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Wind of Change

Article from Sound International, May 1979

Lyricon-blowing John Walters, of Landscape fame if not fortune (yet), undertakes the western world's most comprehensive guide to the history, construction and playing of the Lyricon wind synthesiser.


John Walters of Landscape explores the Lyricon from the player's point of view


'Expression is what our instrument is about. Music is emotional. If you can't express yourself it's not really music.' Bill Bernardi, co-inventor (with Roger Noble) of the Lyricon, and President of Computone Inc.

The Lyricon is a totally electronic musical instrument in which the majority of control comes from the breath, lips and fingers of the player. It looks amazing — a sort of cross between a soprano sax and a flute with a silent tenor mouthpiece stuck on top. From the other end snakes a multicore lead which plugs into an 'analogue computer console'. The console, a black box with some 30 knobs, produces the audio signal.

At the end of a gig you can pack the Lyricon 'horn' into the black box, shut the lid and jump into the band limousine. Except that you're likely to be surrounded by people asking what this strange instrument is. 'A sort of synthesiser that you blow,' is the shortest reply I can find.

Tom Scott

You may have met it before without realising. There's Tom Scott's magnificent fanfare of multitracked Lyricons on Peg by Steely Dan. A mysterious solo snuck in the middle of Joan Armatrading's last album. The theme tune to Starsky and Hutch. And you may have seen Bennie Maupin playing one during the highly successful concert tour made recently by Herbie Hancock's group, or their unfortunate Rock goes to College TV show.

Bennie was, in fact, playing a relation of the Lyricon called the Wind Synthesiser Driver. This produces up to nine control DC voltages and must be patched into a synthesiser. The third member of Bill Bernardi's family of electronic wind instruments is the Lyricon II — a simple two-oscillator synthesiser controlled by the horn. This can also be patched into more synthesisers or used to operate 'a light show or a water fountain!' as Bill enthuses. The original instrument is now known as the Lyricon I.

Lyricon Players



I spoke to several established players of the Lyricon to gather opinions on this revolutionary, but still relatively unknown, instrument.

Jack Lancaster


Multi-instrumentalist and composer Jack Lancaster has pioneered the Lyricon in the UK. I spoke to him prior to the release of several albums and a major European tour by his current band, Aviator. Wild Connections by Jack with Dutch keyboard player Rick van der Linden was released in the UK on Friday April 13 this year. 'It was recorded some time ago, and I used the Lyricon I and the Wind Synthesiser Driver throughout. Rick played the big Yamaha GX1 synthesiser — we wanted to try a completely electronic thing. The only acoustic sounds are Barry Morgan's drums and the voices on our version of Fortuna from Carl Orff's Carmina Burana. ' Using the Driver with a Minimoog for a few passages, Jack employed the noise generator to get breathy and recorder-like sounds not possible on the Lyricon I.

Skinningrove Bay will be a more diverse solo album inspired by the Yorkshire coastal village where Jack was born. On one song the Lyricon is used to imitate the song of the whale while Phil Collins croons about that mammal's misfortunes.

Jack discovered the Lyricon through Tom Scott's brief visit to Ronnie Scott's in the summer of '74. He imported one and used it immediately on the highly successful Peter and the Wolf album; the Lyricon appeared again on the follow-up Marscape LP. In recording studios Jack generally direct injects from the console, but sometimes uses an amp for imitative string or french horn sounds. He once did a whole string quartet jingle arrangement on Lyricons.

The Aviator tour will be Jack's first experience of playing the Lyricon live. He uses an Acoustic 320 amp with reverb, 15in and 12in JBL speakers plus two Electrovoice horns, and a Chorus Echo. He frequently changes the Lyricon console and even graphic eq settings during performances. Nevertheless, he remarks, 'I like the variety of sounds you can get on just one setting.'

Not entirely happy with the Driver, he's now interested in the Lyricon II — particularly the possibility of playing four-note chords by adding a further duo-phonic synthesiser. 'It could be useful for filling out the (Aviator) sound while Mick Rogers takes a solo.' He can't imagine it replacing the Lyricon however. 'You can get such beautiful sounds from the overtones and harmonics.'

Michal Urbaniak


Bill Bernardi comments: 'Michal Urbaniak... has a good sound from the instrument. His many years of playing the violin flavour his playing, regardless of setting, toward a single sound. In fact, it is sometimes difficult to tell if he is playing the electric violin or the Lyricon.'

