review title:
Subject
Really Cool but Not What You May Think
By: Bernatra
Submitted: 3/7/2022
Product Rating
Product Review
For starters, I am a multi-instrumentalist. I play piano, guitar, sax, trumpet, t-bone, ect...I have also always been able to pick stuff up and learn it quickly. I got this wanting to really add some modern feel and coolness to some solo show I do with backtracks. Here are some things that have caught me off guard to start.
The buttons are not actual buttons, but are just sensors, so you don't tecnically press anything. This was VERY weird for me. Especially when trying to play at high speeds. I find myself losing my place on the EWI.
The octave sensor is a roller plate. This was pretty weird at first as well but I have found it was the thing that I was catching onto the quickest and got more comfortable fairly easily.
The right hand thumb slot has 2 sensors that allow you to bend pitches. While this is super cool, its also very awkward and annoying for someone who moves when they play. Luckily you can turn this feature off, which I did right away. If this wouldn't turn off I would never be able to play this instrument.
On-board controls are complex and not intuitive. While the controls while connected to a PC or MAC are great and easy to manipulate, I find it very hard to memorize the many button combo-s and such needed to make changes on the fly. I bought the 5000 because I did not want to be connected to a PC while playing, but I may end up needing that if I can't figure out the complex manual interface.
PC connectivity is great, but it is really hard to set this up to play while also getting regular sounds out of your PC. If I want to play a back track on youtube and have the EWI plugged in and hear that as well, I am still unsure of how to go about this. I haven't been able to figure this out. SO I need a second audio source speaker. Kind of annoying, there must be a better way...
With all that said, this is actually a pretty amazing piece of technology. I think having listened to many really good EWI players prior to my purchase, I expected it to be easier to play and setup. That just simply isn't the case. The breath resistance, mouthpiece control, and "buttons" are very unique and take a lot of getting use to. While I am not very good at this now, I think it is an instrument that can be mastered and has a unique and cool place in anyones arsenal.
I would likely still buy it if I had tried it first, but would be more hesitant. This is a tougher instrument to figure out, but man does it just have limitless possibilities. You can run effect pedals, talk box, harmony pedals, and all sorts of unique stuff with this on top of all of its already built in sounds. It is a VERY versatile instrument and worth the price. I hope it holds up over time!
P.S. The case they recommend on that is often purchased with it is NOT a good fit and I don't recommend buying it. Get the EWI, measure it, then find a good fitting case.
review title:
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Unique as possible!
By: Dak
Submitted: 1/5/2022
Product Review
I have NO experience in woodwind aside from flute in highschool. My aim was to play multiple wind instruments while only having to learn one fingering pattern! This was perfect for that!
I have to stress that this does not replace real instruments, it is more akin to a keyboard workstation. For a bedroom recording guitarist this is perfect to expand my horizons! I would recommend watching some videos on YouTube to help set it up properly.
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Great
By: Phil F
Submitted: 7/28/2021
2 people found this review helpful.
Product Review
Love this thing… easy to play. I wish it came with a case or a stand. I’m afraid it’s going to break if it falls, or carrying it in my car.
review title:
Subject
Best electronic wind instrument
By: ewi4christ
Submitted: 7/4/2020
Product Review
EWI5000 is the best electronic wind instrument with great playability and customization. This is my 2nd EWI5000. I have other wind controllers - EWI-USB, EWI4000S, aerophone, WX5. I have used each controller with different sound modules/synths. But nowadays I just use EWI5000 for every instruments that I have as I feel most comfortable playing with it. I am not a big fan for internal sounds for any of wind controllers including EWI4000s, aerophone. But EWI5000's internal module sounds good enough for practice and making a musical idea. Thanks to EWI sound editor, you can edit the internal sounds to be more appealing to your taste.
review title:
Subject
Keying
By: Duck
Submitted: 4/27/2020
1 person found this review helpful.
Product Review
Have played saxophone and clarinet for many years.
The lower keying is quite the same. Like the fact that you have more octave choices with the rollers. They are taking some time to get used to. Yet, as with any instrument practice is the key.
The software and output options are great, Especially the wireless facility.
If you are looking for exact reed instrument keying and are not willing to practice this instruments setup, then this is not the one you want.
Should you be willing to learn some new keying options, then it is fun.
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Having Fun learning a New Instrument
By: Dean James
Submitted: 1/7/2020
3 people found this review helpful.
