We have a new feature of ‘raised accidentals’. Only raised by 6mm but players say it makes a positive difference if you are used to this on acoustic instruments. No extra charge for this feature.
Hi! I love the raised accidentals, they make it feel like my Marimba. I would recommend them :) Best Julia
Hello Julie-Ellen,
Yes, my preference is to go for the raised keys. Honestly, the raised height of the upper manual keys is so subtle, I’m not sure I consciously notice it much of the time. But, I am a marimba/xylophone player by nature, so having the slight raise does make me feel intuitively more “at home” on the instrument. At the same time, because the raised height is not very much, I am able to switch back to playing the xylosynth like a vibraphone without much thought or need for adjustment. If the customer in question plans on playing marimba or xylophone literature on the instrument to some extent, I would very much recommend the raised keys. Hope this helps,
The latest addition to our range is the Folding 3 Octave Xylosynth. This full size instrument folds in half and remarkably fits into a backpack! Including plates it weighs less than 10.4kgs. Backpack weighs 2.9kgs so less than 13.5kgs together and measures 65cms high x 40cms wide x 21cms deep.
We are just getting into Instagram so watch out for some interesting posts in the next few weeks. Please follow @xylosynth and remember to tag #xylosynth on any clips you post if you want us to share. Thanks
Special Commission for Balafon player Alastair Eilbeck from the UK (left in photo, Will Wernick on the right). We’ve called this the Balasynth…. This 15 note instrument is set up in a pentatonic scale C,D,E,G,A (but being MIDI you can always retune). All the usual Xylosynth features apply such as octave shift etc. The keys are slightly longer (165mm) but the same width as the Xylosynth keys (46mm). So far Alastair says he loves it and is looking forward to travelling with it on his motorbike!
We’ve outgrown our beloved workshop on Twycross St and have moved our office and assembly area into new premises which are highly energy efficient and have 3.6kw solar panels on the roof making it carbon neutral. Below is the first instrument to be made here, a 5 Octave Stained Birch Special with internal sounds off to Hong Kong later today!
This is the 2 Octave Stained Birch that was just sent out to April Base Studios in Wisconsin. For studio and touring work with Justin Vernon/Bon Iver/Volcano Choir. I’m sure he’ll put it to good use! Lovely music.
Stage Entertainment are buying yet another Xylosynth (they like them so much we’ve lost count!). This one is for a production of Beauty and the Beast in October.
Just fixed a couple of keys for one of the Safri Duos two Mk4 Xylosynths. They bought their first one in 2002! They are next playing in Skanderborg, Denmark in August.
Sunday June 15th 6.30pm at Embrace Arts Leicester come and see Terry Riley’s “In C”. This is a free performance and there is a bar. The Magna Music Band and tabla teacher Hari Trivedi have teamed up to present this modern classic using instruments from Leicester’s musical heritage and future.
Powerplant premiere a new commission from Goldfrapp’s Will Gregory, alongside works by Conlon Nancarrow, Max de Wardener, Gabriel Prokofiev and Steve Reich at St George’s, Bristol as part of the Filmic Festival. Operating at the meeting-point between new music and installation art, expect startling 360 degree sound, live sampling and immersive visuals.
Check out Video Phase on Facebook, http://facebook.com/videophase and watch this clip http://www.julienrobert.net/videophase/VideoPhase/Video_Phase.html. These two percussionists are based in Montreal, Canada and bought a 3 Octave Bubinga back in 2011 and are using it to great effect.
We recently went to see one of our very first players, Anthony Kerr, in an Irving Berlin extravaganza, Rags to Ritzes. The photo shows him at the Symphony Hall Birmingham during the interval. Anthony was a guinea pig for the first Xylosynth marks. He bought a MkIV in 1998, had an upgrade in 2004 and bought a MkVI in 2007. It’s was a fantastic night in Birmingham and we’re very proud that he is using his Xylosynth to such great effect and thank-you Anthony for all your help over the years!