When I spoke to Michal he mentioned that he was the first player to use the bend up and bend down facility. He links up the Lyricon II to a Minimoog or Polymoog to play four-note chords. Using the lip control he can augment or diminish notes in the chord, and thus follow a sequence. The mind boggles. On stage he uses both Lyricons through a Fender Twin Reverb amp. 'The instrument has so many possibilities — so original. I like the natural beauty of the sound of the Lyricon I and the flexibility of the Lyricon II. It's the most humanised electronic instrument to date.'


Bennie Maupin


Bennie wasn't happy with his original Lyricon I after a couple of years' use, but was introduced to the Driver about a year ago. On stage he operates a Minimoog amplified by a Kustom combo amp with a Space Echo. 'I'm really enjoying playing this instrument because now it's totally a synthesiser, which makes it a lot more flexible. It's really great to have an instrument that is totally electronic, especially in the situation with Herbie (Hancock). There are 14 keyboards so I'm surrounded by pianos and synthesisers and organs but it's great, you know — I can participate in the environment and still have the same type of flexibility that they have.'

Bennie remarked that the Lyricon concept of control was very much in keeping with the experimentation he had done with timbre changes on the bass clarinet and other horns. Such subtleties are often lost live and can only be used in recording, whereas the totally electronic Lyricon is a live sound engineer's dream come true. There are no problems with spill, feedback or over-excited horn players veering away from their mics.

Like many established reed players, Bennie Maupin doesn't find the transition from acoustic to electronic instrument easy. 'You feel no sensation in your fingers... it's just wind and lip pressure. I've finally gotten used to that and I'm working now on practising scales and arpeggios. Because of the way the keyboard's constructed, there's so much you can do with the auxiliary keys — you can double flat or double sharp which really... mentally I'm still in a quagmire about that... it really is amazing. I'm not sure yet about using this instrument as a solo instrument — I still don't feel that I have the control it takes to utilise it.

'Before his death Roland Kirk played it... I heard him playing live and it was absolutely fantastic. I mean he completely blew my mind with the things he was doing on it. Dick Johnson really has a tremendous control over this instrument — there are several (other) players in the Boston area who play really well. I heard a tape from one player; he's a totally classical player who utilised the Lyricon to perform some Bach and it was absolutely gorgeous.

'Tom Scott is actually taking a band out on tour now, he's playing the Lyricon live and playing extremely well. The instruments — the Wind Driver and the Lyricon — they're definitely instruments of the future. Right now we're at the real pioneer stages.'

Dick Johnson


Dick is a Boston musician who plays on the Lyricon demonstration tapes and record, and plays in a local big band. 'Sure is a fantastic instrument — there's so much there it's mind-boggling. The Lyricon II is simpler to control and has a more electronic sound. Perhaps it's a more rock-oriented instrument — some of the younger guys prefer it. The Lyricon I is a little more sophisticated, there's more to it than a lot of guys can handle.'

Dick has experimented with overtone feedback on the Lyricon I to get five-note parallel chords. 'You can get, say, a major ninth chord to follow you which you can switch in and out on the console.'

Steve Jolliffe


'I think it's an amazing instrument... very sensitive. I found it very different from my other instruments.' Steve plays flutes, cor anglais, oboe, clarinets, saxes and keyboards.

'On stage with Tangerine Dream I used to play it out front. I would get a roadie to change range and filter settings on the console at a signal from me. I used mainly a violin sound or a trumpet sound. The violin sound (listen to Cyclone) was very close and fooled a couple of violinists.'

Steve amplified the Lyricon through his own mixer into the band PA with a Chorus Echo.


The Lyricon I — a description



The body, or horn, of the Lyricon weighs about 1½lbs and is 24in long — a little heavier but shorter than a soprano saxophone. It's supported vertically by a metal rest for the right thumb. The 15 keys are exceptionally light and fast; not conventional keys but independently mounted 'finger controlled logic switches'. A silver pad descends upon a silver contact point which reclines on a little cushion set into the body. This ensures a small, but crucial, amount of 'give' and the feel of an acoustic instrument.

The left-hand G# and the right-hand A# key are lined to operate the same switch, which has the disarming ability to sharp any note. The D# key does the same trick, while the keys immediately below the G# and D# keys flat any note. Simultaneous use of both little fingers can double-flat or double-sharp.

There's an octave key above the left-hand thumb plate; the third octave is achieved by moving the thumb up to cover a second key. As you change registers, your embouchure need not change. The Lyricon uses an easily mastered modified Boehm fingering system. Fast passages employing notes from low Bb up to low Eb may cause problems, but given time you can figure out some cunning alternative positions.

The logic system sends a control voltage to the computer console. Your fingers aren't involved in the humdrum business of twisting long rods and dragging heavy keys up and down over huge air vents. Key noise is non-existent unless the contacts get dirty. To clean, the owner's manual recommends you slide 'a reasonably clean dollar bill (or business card) folded in two' between them. Pending the release of Landscape's first album, I get excellent results from a grubby fiver or even an old Music Machine ticket.

