EWI

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An EWI

The EWI (an acronym for Electronic Wind Instrument) is an electronic musical instrument invented by Nyle Steiner and developed further by the Akai Electronic Musical Instruments Corporation of Japan. The early models consisted of two parts: a wind controller and a synthesizer. The current model, EWI4000S, combines the two parts into one, placing the synthesizer in the lower section of the controller. It uses the Boehm fingering system and is designed to be similar in action to a soprano saxophone, although players familiar with the clarinet should have no problem adjusting to the fingering. Like a soprano sax, it is straight, and is held in front of the body with a neck strap. The major manufacturers of wind controllers are Akai and Yamaha. Available models include the AKAI EWI3020, AKAI EWI4000s, Yamaha WX5, Yamaha WX11, Yamaha WX7, and Synthophone. There is also a controller intended to be played by brass instrumentalists called an EVI (for Electric Valve Instrument) also invented by Nyle Steiner. The Akai EWI4000S has a special EVI mode that allows brass players to play the EWI. More info on the EVI fingering system. There are also homemade and experimental EWIs with different designs.

The wind controller part of the EWI has a mouthpiece with sensors for air pressure (volume control) and lip pressure (vibrato). The EWI keys do not move, but work through conductivity, sensing the positioning of the fingers by electrical current; this allows for very fast playing. The octave is determined by a set of rollers operated by the left thumb. The wind controller is used to control a synthesizer. Some EWIs have to be attached to a specific synth module, and some have direct output to the MIDI interface. It is also possible to connect the EWI to a Digital Work Station (soundboard) to produce an even larger variety of sounds.

Though it is usually associated with jazz/rock fusion and, more recently, with New Age music, the EWI is a musically versatile instrument. The air pressure sensor allows for great dynamic range, especially in combination with an analog synthesizer. Tonal range is also great, usually extending to 8 octaves.

[edit] Performers

Skilled EWI players include Masato Honda, Bob Mintzer, Dan Zinn, Michael Brecker, Steve Tavaglione, Scott Harris, Jay Beckenstein of Spyro Gyra, Jeff Kashiwa, Ryan Luis and Eric Tsang. Brecker in particular has played the EWI both as a solo instrumentalist and in an ensemble context with groups like Steps Ahead, Paul Simon's band and also appeared on James Taylor's 'Hourglass'. Steve Tavaglione is another famous EWI player who plays on jazz albums but is best known for his TV and film soundtrack work; his EWI playing can be heard on TV shows like CSI: NY and movies including Finding Nemo, Ocean's Eleven and Ocean's Twelve. Another semi-famous EWI player is regular flautist for The Polyphonic Spree Audrey Easley; the instrument can be heard on such songs as "A Long Day Continues/We Sound Amazed" on the band's 2004 album Together We're Heavy and more extensively in their 2007 album The Fragile Army.

Since the late 1980s the EWI has been well known to fans of the Japanese Fusion (J-Fusion) band T-SQUARE as a lead instrument. All three of the band's saxophonists double on EWI. T-SQUARE has included 2 or 3 new compositions for EWI on each of their albums.

Before recent times, the EWI was particularly foreign to the U.S. population, mainly seen in Japan. But the EWI is slowly becoming more popular in the United States. The EWI has also been heard on select jazz radio stations as of late. Even ethnic musicians, like catalan Xufu [1], are playing the infinite possibilities of the EWI 4000S, beyond the limits of traditional sounds.

Dan Brantigan plays the EWI with with guitar virtuoso Kaki King.