Craig Finkelstein (4 Octave Stained Birch) of Calliope Musicals has just informed me that they won the Waka Winter Classic in Austin so they will be performing at the Wakarusa Festival in June. Sounds crazy enough to get a mention! Check them out on www.calliopemusicals.com and well done.
During the Biophilia tour outdoor performance in Chicago the heavens opened and everyone ran for cover, leaving all the instruments on stage. The Xylosynth, according to Peter van der Velde (production manager) “took in a lot of water……” so he called Wernick for advice. They were shipping all their equipment to Japan the next day and had no time to let the instrument dry out before packing. Wernick’s kindly lent their demo instrument to be flown out to Japan just in case. However it never came out of the box as Lucy Ockenden, following our advice, dried out all the components with hairdryers from the hotel. We knew the Xylosynth would never let them down!
Anyone wanting to check out the Xylosynth and see a great gig at the same time here’s a link to Calliope Musicals ‘Clouds on Fire Tour’ – http://calliopemusicalsshows.tumblr.com/ I know we have a couple of players already going to Pianos, New York on Friday 15th November to check out Craig Finkelstein’s newly purchased 4 Octave Xylosynth. See you there (I wish)!
We will be attending The Royal Northern College of Music Day of Percussion on 20th October 2013. We will have a couple of Xylosynths there and look forward to talking to any interested musicians. See you there!
We would like to wish all the Drum Corps using a Xylosynth the best of luck in this weekends Championships. They include the Blue Devils, The Cadets, Carolina Crown and the Bluecoats.
Two forward looking tuned percussionists – Orphy Robinson & Anthony Kerr – embracing new cutting edge technologies using Xylosynths, the newest innovation in tuned percussion, to create spontaneous original soundscapes and compositions.
On Saturday 15 June Powerplant perform the new album – 24 Lies Per Second – complete and live, at Bishopsgate Institute as part of Spitalfields Music Summer Festival in East London. Inspired by ex-presidents, Austrian film-maker Michael Haneke and the Amen Break the show features new music by British composers Graham Fitkin, Max de Wardener, Dominic Murcott and Matthew Fairclough, alongside early works by American pioneers Conlon Nancarrow and Steve Reich. With sound design by Matthew Fairclough and visuals by Kathy Hinde, plus a selection of voyages from Gabriel Prokofiev’s Import/Export – suite for global junk, we hope you can join us. More details and tickets here. Facebook users can join here tickets from £5 upwards.
Musician’s Friend are an online retailer predominantly for North and South America. Educators and Band Directors, you may already have an account with Woodwind and Brasswind so ordering a Xylosynth could not be easier for you, as well as other musicians who can order through Musician’s Friend.
Will Wernick and Simone Rebello, the new Director of Percussion at the Royal Northern College of Music enjoying the recent Day of Percussion at the college
Thank-you to Simone Rebello, the new Director of Percussion at the Royal Northern College of Music for co-ordinating a highly successful and enjoyable Day of Percussion at the college last Sunday. We had great interest from teachers and pit players who could envisage their professional life being enhanced by the convenience of a Xylosynth. We also showed off our latest project, the Xyloteq, a range of physically modelled sounds for the percussionist. Watch this space.
We spent a great day with Teymuralp when he came over from Turkey to buy a Xylosynth. He wasn’t exactly sure what he wanted beforehand and as we make everything to order we were very pleased to custom make his Xylosynth from a basic 3 Octave Bubinga by adding a button control panel and sounds with display while he waited.
We are privileged to tell you that Orphy Robinson is now the proud owner of a folding 4 Octave Bubinga Xylosynth. For those that have not heard of him he recently played on the Nigel Kennedy Tour in Germany last year on a Xylosynth hired from Preissler Music. Liking the instrument so much he saved up an bought one for himself. Here’s a few words from this great Vibraphonist on receipt of the instrument: ‘Yes the Xylosynth arrived and it looks and plays great. I have already used it on a couple of gigs, one in the Chapel at Kings College in the Strand where it fitted in well in the ensemble allowing me to use three sounds Vibes/Marimba and Balafon – I was very grateful I didn’t have to cart around those instruments at the venue. The next date was a Jazz quartet in Oxford where I only used a Vibes sound. Thank you for doing such a great job with the Xylosynth and I look forward to many years of making music with it’.
