Sound on sound Playing EWI AKAI 4000S by Xufu

[ckl2erkki]

What things are required to play EWI? Not just the instrument itself, but does it need any other programs or even amplifier. If it comes with needed programs and needs only computer to work, then I might buy one. And I know about the USB version, but I dont know if I want that instead of the 4000S.

[cullyvan]

It sounds great but I'm not keen on the look of it to be honest. I just get a bad felling it will be a bit like the "key-tar". Nice playing though.

[aznntony]

thats jsut canorous



[MrKeys57]

hi! what is the grips like? i mean, i have played the flute earlier, anything like it?

i am also a keyplayer interested in a "electronic" wind instrument,thank´s - Levi

[guaguente]

@MrKeys57 No, it is not like a flute. The mouthpice must be biten in orden to obtain a vibrato. But just blow is necessary to produce sound. The intensity of the low gives you the dynamic volume of the instrument. Easy, very easy. Check the manual and you'll find all the technical details.

Regards!

[MandalaDesert]

AWESOME representation of this instruments capabilities! Very well done. Now ... where can I buy one, LOL!

[SaxManDanDotCom]

Tried to buy one at Sam ASh, only one store had it, the staff knew nothing about how to program it and neither did I. The 4000 did not come with any programs and had one sound only. Nobody knew where to get the sounds from where to download them if possible. Nobody knew a thing, therefore I chose not to buy it. If Akai want some to educate people and sell thier product like crazy, they should speak to a savy electronic sax playing, midi, audio engineer, PA guy like myself.

[hajro89]

beautiful

[lostipod12]

It took me a second to figure out that you made the 'small loop' on the fly!

Of all the 4000s videos I've seen, this is *by far* my favorite, and I want very badly to get my hands on one now that I've seen what you can do with it.

It doesn't have that corny jazz-fusion vibe you find on the demo songs of the Yamaha PSR your grandmother got you for Christmas at Wal-Mart; this would not have sounded out of place on, say, the Blade Runner soundtrack.

Best bit: the growl at 2:00.

[sehner73]

i like your style

[guaguente]

@sehner73 thanks!!!

[tubejay27]

I am a keyboardist that wants to buy an ewi, but not being a horn player, I imagine there is a pitch controller program, like Auto-Tune, or device that can filter out my 'wrong' notes and just let the right ones out. Like if i'm playing in Cm, and I play an 'e', it will come out as an e flat(assuming I program it to play in Cm). maybe the ewi can already do this? any help? Jay.

[guaguente]

@tubejay27 the EWI can transpose, so, you are always playing 'in one key' but bith transposition you can play in all the other keys. no auto-tune inside because it is PERFECTLY TUNED (although you can change its perfect pitch...if you want...).

Regards

[antofa123]

@tubejay27 Yes there is limited filtering for fingering on the EWI though it doesn't alter the note, it just doesn't respond. I started with this set quite high but have gradually reduced it.

[TriphopJunkie]

sick!!

[gr8tbigtreehugger]

Beautiful playing

[mckin3228]

How much does that thing weigh?

[JoanneUK18]

This was great, thanks. Do you know how different the 4000S is to the USB? Is the sound much better?

[guaguente]

The USB model Is a shortened version of the normal 4000S: less octave rollers, no midi/jack outputs (only USB). A bad instrument idea. The 4000s has more possibilities and can also be connected to the computer by midi interface.

The internal sounds? nothing remarcable.

[lotus49a]

I am curious to know why you think that this is a bad idea.

The EWI USB is a third of the price of the 4000s and for someone like me who wants to use an EWI connected to a computer (in my case a MacBook Pro running Logic Studio), the only advantage I can see to the 4000s is that it has eight octaves rather than the 4 of the EWI USB.

I can see that the MIDI output could be useful to some people but is there anything that the internal sound generator on the 4000s can do that my setup can't?

[bolderiks]

I would like to hear some more from this kind of stuff. You started really good with the sound on sound intro. Yet the further you go the less sound on sound I hear. It's kind of you are losing the sort of minimalistic approach which actually interested me to stay tuned at first. Later one the notes came to fast and hard. Five stars when you manage to translate my feelings about this in a perfect composition. You're already in my favorit list. Do we have a deal ? I really hope so, Thanx,

Paul

[guaguente]

Dear Paul,

thanks for your warm words. I'll try to apply your advice to my playing. Nevertheless I make music for me at every different personal moment. I'm no under any style because I don't expect to satisfy any spezialized audience. Just make music for own necessity.

...But will work hard until i receive your 5 stars!

[karoloandria]

the ewi is like a synth or is just a midi sampler?

[guaguente]

the ewi 4000s has an internal synth editable with a computer.

[Hajpson]

Can it work with MPC 1000 ?

[xpez]

it could allow trigger and hold with velocity.

While in use the wind controller is sending data through midi that the MPC can read but cant process sonically because there is no DSP that is available to handle that data on the mpc.

[tintin20001967]

Say, are thay hard to play?? I play clarinet, could i play on do u think?? How is the scales on it and is there sheet music for it?

[guaguente]

Hi,

this is not hard to play. just blow into it.... ;-)

well, the truth is that ewi instrument is a very intuitive one. There is more work with sound procvessing (synth, pedals, effects), than with the blowing technique. perhaps the octave rolling is the most difficult aspect (and natural glides). No idea about the scales used. Just pure improvisation. I don't want to analyze it. Is some day it appears as a sheet music I hope to get some money!

[DUT011]

so you just have to blow air into it? I'm looking into learning to play one, but as a trumpet player i don't want to ruin my brass embochure.

[echoftw]

you will prob rape your brass embouchure playing one of these.. although i think you can increase the sensitivity

[ChaplainAcosta]

No, it will not mess up your brass embouchure. I play brass and you can even use the programmed brass fingering (modified, of course) for this wonderful instrument. You actually have to blow in such a way that you let some air out the sides most of the time unless you are wanting to play a longer tone.

[supergnorf]

Cool, thanks for sharing, got an EWI4000s just 3 days ago and I am enjoying every minute of it yet realize there's quite a bit a go to master it at your level:-) Inspiring to watch and listen!

[bbBassYo]

you should compress it a little bit man, the peaks are very very high, painfull to the ears.

still very nice:D:D

[bbBassYo]

wow man, spacin'

[tx816]

very good music! bravo!

[smoothbabic]

Good stuff man

Keep it going,..love the blues and the modulation intervals give a nice texture

NICE indeed!!