't been in the latest Sharper Image catalogs.  
The unit does support MIDI IN/OUT and a seperate Microphone/Line input as well. 
 Now, I've had second thoughts I _REALLY_ miss it!  I will be ordering another 
one, because there is _nothing_ else like it for the $$$.  

Please feel free to contact me about any further questions, I really like this
product.  If any other DJ or interested persons have any other Wild & Crazy
Ideas I'd Like to Hear them!

-PjH
patrick@hpmcaa.mcm.hp.com

PS - I have created a MIDI implentation chart and Rhythm Channal Assigment
     spec sheets for the Vocalizer 1000.  It was the only way I could really
     understand how the MIDI functions in this thing.