Jim Wunderlich had a few words to say after helping The Riverside Community College (RCC) win the 2012 World Championships, the WGI. He is the arranger/composer for the percussion section and has these words to say:
The Xylosynth allows RCC to access synth sounds in a different manner than a traditional synth, allowing for a more percussive approach to synth playing. The quick movement to the mounted Xylosynth by any mallet keyboard player, and the durability of the product, have helped us present our musical arrangements in an exciting, more accessible manner! Thank You!
Manu Delago at the warm up of the Björk’s Biophilia tour in Manchester, UK, last year. He is touring worldwide as Björk’s Xylosynth player. More news to come about what he plans to do with his own Xylosynth (he had to get one for himself as Björk’s Xylosynth is always stored in a container). Check out his website http://www.manudelago.com/
We wish all the best to our Xylosynth players at this year’s Winter Guard International (WGI) Championships in Dayton Ohio, USA. These include Tyler Junior College, Rhythm X, Riverside Community College, Ayala HS, Walled Lake Central HS, Centerville HS, Petal HS, Pioneer Indoor and San Diego State University. Sorry if we have missed anyone out.
After a flurry of requests this week for a 5 Octave Xylosynth we thought we should mention that we do make one. Very good for marimba players! The one pictured now belongs to ‘Cirque du Soleil’ played by Aaron Guidry.
Our old Facebook Group has been replaced by a new Facebook Page with the following link, http://www.facebook.com/Xylosynth. Check it out and contribute with your own interesting Xylosynth footage, Xylosynth photos or Xylosynth related gig dates etc.
Another new option is the button control panel. Instead of the standard jack sockets for foot pedal controls there is now an option to have all push button controls (except sustain which is always pedal controlled). This new push button control panel is £37.50 inc VAT.
Many customers are asking about our new onboard sounds and display as we have not updated our website yet with the details. You now have the option of a 3 digit LED display, on it’s own (useful to see what midi programme or channel number you are in if your sound source is not in sight) or with 128 General Midi onboard sounds. The onboard sounds have a line out to amplification and a stereo line out (1/4″ jack) for headphones. Prices in UK Sterling £72 inc VAT for the LED Display and £192 inc VAT for the display and sounds.
Preissler Percussion were very pleased to inform us that their 4 Octave Bubinga Xylosynth has been chosen to accompany Nigel Kennedy on tour in Germany. I believe the tour starts off in Stuttgart on Wednesday 2nd November.
We spent a fantastic evening on Wednesday 5th October watching Joby Burgess/Powerplant Live at the Lakeside Centre in Nottingham. Catch Joby on ‘Later with Jools’ this week playing his Xylosynth with Peter Gabriel.
The 2011 DCI Championships have just been held at the weekend. Congratulations to World Class winners ‘The Cadets’ who, with a 4 Octave Birch Xylosynth in their armoury, only dropped 0.2 points in the ensemble for a winning score of 19.8. Congratulations also to ‘Blue Devils’ who came a close second overall, scoring 19.7 in their ensemble among which is a 2 Octave Birch Xylosynth. Carolina Crown, who have a 2 Octave Birch Xylosynth, came 4th overall with a fantastic score of 19.6 (3rd highest) in the ensemble. Not forgetting the ‘Blue Knights’, who have a 2 Octave Birch Xylosynth, coming in 9th overall with a score of 18.2 in the ensemble. Much hard work and dedication has paid off for these superb performers.
In the Open Class ‘Blue Devils B’ came first including an ensemble score of 19.1 with a 2 Octave Birch in their line up. So big congratulations to them also.
We’ve just enjoyed a fantastic evening in Manchester watching Bjork performing her ‘Biophilia’ live show at the start of her world tour. Central to the piece was Manu Delago, percussionist, playing his 3 Octave Xylosynth. The show featured a range of specially conceived and crafted instruments including a musical lightening generator and four harp-playing pendulums. We were delighted that the Xylosynth was part of Bjork’s ground breaking and highly innovative show. Highly recommended if you get the chance to go. Many thanks to Manu, Peter van der Velde (production manager for Bjork) and Jez Webb (technician).
