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Joined: Dec 2003
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Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 25,065 |
Yes, Stan the 4000s has on board sounds but it can also access midi, thus it is not limited to those on board sounds.
Life is short so make sure you spend as much time as possible on the Internet arguing with strangers.
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
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Joined: Oct 2008
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,259 |
Thanks for the info. Sounds pretty versatile.
Cornet Curmudgeon
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 262
Apprentice
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Apprentice
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 262 |
Forgot to add that the EWI-4000s has 2 additional keys. One is for octave doubling, the other is a bit more complicated but allow you to hold notes for harmony during a legato phrase. Also, since it will play without any other device (hardware synth or computer) you can use it to practice your fingering, even if you don't much like the built in synth sounds. Also, most recently (Feb 2013) I have seen the EWI-USB selling for as little as 209-217 (eBay, bhphotovideo), making it extremely affordable. Finally samplemodeling has come out with a revision of their Saxophone Family using their own SWAM engine, instead of Native Instruments Kontakt which in my opinion is a lot better for Saxes and the new Clarinet. However, they Brass instruments are going to remain with Kontakt. Some new demos here: https://soundcloud.com/dstongDan Tong
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I just uploaded a demo using Tenor Sax, Clarinet, Bari Sax, Alto Sax, and Bass Clarinet doing a solo all in one song. It's done with the newest samplemodeling SWAM virtual instruments released very recently. I left out the Soprano Sax because I ran out of song time : ) This one was done with the EWI-4000s. https://soundcloud.com/dstong/flamingo-by-e-anderson-ted
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Joined: Dec 2003
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Life is short so make sure you spend as much time as possible on the Internet arguing with strangers.
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
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Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 2,521
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Joined: Dec 2011
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Sounds great Dan, although a bit pricey for me.
Win11, Intel i7 7700K 4.2Ghz, 32Gb RAM, 2x1Tb HD, 500Gb NVMe, BIAB/RB 2026, MOTU 828MK3 audio, MOTU Midi Express, Yamaha Montage 7, DX7II, TX802, Motif XS Rack, Roland Fantom XR Rack, Oberheim Matrix 1000, VoiceLive3 Extreme, Kontakt 6, SampleTank 4.3
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Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,880
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Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,880 |
I had the EWI USB and played it once. As a sax layer I could not get on with the fact the keys dont move it felt weird
Zero
Win 11 64, Asus Rog Strix z390 mobo, 64 gig RAM, 8700k
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Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 1
Newbie
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Newbie
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 1 |
I bought a AKAI EWI USB, when I put the laptop Power(adpater), the key and the octave roller is not working,but the breath controller is working C# note is sounding but when I take out the Power adapter its working fine with the battery power.Tried with windows XP and Windows 7. Toshiba and Dell Laptop.
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 262
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Apprentice
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The Akai EWI Wind Controllers (EWC) strong advantage over the Yamaha Win Controllers is the optional brass/trumpet fingerings offered by the EWI-USB and the EWI-4000s. The pricing of the EWI-USB makes it very interesting for many who have a limited budget. EWI-USB Pros: 1 Very light 2 No meticulous setup and configuration (tricky to setup optimal dynamic range) 3 Comes with some interesting Garritan Aria software and sounds 4 Does not require AC adapter or batteries 5 Hooks up to any computer via USB -thus negating the need for an extra MIDI port (or having to buy a USB to MIDI interface box) 6 Cost less than the EWI-4000s CONS: 1 Has only 4 octave keys and the highest and the lowest are awkward/poorly designed. Your fingers have less room because the concavity in which the octave keys are built was not scooped out enough. 