The Lyricon's total range: six octaves and a minor third!


Blowing the Lyricon feels like no other instrument — imagine blowing a recorder while moving a thin plastic plate with your lower lip. A light metal lever rests against the fibrecane reed (see diagram) and its movement controls another of the three voltages from the horn. On the console, Glissando sets the amount by which the note bends down in pitch as the player's lower lip relaxes, and Reed Overtones allows your lip to scan the harmonics of the note, producing a 'filter sweep' effect in extreme settings. I find a semitone glissando useful, but you can select a whole tone, or third, or fourth to get trombone-type slurs; you can even bend any interval down to a tenth (for parity with the fretless bass).

First and second octave keys above the thumb plate.

The third voltage is generated by wind. When you blow the horn, as Bill Bernardi explains, 'The diaphragm of the player and the diaphragm inside the transducer become one system.' The attack, sustain, decay, release and volume of the Lyricon note are controlled entirely by the action, velocity and intensity of the player's breath. A hole at the end lets the spit out. By adjusting Wind Threshold, Loudness and Sensitivity on the console in conjunction with suitable external amplifier volume, the player makes the instrument 'comfortable' for blowing. Wind effects are set by Filter Attack, which can produce an automatic wah-wah sound, and Timbre Attack, which can thicken or 'chorus' the signal.

An 11½ft lead with screw-in DIN plug connects the horn to the computer console, which acts as a carrying case, weighs about 20lbs, and measures 30in x 10in x 6in deep. The audio signal is formed from the building blocks of acoustic sound — the first five tones of the natural harmonic series.

In the Basic Overtones section, each tone is set by a Sustain and a Proportion knob. The Wind Overtones are activated mainly by wind attack and are set by a Gain and four Proportion controls. The Mixer balances the brassy sounds of the latter against the woodwind-like timbres of the former. The player can then modify sound from the horn by changes in articulation.

Mouthpiece removed to reveal sinister glissando lever.

Tone Color, Threshold and Content introduce a bright edge at particular wind levels. Timbre adds or subtracts higher overtones and Portamento adjusts the degree of automatic glide between notes. The only discrete controls are Range and Filters, offering a choice of 'lo', 'mid', and 'hi' (an octave apart), and Key, which can turn your Lyricon into a transposing instrument in G, Bb, C, Eb, or F. The Tuning knob has obvious uses for the musician of today, and tunes up or down a whole tone. The Mouthpiece Control and Basic Overtones sections can be switched in and out on the console.

Background



Bill Bernardi and Roger Noble started Computone to make a rhythm box, but then invented a transducer which converted wind pressure into electrical energy. They embarked upon extensive research into musical instrument design, drawing much from the example of Antoine (Adolph) Sax and Theobald Boehm, and from Nineteenth century works such as Louis C Elson's Theory of Music. They observed that, 'An acoustic instrument is basically a highly sensitive and articulate control system coupled to a human player who is capable of transmitting highly subtle degrees of control into the acoustic sound generating system.'

The breakthrough to the gestalt of the Lyricon came late in 1970 and research and experimentation continued until the prototype was ready in January 1974. 'The simplest part was the electronics,' said Bill. 'Fingering caused some problems — we tried 55 different types of switch. The most difficult part was the transducer system.'

Asked about the tenor mouthpiece, which confuses many musicians, he remarked, 'The reed makes a perfect wind gate and self-springing lever. If there's anything better suited to the job I'd be glad to hear of it.'

The computer console got 'unbearably complicated' at one stage, and had to be streamlined so that 'a musician would have some chance of understanding it'. Bill designed and built the horn body by hand — the first one took six months. It was important that the Lyricon stood up alongside the best acoustic instruments in every respect.

Tom Scott bought the first Lyricon, and subsequent models were bought by Bennie Maupin, Wayne Shorter and others. Bill Bernardi says, 'My faith is always with the musicians. I don't care so much about the dealers or music critics.'

Computone now has a total staff of 12 in Norwell, Massachusetts. Their President believes that it's important to remain a small company, and he plays every instrument himself before it leaves the factory. Inevitably we come to the Lyricon's major drawback — the high cost. The UK price is roughly £1700 for the Lyricon I, £840 for the Wind Synthesiser Driver, and the Lyricon II costs £1233. Mass acceptance, mass production and low unit cost are a long way off. The UK distributors, Musicaid, are holding these prices well below those of equivalent imported instruments.

Bill points out other problems; people have to learn to listen.