David Insua-Cao (UK) who bought his 3 Octave clear birch Xylosynth in October has recently informed us that he is playing with Giffords Circus as part of their 14 piece band. They’ve just kicked off their summer season at the Telegraph Hay Festival and will then be touring South-West England. This is no ordinary circus from what I’ve been reading. A troupe of actors, acrobats, learned geese, tumbling pigeons, hawks, clowns, musicians and runaways ‘Proudly presenting War and Peace at the Circus’ with thrilling scenes from this epic Russian novel. I can’t wait to see it, I wonder if we can get free tickets!
The Debut of our unique style U-frame for the Xylosynth at the TMEA caused much interest. Shown in the picture from left to right the U-frame (registered design pending) with 4 octave Birch Xylosynth, Aaron Leutwiler, Will Wernick and Dana Sudborough at the Wernick booth. We also exhibited the Xylosynth’s new on board sounds and display which gives another option for band directors and players alike. We are now taking orders for all these new options. Please email for further details.
We won’t be having a dedicated booth at PASIC this year but the Wernick Xylosynth will be well represented there. This includes Lonestar Percussion, our System Blue Xylosynth distributor, on booth #500 where you can try out a System Blue Xylosynth. We also have Joby Burgess playing his 3 Octave Xylosynth headlining the Technology and Electronic Percussion Clinic on Friday at 3pm. Also playing will be the Cadets Percussion section who have a 4 Octave Xylosynth. For further details check www.pas.org.
The immensely popular BBC One TV show, Doctor Who, has regenerated into a live action arena tour – complete with 16-piece live orchestra on stage. A 3 Octave Xylosynth will be part of the orchestra on the nine city – 25 date – tour starting at Wembley arena tomorrow 8th October.
Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark,” with music and lyrics by U2’s Bono and the Edge will be using a 2 Octave Birch Xylosynth courtesy of Billy Jay Stein and Strange Cranium. Preview performances start Sunday November 14th at Broadway’s Foxwoods Theatre. The show’s producers announced that they had also set an opening night, Tuesday, Dec. 21. The musical is estimated to have a budget of $50 million – the largest in Broadway history.
Matthew Evens is playing organ and his Xylosynth with Hassan Erraji’s Moroccan Rollas (does exactly what it says on the tin) on BBC Radio 3’s World On 3 tomorrow night, Friday 8th October. It’s on at 11.15pm, but will be on iplayer for a week. It’s always interesting to find out how Xylosynth owners use their instruments so thanks for letting us know Matthew. Matthew is from the UK and bought a 3 Octave in 2007.
The top 4 out of 5 Drum Corps at the DCI (Drum Corps International- World Class) finals were using The Xylosynth only one year after the new rules that allowed electronic percussion in competition. Among the Xylosynth Drum Corps rosta are The Blue Devils who won followed by The Bluecoats who came third followed by The Carolina Crown who came fourth and The Cadets who came fifth. So Congratulations to all of them for a faultless Xylosynth performance. We would also like to cheer The Pioneer Drum Corps who also used their Xylosynth in competition to great effect.
System Blue and Blue Devils, in conjunction with Wernick Musical Instruments, introduces System Blue Xylosynth by Wernick. “The Xylosynth’s rugged, simple design, flawless performance and excellent customer support is key to the Blue Devils decision to endorse the System Blue Xylosynth by Wernick” says David Gibbs, Executive Director of the Blue Devils. “With the System Blue Xylosynth, the Blue Devils expect to set the bar on electronic keyboards for the future and beyond and we are excited to partner with Wernick and Xylosynth.”
Wernick Musical Instruments is excited about the new ‘System Blue Xylosynth’ and we wish them all the luck for the future.
“What a great program and exhibition Carolina Crown produced in the 2009 Drum Corps and Bugle season and we are extremely proud that they will now be using our Xylosynth during the 2010 season and beyond. Recent DCI rule changes have allowed this to happen and Carolina Crown will be introducing the Xylosynth into their front line ensemble with a Blond 2 Octave. The Xylosynth is only part of the team but being the best in its class will only help Carolina Crown be best in theirs. We wish Carolina Crown all the best.”
