I really enjoy the Steiner Crumar EVI as an example of an early expressive synthesizer. It includes a breath controller, trumpet inspired buttons, and a vibrato knob. It’s amazing what expressive control can do with a simple waveform and filter. Here is a video of Nyle Steiner sounding amazing on it in 1983:
I’m learning about the EVI for my own expressive projects. This EVI came with a synth module built into the case. The module has a simple interface presumably designed around expressive play. You can see it here on this reverb listing.
If you look at this unit, it has a knob for “S.E.D.” after the resonance knob. Any guesses what that could be?
listing says SED = Spectral Energy Distribution
I was going to say perhaps a filterbank, but given its only one knob… perhaps something like bandpass filter? (hence also resonance control)
that said a bandpass filter, might be a bit ‘underselling it’, might be a number of filters that are linked…
so as to model a specific kind of resonator to mimic a trumpet.
does really matter , as long as it sounds good - which is does.
What you’re hearing in those videos isn’t the EVI’s own synth, fun though that is. They’ve been adapted as controllers; the ribbon cable is the giveaway.
Judd used an Oberheim Xpander. I don’t know what Nyle’s using.
A company called Berglund Instruments has worked with Nyle to develop a modern MIDI version called the NuEVI, as well as a strange sibling called the NuRAD.
Most of the EVIs you see (which aren’t many) were made by the Italian company Crumar, but this appears to be one that Nyle built in the US. Trying to make up the missing cable could be interesting.
