How can I get a technical question answered regarding a vintage (1980’s) Yamaha controller? The official Yamaha site seems to only provide information for currently supported gear. Thanks.

I’d do a basic google search for the model number and ‘manual’.

Is the question of a general nature (do you already have a good knowledge of MIDI codes etc.) or is it highly specific to just this one piece of gear?

For something this old, you might need to track down a scan pdf of the manual as this is a bit before manuals were digital.

Thanks for responding Diki. I downloaded the manual and it doesn't answer the question.
I'm referring to a 1980's Yamaha CBX-k1 controller. It mentions and shows a breath control function, but no details on how to utilize the breath control mode. And, there doesn't seem to be an input for a breath controller as per photos and diagrams.

I would guess that this is a reference to the Yamaha BC1 or maybe BC2 breath controllers which were around at the time?

The Yamaha breath controller input was a small mini jack input that looks identical to a mini headphone output but was usually labeled BC.

Take a look carefully at your controller, and see if you can’t find that if it is supposed to have one.

Just read the manual. No, there is no breath controller input. The only mention in the manual about breath control is as one of the controller number options that the assignable wheel can send.

So if a destination module can except breath controller input as one of its MIDI control sources, the assignable wheel on the controller can send it. But this is of little use, as few keyboard modules these days accept the code as a modulation source. And a wheel is a poor substitute for your breath if you are trying to control wind and brass sounds.

If you are sold on wanting to use a breath controller, I think there are a couple of hardware solutions, small processor boxes with a midi in and out and a standard Yamaha breath controller input. You simply insert the box in the midi path between the controller and the module. I haven’t looked it up lately, but a company called Midi Solutions used to make one of these.

In fairness, the Yamaha is quite an old controller, and there are many modern inexpensive options that can do what this can do, plus use USB on computers or modules that can receive it. Unless your budget is supertight, I would take a look at some of these low end modern controllers. I think you will have a lot more options than this Yamaha offers.