“Developing the Carolina Crown sound is always at the top of our list and now having the opportunity to use the Xylosynth from Wernick Muiscal Instruments just made the depth of sound much more alive.”
“Xylosynth has allowed me to expand the depth of my arrangements and I am very excited to incorporate this technology into our set up at Carolina Crown. This will allow us to create a vast amount of sounds while saving space on the truck and making the lives of our members easier.”
Wernick is delighted to have signed an endorsement deal with Jubal Drum and Bugle Corps, winners of the DCE 2009. The Jong Jubal will be using two 2-octave and two 3-octave Xylosynths in the DCE 2010. Shown in the picture are (left to right) Ronald Wassink (Brass Arranger), William Wernick, Julie-Ellen John (from Wernick), Matthias Smouter (Percussion Arranger) and Trinet Trotta (Jong Jubal Coordinator).
For more information on Jubal and how they chose the Xylosynth, see their website.
The Winter Guard International Percussion World Championships will be held in Dayton Ohio, USA between April 15th-17th 2010. The Independent World Champions for 2008 and 2009 RhythmX will be defending their title yet again with a folding 4 Octave C-C Bubinga Xylosynth. But in competition the number 2, The Riverside Community College will be using a 2 Octave C-C Blond Birch Xylosynth.
The European Indoor Percussion Championships will be taking place in Crawley, UK on 4th April 2010. The Göteborg Drum Corps 2009 European Marching Class Champions will be defending their title using their new purchase of a 3 Octave F-F Blond Birch Xylosynth. We wish them all the best and will be there to see all the excitement. See link http://www.wguk.org.uk/wgcontests/contest10_8_ipchamps.html
Wernick Ltd will be exhibiting at the Royal Northern College of Music’s ‘Day of Percussion’ on Sunday 7th February. Joby Burgess will be attending and giving masterclasses on Electronic Percussion and Multimedia Performance, featuring the Xylosynth.
Will would like to thank the fantastic team of Aaron Leutwiler and Dana Sudborough (demonstrating) with Keith Mann and Al Murray helping with sales. It was definitely the most successful and enjoyable show yet. Cheers guys!
We shall be exhibiting the Folding 5 Octave Xylosynth for the first time on Booth #233 at PASIC 2009 in Indianapolis. You can meet up with Will Wernick, Al Murray and Keith Mann as wll as some Xylosynth artists. We will also have a 2 and 3 Octave to try out and will be connecting all of them up to one laptop.
Wernick Ltd and SPYDER Music are pleased to announce the appointment of Allan Murray as the exclusive educational sales representative for Wernick Musical Instruments in the USA. “I am pleased to have this opportunity to represent Wernick in the USA” said Allan Murray, owner of SPYDER Music. “I believe that the Xylosynth will make it’s way into the USA market very quickly over the next few years. ”
Will Wernick says ‘I am extremely pleased that such an experienced person as Allan Murray is now representing and distributing the Xylosynth in the USA educational market. The Xylosynth has been very successfully used by professional orchestras, musicals and bands throughout the world. With rule changes and moving technology the aspirations of marching and school bands can now be realized and with the added benefits of cost savings. And I think our very high standard of build quality and design will be recognized by players and audience alike’.
Euro Disney took delivery of a 4 Octave Xylosynth to be played at Disneyland, Paris. If anyone spots it take a photo and let us know. We will publish it with your name.
Wernick Musical Instruments have just signed a sponsorship agreement with the Bluecoats. They are using a 2 Octave Birch Laminate Xylosynth in their program at the DCI finals held in Indianapolis in August. Perched above a Xylophone, Tom Rarick the percussion arranger says that ‘some musical moments’ will come from the Xylosynth. The natual Birch style is normally most popular with Musical production companies that work in dark areas but when outside the ‘brilliance’ will stand out from other equipment. We wish them all the best.