In fact many musicians remark that their saxophone playing has improved since taking up the Lyricon, because it has taught them to hear overtones better. When asked about future developments, Bill enthusiastically declared that there would be many. 'These three instruments are just the babies — we're a young company.'

Research and experimentation continues. When I enquired about a preset or memory system for the Lyricon he replied, 'It is something we have given a great deal of thought and experimentation to but always at the same point; namely that no two musicians, regardless of the settings, will get the same sound or effect from the Lyricon, due to the sensitivity and embouchure. Perhaps it is a product that could be successfully made in the future when more musicians recognise and accommodate the Lyricon embouchure.' Bill is waiting for musicians to catch up with him.

Personal Reaction



You may have detected my enthusiasm for the instrument by now — I can only say that since discovering the Lyricon my life has changed. This was something more exciting than my first saxophone, my first flute, first guitar — even more mind-blowing than the pair of plastic 'Mick Jagger Maracas' that engendered my career in rock music. I write tunes and arrangements spanning three-and-a-half-octaves or more while my old fashioned acoustic instruments languish in the corner of my garret. I neglect my family, food, friends, etc... I buttonhole wedding guests and regale them with early drafts of my Sound International article. I now play seven or eight Landscape numbers live on the Lyricon, and nearly all our new compositions feature the horn.

As an electronic instrument, the Lyricon is easy to amplify and record. It can blend well with electric piano, guitar, bass guitar, synthesisers or organ. The wind-like nature makes it very useful in horn sections. In unison it can reinforce the acoustic sounds or provide a dominant electronic edge. It can play any or all harmony parts and take on the role of trumpet, flute, trombone, violin, etc, by making swift alterations to the console and to blowing technique. With practice it is possible to memorise several radically different settings and whip through them during a session. But remember Bill's observation that, 'The sound is not as important as the control over it.'

Conclusions



For maximum personal satisfaction I believe the Lyricon must be played as an instrument in its own right. Each player will discover a basic sound which feels comfortable and then develop technique and taste to play, rather than operate, the horn. Bill Bernardi again: 'The best Lyricon player is one who touches the console the least.' Modern synthesiser etiquette has conditioned us to think too much in terms of programs, knobs and switches. The Lyricon demands a more traditional, yet completely fresh, approach."

Having said all that, I'm certain that there's a very real need for the Lyricon II and the Driver, both of which are closer to the synthesisers we already know. Indeed the II may be the ideal doubling instrument for both the band saxophonist who wants to add some new sounds, and the keyboard/sax player who would like another means of expression. I can imagine acts as diverse as X-Ray Spex, Billy Joel, Hi-Tension and Red Noise making modest use of the Lyricon, as well as the Michal Urbaniak-type virtuosi. There is a place for the instrument in many areas of music. The Lyricon marks the beginning of a new era of electronic instruments — whether it marks a new era of music depends on the people associated with it. It was something like 90 years before Adolph Sax's invention began to change the musical world. Bill Bernardi claims, 'I'm extremely patient. I have total belief in the instrument.' But I doubt that he'll have to wait too long. If the Eighties are to be the 'most exciting decade in 200 years for instrument technology' let's hope that the same will be true for music. It's up to all of us.

Lyricon Discography

Here's an alphabetical list of Lyricon players together with information and comments on their recorded performances where known.

Geoff Alderman.

Ian Anderson:
The official word from Jethro Tull is 'no comment'.

Nick Brignola — Charles Dechant.

Quitman Dennis:
To The Limit Joan Armatrading (A&M). Track: Am I Blue for You. This is my favourite track on the album, providing a great example of the atmosphere a Lyricon can conjure up. The instrument is used in a small-group arrangement and there's a bluesy 8-bar solo. Quitman uses the low range of the Lyricon with wide Glissando and Reed Overtone settings and, I think, a lot of Filter Attack.

Bobby Dukoff. — Sal Gallina.

Chuck Greenburg:
Watercourse Way Chuck Greenburg (Passport).

Woody Herman:
Has just ordered a Lyricon II.

Dick Johnson.

Steve Jolliffe:
Cyclone Tangerine Dream (Virgin). Track: Madrigal Meridian.

Larry Kane.

Rahsaan Roland Kirk:
Kirkatron Rahsaan Roland Kirk (Warner Bros). Track: Lyricon On.

Klaus Kreizeder:
Plays (with Peter Ponzol) in the German 'avant-garde jazz-rock' group Montage.

Jack Lancaster:
Peter and The Wolf Jack Lancaster (RSO).
Marscape Jack Lancaster and Robin Lumley (RSO).
Wild Connections Jack Lancaster and Rick van der Linden (Acrobat).
Aviator Aviator (EMI).
Skinningrove Bay Jack Lancaster (Acrobat — Not released at presstime.)