2 Drawback if you play live, you because you will need to use and depend on a computer. Akai should provide a utility program to set the MIDI parameters. The utility program they supply is for the built in sounds -which sound mostly like a kazoo. ___________________________________________________________________ EWI-4000s Pros: 1 Has 8 octave keys so you are less likely to run into the space problem found on the EWI-USB model. Plus, the 2 middle octave rollers have knurled so you can find your position without sounding a note. 2 Has pressure sensitive strip which may be very useful for additional control (such as trombone sliding) 3 You can change the MIDI control parameters using various keys and the LED alpha numeric display. The entire system is poorly designed and the display is cryptic (dual octal display only), and the section of the manual that details this is very poorly written in my opinion. Point being that you can change from breath control to volume without having to connect to a computer like for the EWI-USB. 4. May be better for live playing because you do not need a computer like you do for the EWI-USB because you can plug directly into your synthesizer. Some musicians feel that a hardware synthesizer is far more reliable than any computer and therefore do not wish to risk their live performance on the moods of their computer. CONS: 1 Setting parameters for optimal dynamic range with tiny control knobs is tricky, not because of the knobs but because dynamic range requires two parameters to be adjusted interactively. EWI-USB is always optimal. 2 This instrument is longer and thicker than the EWI-USB and has more metal in it. It is therefore considerably heavier. I did not think it would make a difference to my comfort, but after having used the EWI-USB a lot, coming back to the EWI-4000s I really noticed it. 3 More expensive than the EWI-USB and you may also have to purchase a USB-MIDI interface box If there is no specific Pro or Con for either instrument for you, then I would recommend getting the EWI-USB, because it will produce great music right out of the box at a lower cost so you can then save up for samplemodeling trumpet <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> For anyone who plays a MIDI Wind Controller the sample modeling technology is the absolute best there is. Not only are the Trumpet sounds incredibly realistic but the responsiveness is beyond belief. It's the only company that has developed synth settings specifically for Wind Controllers (Yamaha or EWI). Those of us who play WC's, unlike keyboard players playing w one hand only, do not have a spare hand for keyswitching, nor the option of using expression and other pedals (at least not as conveniently as kb players) so it is a welcome relief to know that we do not need keyswitching. Attack and breath intensity alone will produce much of the nuanced control that you only used to get from playing the "real" instruments. The trumpet changes it's tone and character just by playing your Wind Controller. The Roland Aerophones are good windcontrollers and they have the best built in sounds, as far as acoustic instrument sounds go. Here are some up to date pieces on my soundcloud page done with the samplemodeling, as well as audiomodeling (since they have split and are now independent) https://soundcloud.com/dstongThanks for your attention,
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Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,517
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Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,517 |
Yamaha WX5 (sadly, no longer in production)
Pros:
Access to these continuous controllers: wind, lip pressure, up rocker switch, down rocker switch, on/off toggle, on/off momentary.
No internal sounds, so you can control any synth of your choice
Small and light
Cons:
Reed and octave switches eventually wear out and need to be replaced (not expensive or difficult)
Note: I don't like the EWI because the bite sensor doesn't give me complete control of pitch variation. Instead, a capacitor determines return time to zero pitch deviation. As a long time sax player, I want to control vibrato intensity and speed - including the return to on pitch, or intentionally play a bit off pitch and very slowly bring the note to pitch. I know you can do that with bending plates, but that's not intuitive for me, and my fingers are busy doing other things.
I haven't tried the Aerophones. But I hear good things about them. The WX5 gives me all I need, and until a feature comes around that makes me want to switch, I'm happy here.
Insights and incites by Notes ♫
Last edited by Notes Norton; 02/26/25 06:34 AM.
Bob "Notes" Norton  Norton Music
https://www.nortonmusic.com
100% MIDI Super-Styles recorded by live, pro, studio musicians for a live groove
& Fake Disks for MIDI and/or RealTracks
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Ask sales and support questions about Band-in-a-Box using natural language.
ChatPG's knowledge base includes the full Band-in-a-Box User Manual and sales information from the website.
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Introducing XPro Styles PAK 11 – Now Available for Windows Band-in-a-Box 2026 and Higher!
XPro Styles PAK 11 for Windows & Mac Band-in-a-Box® version 2026 (and higher) is here with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 31 RealTracks/RealDrums!
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Special offers available until August 31st, 2026!
