There was an interesting discussion on the Wind Synth list (sorry, I don’t know where the link is to subscribe to it) about which wind controller was the best.
I own a Yamaha WX-11 and an EWI3020 (and the related tone module). I hardly use them. The WX-11 is good because it plays more like a saxophone/clarinet to me. The only issue I have with mine is that it will start “note” sticking after about 5 minutes of play. Annoying.
The EWI3020 is it’s own instrument. It is sorta like a saxophone, but….
It’s not. I think someone on the Wind Synth list summed it up best. It’s like a recorder, IE: no keys to press down. The EWI is different from the Yamaha because pressing on the keys gives you a “aftertouch” effect. It also has something like 8 octaves too. The right thumb can do pitch changing as well.
Listening to Steps Ahead and early Michael Brecker albums made me get one. I remember asking him something about the EWI when he was the guest artist at CSUH. He said something to the effect that the EWI was requiring too much practice, and that he was more focused on his Tenor playing. I agree. The EWI is really an instrument in it’s own right. I’ll freely admit that I can’t play mine very well at all mainly due to the lack of practice.
I’m interested in sometime trying a WX5, which seems to have fixed a number of problems in the previous versions of the WX controllers. And having something thats made more to be a electric saxophone would be fun.
So, what do people out there own? An Akai EWI3020? Yamaha WX5? WX7? WX11? Use it much? Like it?
EWI 3020 Manual (1.3 MiB, 48 hits)
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