For anyone thinking of buying an EWI windcontroller check out these prices.

No, I'm not a shill for this vendor, as you probably know from my prior postings.

EWI-USB for $218
EWI-4000s for $510
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/search?sB=r&Ntt=akai+ewi


A new EWI-5000 is introduced today at NAMM? Is this why the prices on current EWI's are so good? Or possibly because things are slow right now.

This new model has 8 octave keys, USB and wireless all in one package plus built in sounds from Sonivox (have not heard them, but I'm not too optimistic about the realism).

No idea of the price.

http://www.gearslutz.com/board/namm-2014...instrument.html

Forgot to add that the EWI5000 is MIDI & USB, both. I watched a NAMM demo with the internal sounds and the few that I heard were, as expected, kazoo level.

I just found a price for the EWI5000 at Sweetwater $799 (list $999) but nothing shipping until Spring 2014.

Dan,

How much are you getting out of each EWI purchase?

Your first post on this was almost 2 weeks ago with no response or interest and now we have a “bump” from you.

Just wonderin’.

I have no concerns about Dan Tong's posts. He has a long and solid record of commenting about sounds in general and wind controllers in particular. I am grateful for his posts and look forward to learning more about the new EWI. I would not have known about it this early without his posts.

Pardon me Matt.

No problem, Bob.

Dan has been posting since 2007 about EWIs. I was posting about my first EWI around the same time. We may have even exchanged a few posts back then. Later, Ray

Dan, do you think the 5000 is a big improvement over the 4000s? My 4000s still looks brand new and is still in great working shape.

Depending on the answer to your question, Ray, the sale price on the 4000s could be a nice bargain.

Hey Guys,

Thanks for the notes of confidence. I'm afraid I don't have anymore inside knowledge about the EWI5000 than what I already found on one or two websites.

The biggest unknown feature is the claim that this model:

"Automatically calibrates & adapts to the player's style"

What does this really mean?

The 4000s has a number of analog knobs to set the calibration and some such as the two knobs (one for setting the breath threshold (at which you start hearing a sound, the other for setting the dynamic range) for the basic response calibration/settings are interactive (you set one, then the other, which then may change the firs setting etc.) can be a bit tricky.

In contrast the EWI-USB, does this basic calibration/setting automatically.

Perhaps the EWI5000 has the same automatic calibration/setting as the EWI-USB.

As for the second part about "adapts to players style", I can't even speculate.

I would be surprised if the EWI5000 produced better "sounds" with the very same external synth patches than the EWI-4000s, or that it would be in some way more "responsive".

Therefore,I would expect that it is simply a matter of having improved features such as:

1 Wireless connectivity (receiving unit is included in the unit price) which is extremely handy for live players on a gig. No tripping over wires. Separate wireless systems are quite expensive.

2 No need for battery or external AC adapter when connected to a computer when using USB connection, since you get both a MIDI and a USB connection all built in to the unit.

If you're happy with the EWI-4000s and are not ready to commit suicide unless you have new features of the EWI5000 I wouldn't rush out to buy the newer model.

We won't be able to say much until we get some expert reviews from someone who uses the EWI-4000s and can give us a detailed comparison with the EWI5000.

I note that Patchman Music is now also offering the EWI5000 (pre-order) for $799 inc free shipping

http://www.patchmanmusic.com/ewi5000.html

I highly recommend buying from him because he has unmatched expertise with EWI's and it's always great to support small businesses over large corporations in my opinion.

I personally have no interest in the internal sounds unless they come up to the quality of samplemodeling. Unfortunately the daydream of having those great sounds built is probably unrealistic because I would guess that the computing power of the CPU in the EWI5000 is not up to task, and it would require special software to implement. However, I recognize that some people like the synth sounds of the type in the EWI-4000 and therefore the EWI5000 samples that I heard on a youtube demo.