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Video: XPro Styles PAK 11 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch now!
XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2026 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.
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Video: Xtra Styles PAK 22 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch now!
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 22 requires the 2026 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version because they need the RealTracks from the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
Introducing XPro Styles PAK 11 – Now Available for Mac Band-in-a-Box 2026 and Higher!
XPro Styles PAK 11 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box® version 2026 (and higher) is here with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 31 RealTracks/RealDrums!
Guess who’s back again? That’s right! It’s our XPro Styles PAK’s triumphant return with the 11th edition in this series! 100 new styles are coming your way spread across the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres. And this edition's wildcard genre explores the immense and far-reaching catalogue of electronic music! The included 31 RealTracks and RealDrums can be used with any Band-in-a-Box® 2026 (and higher) package.
Special offers available until August 31st, 2026!
All the XPro Styles PAKs 1-11 are on sale for only $29 ea (Reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Order now!
Learn more and listen to demos of XPro Styles PAKs.
Video: XPro Styles PAK 11 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch now!
XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2026 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.
Introducing Xtra Styles PAK 22 – Now Available for Mac Band-in-a-Box 2026 and Higher!
Xtra Styles PAK 22 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box version 2026 (and higher) is here with 200 brand new RealStyles!
It’s time to celebrate! Xtra Styles PAK 22 for Band-in-a-Box® is here, and we've got 200 brand-new styles coming your way!
No Xtra Styles PAK is complete without the classic rock & pop, jazz, and country volumes you know and love, and we’ve got plenty to share, with 150 styles spread across too many genres to list! Of course, it also wouldn’t be complete with our special wildcard volume to add a little spice and pizzazz to the mix. This year, because we loved it so much the first time, we’ve decided to make the second iteration of our SynthMaster volume, full of new sounds, interesting genres, and 50 engaging styles, all making use of the diverse SynthMaster plugin! Here you can find genres such as airy yacht rock, sultry electrotango, and even some synth soca funk. Don’t wait, pickup up Xtra Styles PAK 22 today!
In this PAK you can find: dulcet folk ballads, funky gospel country, Brazilian jazz fusion, upbeat 1980s pop, classic Americana, a plethora of breezy bossa novas, indie singer-songwriter, scintillating synthwave, exuberant electronica, and many, many more!
Special offers available until August 31st, 2026!
All the Xtra Styles PAKs 1-22 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 22 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Order now!
Learn more and listen to demos of the Xtra Styles PAK 22.
Video: Xtra Styles PAK 22 Overview & Styles Demos: Watch now!
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 22 requires the 2026 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version because they need the RealTracks from the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
Peter Gannon Talks Band-in-a-Box with zplane
zplane recently interviewed Peter Gannon, the founder and creator of Band-in-a-Box, about the software's early days, what sets it apart from AI, how zplane's audio algorithms are used in Band-in-a-Box, and more!
Special thanks to the team at zplane for their continued support.
Check out the full interview here: https://products.zplane.de/blog/peter-gannon-interview-pg-music
Last Chance! The Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® Special Ends Today (May 31, 2026) at 11:59pm PDT!
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Another exciting new addition is the amazing new AI-Notes feature, which can transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI. View the results in notation or play them back as MIDI, and choose whether to transcribe an entire track or transcribe specific parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®.
There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, and much more!
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Band-in-a-Box® 2026 Mac Special Offers Extended Until May 31st!
Good news- we've extended our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® special offers until May 31, 2026!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 is packed with major new features, enhancements, and an incredible lineup of new content! The program now sports a sleek, modern GUI redesign across the entire interface, including updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, a new dark mode option, and more. The brand-new side toolbar provides quicker access to key windows, while the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, creating a flexible, clutter-free workspace. We have an amazing new “AI-Notes” feature. This transcribes polyphonic audio into MIDI so you can view it in notation or play it back as MIDI. You can transcribe an entire track (all pitched instruments and drums) or focus on individual parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, and much more!
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