Congratulations! Rhythm X win the World Independent Championships at WGI 2009 finals in Dayton Ohio. They were using a 4 Octave Bubinga Xylosynth and playing sampled sounds from a Mac. After a meeting in November in Amsterdam between Craig Dunn, the CEO of Rhythm X, and Will Wernick a sponsorship agreement was formed which then left them only a short time to incorporate the Xylosynth into the program. All the players and instructors were very impressed with the instrument and are looking forward to expanding on their success for the next year.
We are now producing a new stained Birch finish for the Xylosynth. It has the looks of a traditional solid wood instrument but is less expensive. This Xylosynth has ends made of solid Bubinga to add to the effect.
Our laminated Birch Xylosynths are now the best priced digital mallet instruments on the market. Please email for prices.
Wernick Musical Instruments is delighted to announce its partnership with the current world 2008 WGI Champions, Rhythm X. Rhythm X will be using the MKVI folding 4 Octave ‘Bubinga’ Xylosynth in their front line at the 2009 WGI Championships in Dayton Ohio and their clinics.
The Wernick Xylosynth offers mallet players an unlimited repertoire of synth and sampled sounds. The Wernick Xylosynth responds like a traditional mallet instrument without the dead zones giving out a cleaner and more refined sound. Hand built by craftsmen in the UK, its solid wood bars and stylish design make it look as good as it sounds. Not only is the Wernick Xylosynthrobust enough to give you the reliability and confidence you need for a world class performance time and time again, it’s folding octaves and lightweight design (35lbs) make it ideal to store and transport.
Craig Dunn, chief executive of Rhythm X, said: “There’s a lot of excitement around the Xylosynth and we are thrilled to be using it in our campaign to retain our world championship title. Everyone at Rhythm X is extremely impressed with the product and can’t wait to see the impact it has on the indoor arena.”
William Wernick, founder of the Wernick Xylosynth, said: “I’m delighted that Rhythm X has chosen the Wernick Xylosynth. I’d like to personally take this opportunity to wish them every success in their forthcoming world championship tour.”
Dreamworks are very pleased with their recent purchase of two 3 Octave Birch Xylosynths for their production of Shrek on Broadway. The player and the technical guys think the Xylosynth is “a major improvement over the alternatives”. Don’t go overboard with the praise guys!
See Joby Burgess on his new Powerplant tour of the UK. Joby has a unique 3 Octave Ash Xylosynth that he will be using throughout this tour. His new album will be released soon.
We will be exhibiting at PASIC 2008 in Austin Texas, Booth number 100Q. We will have on demonstration a 2 Octave Birch, 3 and 4 Octave Bubinga Xylosynths. Both Will Wernick and Matthew Beechhold will be attending.
British percussionist Joby Burgess is using his 3 Octave Mark 6 Xylosynth as the centre piece of his new project Powerplant. Exploring hi-octane percussion-led music with an electronic sound and strong visual performance, Joby uses his own samples on a G4 laptop, to perform music by Steve Reich and Kraftwerk
‘Electric Counterpoint had a slouching, sun-filled energy; like a sudden breath of California from this quintessential New York composer.’ The Daily Telegraph. ‘No strangers to the weirder reaches of electronica, the steely Teutonic shimmies of Kraftwerk at their best take on a whole new dimension in such capable hands.’ The Metro, London.click here for forthcoming concerts
Robert Dorn will be doing a presentation song for introducing Majestic Percussion’s new malletline at the Frankfurt Music Messe every day but will also be playing his folding MK6 4 octave Xylosynth connected to his laptop. He is willing to have anyone ask questions etc. so if interested visit the majestic percussion stall at Hall: 3.0 Walkway: A Stand: 75
Can I just reiterate what I said yesterday in my phone call to you about how pleased I am with my Xylosynth. It is beautifully made and a pleasure to play. Last week I used it to play the bell part in Puccini's Tosca and received continued praise for the instrument from both the Conductor and the Artistic Director. This week, it is being used in a production of West Side Story and again I've had praise from the conductor for the instrument. Hooked up to a Kurzweil PC2R, the Xylosynth is producing some amazing results.