Hope that helps,

I listened to Mike Phillips on you tube doing the demos. Not too bad. Hopefully Patchman Music will post samples soon of all the sounds. What appeals to me right now is the wireless capability. Wonder if Patchman will come out with a set of his sounds for the 5000. Later, Ray

Apparently the wireless pertains only to the internal sounds. If you want to wirelessly control external sounds you will need to add another $450 USB for a MIDI wireless system, see here: http://www.patchmanmusic.com/ewi5000.html

Scroll down to the bottom of the page.

Patchman has a set of sounds that replace the internal sounds of the 4000s. I was just wondering if he was going to do the same for the 5000. Later, Ray

At first I thought that your interpretation was incorrect.
I had assumed that the wireless receiver was used to transmit either audio or the MIDI output to the wireless receiver which had a USB port in the back (never shown in any photos).

However a closer reading on the Sweetwater Specs says:

"Wireless audio for on-stage freedom (includes receiver)"

So, I'm afraid you are correct, and I am incredibly disappointed.
What an incredible shortsighted stupid decision on Akai's part. It would not have been much more trouble to allow wireless MIDI transmission in addition to audio, along with sticking a USB port on the receiver.

Thanks for pointing this out Mario!

Dan, I am also disappointed! If it had wireless MIDI built in I would have ordered one tomorrow!

http://www.patchmanmusic.com/WindControllerBanks.html

If I'm reading this correctly, it looks like Patchman has an internal sound bank to replace the stock sound bank of the 5000. Later, Ray

Hey Ray,

Recently made an EWI guy kind of miffed when I plugged my old Yamaha Breath Controller into the old Yamaha KEYBOARD and proceeded to trade licks with him.

We were in Eb.

Using the keyboard like that, with the Breath Controller for the note initiations and etc. was able to take advantage of all those Black Key tricks, the "automatic pentatonic" thang - while my man was over there fingering his butt off.

Kind of made me wish that some of my more modern keyboards would have that Breath Controller input on 'em.

But technology is indeed catching up, have you heard any of the YouTube demos of the brand new Tyros 5 and its intelligent articulation algos? Whoop.


--Mac

Will check out the Tyros 5. Meanwhile, still practicing my 4000s. Lots of fun with BIAB as my backup trio! Later, Ray

You can now find some useful comparison's of the EWI5000 and the EWI-4000s, but mostly it is about the built in sound module and nothing that I could find about the midi control differences.

All 100 built in sounds of the EWI5000
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjaAj0eRlr4

Of all the sounds I think the Jazz Flute and the Harmonica are the best, but they all pale compared to samplemodeling sounds which requires a computer hookup, and comes at additional cost.

Excellent detailed overview and comparison of 5000 vs 4000s buttons, built in sound handling etc.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlEPqqV9MKo

The EWI-5000 allows you to play the built in sounds wireless, but does not allow wireless MIDI, but you can connect to a computer via MIDI, or better yet through the USB output (thus saving you from having to purchase an additional MIDI interface box, in case you don't already have one.

If I was in the market for a Windcontroller I would get the EWI5000, since it costs not too much more than the EWI-4000s. The EWI-USB is a real bargain, but the configuration software (for setting dynamic range, vibrato levels etc. is totally broken and Akai has refused to fix it).

As far as Yamaha windcontrollers vs Akai EWI look at this and see what you think:

http://www-acad.sheridanc.on.ca/~degazio/AboutMeFolder/MusicPages/EWI-WX5.html

I have played WX7, WX5, all of the EWI except the EWI5000 and always felt the EWI's were more expressive.

Samplemodeling is currently working on string instruments, the first of to be shipping,is the Viola.

Check out my soundcloud page link below.

EWI 4000s Lessons https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL12916D17A2497E8D for those of us new to these instruments

3 things:

1. Thanks Dan for this thread. I've had an interest in this for many years because someone who I have great respect for was adamant that this is the best way to create realistic string lines (using samples). Also my keyboard has a wind controller input.

So I've read wind controller threads for years ("Notes" has contributed to many) but I've never pulled the trigger (money and time).

2. Thank you pghboemike for the youtube links! My situation exactly; I'm their target audience.

3. I've started another thread about Mac's post; I didn't want to hijack your thread, Dan.