Lyricon

The Lyricon is an electronic wind instrument invented by Bill Bernardi and Roger Noble in the 1970s. It is generally considered the first commercially available wind controller. Unlike traditional wind instruments that produce sound acoustically, the Lyricon controls a synthesizer electronically, allowing the player to shape and control the sound through breath pressure, embouchure, and fingerings.

The instrument's primary distinguishing feature is its ability to provide expressive control over pitch, volume, and timbre through the player's breath and articulation. Breath pressure typically controls volume and/or a filter cutoff frequency, while embouchure can affect vibrato and other tonal nuances. Fingerings are detected electronically and translated into MIDI or voltage control signals, allowing the instrument to control a variety of synthesizers and other electronic sound modules.

Early Lyricons were analog instruments utilizing voltage control (CV/Gate) signals. Later models and related instruments often use MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) for communication with synthesizers.

The Lyricon has been used by a variety of musicians across different genres, including jazz, progressive rock, and electronic music, who sought to expand the sonic possibilities of traditional wind instruments with electronic synthesis.