Yusef Lateef.

Charles Lloyd.

David Luell.

Bennie Maupin:
Secrets Herbie Hancock (CBS).
Moonscapes Bennie Maupin (Mercury). Features multitracked Wind Synthesiser Driver linked to Patrick Gleason's EMU synthesiser.

Hens Otter:
A classical woodwind player with the Netherlands Wind Ensemble. The Dutch composer Koos Terpstra has written a symphony for Otter's Lyricon I accompanied by a small ensemble of amplified acoustic instruments.

Lenny Pickett:
Lead sax player in Tower of Power, Lenny is now working with the Driver and the EMU synthesiser, and has recorded an album of Christmas carols for autumn release by Computone.

Peter Ponzol.

Raphael Ravenscroft:
Night Owl Gerry Rafferty (United Artists). When Raphael (Raff) borrowed my Lyricon to play the hook instrumental line on Night Owl I operated the console while he blew it like an alto. Not 'purist' Lyricon playing, but we set up an interesting owl-like sound which works well. Raff now owns a Driver.

Sonny Rollins:
A giant of the tenor sax, Rollins has started to play the Lyricon II.

David Sanborn:
Promise Me The Moon David Sanborn Band (Warner Bros). Track: Stranger's Arms. On Lyricon, David Sanborn gets a rich biting tone full of high overtones. Does this sound familiar? An interesting example of the sensitivity of the instrument to a musician's personality. Sanborn tracks Lyricon with alto for the fanfare passages between vocals and takes brief solos.

Tom Scott:
Tom Cat LA Express (Ode).
New York Connection Tom Scott (Ode). Tom Scott's considerable initial mastery of the Lyricon improves with each new album. After a relatively tentative debut on Tom Cat it returns for three tracks on NYC.
Blow it Out Tom Scott (Ode). Features Gotcha, the theme from Starsky and Hutch, with a Lyricon/tenor section, a Stevie Wonder-like solo on Down To Your Soul and more good Lyricon blowing on two other tunes.
Alivemutherforya Billy Cobham/Steve Khan/Alphonso Johnson/Tom Scott (CBS). Includes a fine solo on Anteres — The Star and some attractive ensemble playing.
Intimate Strangers Tom Scott (CBS). Less of a Lyricon showcase than the last solo album. Solos feature on several tracks — notably Puttin' The Bite On You.
I Heard That!! Quincy Jones (A&M). Track: What Good Is a Song. Scott plays a typical melodic commentary to the vocal out-chorus.
Sound — And Stuff Like That!! Quincy Jones (A&M) On I'm Gonna Miss You In The Morning and Superwoman (Where Were You When I Needed You), Tom Scott's typical Tom-Scott-type solos contact well with the dominating vocal and woodwind textures.
Aja Steely Dan (ABC). Track: Peg.
33 1/3 George Harrison (Dark Horse).
Bigger Than Both Of Us Hall and Oates (RCA).
Brand New Thing Doc Severinson (Epic).

Bill Bernardi writes: 'My favourite contemporary player of Lyricon at the moment is Tom Scott. He is using the Lyricon in a way that I had hoped it would be used. His single sound uses nearly all the circuits of Lyricon I operating at the same time. He really plays the console and gets an expression from it that it was designed for.' Tom Scott has said: 'The Lyricon is presently the closest thing (synthesiser) to an acoustic instrument, and soon there will be a wide variety of electronic instruments that also have the potential for human expression. There is no question that electronic instruments are here to stay, and that they are major forces in contemporary music.' (Down Beat, 16 January 1975)

Wayne Shorter:
Black Market Weather Report (CBS). Unlike Scott, Shorter makes much use of the bottom end of the Lyricon. In playing the simple abstract theme of Three Clowns three times, he explores the entire three-and-a-half-octaves of the horn and a wide range of tonal and dynamic effects. On Herandnu, Lyricon and synthesiser duet and solo, Wayne Shorter's personality is quite apparent. Wayne grew unhappy with the instrument after the '75 and '76 Weather Report tours, and now 'leaves it in the garage'. However he has recently ordered a Lyricon II.

Bruno Spoerri. Horst Strunz.

Mike Townend. Michal Urbaniak:
Smiles Ahead Michal Urbaniak's Fusion (MPS).
Body English Michal Urbaniak (Arista).
Urszula Urszula Dudziak (Arista).


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Publisher: Sound International - Link House Publications

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Sound International - May 1979

Donated by: Richard Elen

Feature by John Walters

Previous article in this issue:

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