Expanding...Flute or Wind Controller?

[Dave Collins]

I'm considering buying a new instrument to play in church/gigs/home, and I'm torn between trying a flute or something like a WX5. I've never played flute before. I have about 12 yrs on sax. What do you guys think? Thanks

Dave
davesensei@gmail.com

[Randall]

Dave the WX is the way to go....shorter learning curve and a world of sounds to choose from...
I use mine with a contemporary Christian band too...

[Morry]

The number of very good wind sounds available on the vL-70m is staggering. Unless the intended use is a recording that can be scrutinized over and over again, I'd go with the WX and vL-70m. I wish I hadn't sold mine.

[xuanvu]

WX5 and if possible, get the VL-70 sound module with Patchman's Turbo chip, your flute voice will be as good as the real flute as well as the advantage to play other voices.

[Morry]

For some reason, the flute voices on the vL70-m are the most realistic of all the voices in the module. For live performance, or some recording, you'll never tell the difference.

[Dr G]

A dissenting opinion...

Having played (and owned) several WX7's over the years, I would recommend flute as a natural progression IF you want to progress as a windplayer. If you want to play someting with a short and deadend learning curve that has little-to-no physical feedback to the player, go for the windsynth. I am, at heart, a gearhead and a tweak yet after investing much time (several years during my grad school days), money, and effort in developing a dynamic, truly expressive sound from a windsynth, I have determined that they are of very limited potential.

A windsynth - even with the best of patches - will NEVER sound like a flute played in the hands of a person that has actually developed real flute technique. On the other hand, if you don't want to LEARN a new instrument, would rather render a lackluster sound than PRACTICE, the synth is for you!

Or you could become a DJ or even a programmer!

[Frank D]

There is something to be said for an instrument that doesn't have to be plugged in 8-)

[Morry]

If you are looking to perform anytime in the near future, the wind synth is the way to go. You can be creating a credible flute sound within a few short hours of practice on the WX, but getting a nice, full sound, and being proficient throughout the range of the flute will take years.