Product Review
Reconnecting with an instrument I played 21 yrs ago
review title:
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Versatility
By: Lucasnn25
Submitted: 11/9/2019
Product Review
Various features for live and studio performance! Adjustable setting for personal preferences for different wind players. Complete control and support. Smooth design makes it easy to translate your wind instrument onto a new platform! Basic and alternate fingerings available! Sensitive and versatile in any setting. Another great product from Akai Professional. 100% worth it.
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Extremely versatile
By: BignDapper
Submitted: 9/5/2019
2 people found this review helpful.
Product Review
I have seen professionals use this product during several large concerts and I was blown away by the versatility. During the 4th time I saw this product, there was a video close up view that allowed me to see the name and model on the side; when I saw how low the price was, I jumped on it right away. I am simply amazed with this product! The wide variety of sounds coupled with the wide range in octaves makes this product a winner for sure! This is truly a single instrument that covers so many other instruments, that is is incredible. Before you invest in a multitude of wind instruments, save yourself money and space and buy an Akai EWI5000.
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Great addition to my arsenal!
By: AtlantaSaxMan
Submitted: 5/6/2019
2 people found this review helpful.
Product Review
I play alto tenor and soprano sax. I had the Yamaha WX5, but this is light years better!! Very intuitive and expressive.... The wireless feature is a must have!! So many ideas to use this Akai on! I’m excited about the possibilities!!!!
review title:
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Misleading product.
By: David Bishop
Submitted: 3/5/2019
4 people found this review helpful.
Product Review
The product itself functions really well, but how it is marketed is extremely misleading. I can't speak for all of the instruments it claims it can mirror fingering for, but I can speak for the flute. The fingering is vastly different. There are a couple of similar notes as far as finger placement go, but no where near enough for me to say it draws a parallel. In addition to that I strongly dislike needing to change what octave I'm playing in with my thumbs, and was disappointed that this couldn't be done with breath controls, even though it can read the strength of your blows. Perhaps my biggest disappointment was not being given finger charts and needing to google. At the end of the day it's skill a cool instrument that I hope to learn but what was marketed as an easy pick up and play instrument is going to be another several years of serious practice because of how vastly different it really is from the flute (and I'd assume other instruments it makes similar claims about)
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This instrument is awesome everything I was looking for it allows me to do so much
By: Musical Supply Junkie
Submitted: 11/22/2018
5 people found this review helpful.
Product Review
I love this product
review title:
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Excellent purchase
By: Audley
Submitted: 10/4/2018
3 people found this review helpful.
Product Review
Not sure why I waited so long to purchase. This EWI has allowed me to perform with more groups due to the versatility of the instrument.i can know cover horns and other creative parts within the body of a song. More opportunities have come my way since the purchase.
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Well worth the money. I enjoy it
By: Ruben
Submitted: 7/21/2018
2 people found this review helpful.
Product Review
It’s great.
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Nothing like it....
By: Michael Irving
Submitted: 5/22/2018
3 people found this review helpful.
Product Review
I love the ability to set it for a trumpet player. Awesome thanks.
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I love this instrument
By: Danaisy
Submitted: 11/7/2017
3 people found this review helpful.
Product Review
This is special and very professional for its sonority
review title:
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The Case???
By: Michael Carlisle
Submitted: 10/12/2017
3 people found this review helpful.
Product Review
I love the instrument but I'm catching hell trying to find a case for it. I would give it five stars if it came with a hard shell case.
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What an incredible instrument!
By: Steve Seeds
Submitted: 9/8/2016
7 people found this review helpful.
Product Review
I'm a sax player who was looking for an effective practice tool, nothing more - nothing less. What I got was so much more! Yes it certainly fits the bill as a practical alternative instrument for practicing scales and phrasing. I am now exploring recording and performance possibilities that were never even considered. I would highly recommend this to anyone who is considering a wind controller and even more so to any sax player who would like to broaden their horizons musically!!
review title:
Subject
Jazzy Awesome Play with the Akai EWI 5000
By: milio Guity Castro
Submitted: 9/25/2015
12 people found this review helpful.
Product Review
From the moment I took it out the box.I set it up with an ease,downloaded the necessary essentials,connect it to my pc,set it and started jazz'n with it snd started to play.It's a good product overall,certain things you have to deep search it on line to get the juice of it BUT it is awesome product in session,in the studio and LIVE....The ONLY downfall it is sometimes the battery that it somehow discharge itself.The sounds are magnificent,real life sounds.....Don't forget to get a premium travel case for protection.