Akai Professional EWI5000 Electronic Wind Instrument

Full Description

For the most up to date firmware/software, please visit the downloads page of Akai's webiste.

Perform without limits

Hate being tied down with cables? Well now you can perform without the need to be plugged in thanks to the included 2.4GHz low-latency wireless receiver. So whether you're playing at the studio or on the stage, you can perform with the freedom and confidence that everything is being transmitted in glorious stereo wireless audio.

If you wish to get more technical, the EWI 5000 also supports wired audio and MIDI connections for integrating with additional external hardware. Plus, the EWI is powered by a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, so you can take EWI 5000 with you and play it anywhere.

Your sound - your style

One of the most important parts of a wind instrument is the mouthpiece. It's where the majority of tone control and nuance stems from, and it can completely modify the timbre of your tone. This is why Akai have developed an ultra-responsive mouthpiece with an air-pressure level sensor and bite sensor. So playing on an electronic wind instrument has never felt more natural.

Additionally, you can also quickly and easily adjust the instrument or effect parameters on the fly thanks to the eight dedicated precision dials. You can play with the filter, reverb, chorus, LFO, breath amount, bite amount, semitone tuning, and fine-tuning for an expressive sound that can keep up with your playing.

An instrument for all

When developing the EWI 5000, Akai wanted to ensure that wind musicians from all instrumental backgrounds could pick up and enjoy the EWI. And they succeeded. The intuitive interface of the Akai EWI 5000 supports multiple woodwind playing styles and can be switched between flute, oboe, and saxophone fingerings.

For extra versatility, the EWI also supports EVI (Electronic Valve Instrument) fingering for a traditional three-valve playing experience. So it doesn't matter if you're a classically trained musician looking for a modern instrument, or a seasoned EWI player looking to expand your tonal palette - the EWI 5000 has you covered.

Plug and play

Although the Akai EWI 5000 supports wireless audio with the included receiver, sometimes it's nice to explore other options. And thanks to the USB-MIDI connectivity and the five-pin MIDI output, you can now explore a whole host of outboard gear. So whether you want to control software synths, virtual samplers, or traditional MIDI modules, you now can with the EWI 5000.

The connectivity doesn't stop there though. To ensure that you can always practise in private, a standard 1/8-inch headphone out can be found near the MIDI output. There's even a 1/4-inch jack for connective directly to a PA system. To ensure that you can always keep you EWI 5000 charged, Aki have included a USB cable and wall adapter to recharge the battery.

Premium virtual instruments

To ensure that you can play every in a wide range of genres and styles, the EWI 5000 includes a vast range of built-in sounds. Over 3GB infact. SONiVOX, a leading creator of premium virtual instruments and software synthesis, are responsible for these high-quality, premium sounds. At just the touch of a button, you can switch between traditional orchestral sounds such as brass and woodwind, or non-traditional sounds such as progressive synths, basses, and leads.

Explore the EWI 5000 Sound Editor

Even though you have over 3GB of exceptional sounds in the EWI 5000, sometimes it's nice to expand your creative capabilities. The EWI 5000 Sound Editor software is a custom editor than enables you to manipulate the EWI's sound library on your Mac or PC. Simply connect your EWI via USB to call up any instrument from the library then add a multitude of effects to personalise your sound. Choose from a filter, two LFOs, pan knob, tune control, and multiple envelopes to tweak the sound into something completely new. Then, store your edits directly on your EWI 5000 for a customised instrument library that's ready to perform whenever you are.

Features

• Authentic wind-instrument performance and response with next-generation music technology
• Wireless stereo audio for onstage freedom (receiver included)
• 3GB of onboard, world-class acoustic and synth sounds created by SONiVOX
• Up to 6 hours of play time using the rechargeable lithium-ion battery (charging adapter included)
• 8 precision dials for quickly tweaking instrument and effect parameters
• USB port for USB-MIDI connection and battery recharging
• 1/4" audio output and 1/8" headphone output

Specifications

EWI5000

• Mouthpiece: Air-pressure level sensor and bite sensor
• Note Keys: 13 touch sensors
• Controls: 8 instrument and effect precision dials
• Octave Rollers: 6 mobile, 2 fixed touch sensors (8-octave range)
• Plates: 2 pitch-bend, 2 ground
• Inputs / Outputs: (1) USB port, (1) 5-pin DIN MIDI output, (1) 1/4" (6.35mm) TRS line output, (1) 1/8" (3.5mm) TRS headphone output
• MIDI Connectivity: USB-MIDI and 5-Pin MIDI ouput
• Wireless Connectivity: Stereo Wireless Audio (2.4GHz)
• Power: Rechargeable lithium-ion battery charged via USB port (charges with included USB cable or wall adapter)
• Sound Library: 3GB of acoustic and synth sounds developed by SONiVOX
• Dimensions: 2.4" x 26.6" x 1.7"
• Weight: 1.98 lb

Wireless Receiver

• Dimensions: 2.4" x 4.8" x 3.6"
• Weight: 0.29 lbs

System Requirements

Mac

• Operating System: Mac OS X 10.7, 10.8 or 10.9
• Processor: Intel
• RAM: 2 GB

PC

• Operating System: Windows 7 or 8
• Processor: 1 GHz or faster
• RAM: 1 GB (32-Bit), 2 GB (64-Bit)