Electronic Wind Instruments

I'm often asked "What are those other two weird looking instruments you play?"

They are both electronic wind controllers, otherwise known as electronic woodwind instruments. The older one is a Yamaha WX5, and the newest one is an Akai EWI 5000.

They are both similar, but very different! They both can be set to finger like most other woodwind instruments.

The WX5 has no sounds at all - it is connected by midi to its companion sound device, a VL70M, which generates many sounds.

The EWI does have its own internal sounds, and connects wirelessly to its own receiver. It has 100 internal sounds, and can also connect via bluetooth to any number of external sound stations, for a virtually unlimited number of sounds.

Although both of these can produce sample sounds of flute, clarinet, and saxophone, I most often prefer to use my acoustic instruments for those sounds, and use the electronic instruments for other sounds.

I have played "oboe gigs" with my WX5! I use the EWI regularly to emulate a killer Hammond B3, or play many textured synth sounds, or substitute for a bass when needed.