Wind controller synths

[Len911]

Richard, the akai ewi comes with an installation dvd. It installs "akai ewi usb" software on your computer. In that software under tools, preferences, and under "input midi devices" you select "ewi usb". There is also an ewi dll file that is placed in your vst file for your daw.

The installation really isn't much different than any other instrument. In your daw you would open a vst "ewi" and another vst with your sound source, and connect the midi out of the ewi to your vst instrument for the sound. It does record the midi track into your daw.
Of course once you have the midi track you can use it for any vst you choose.

Once the software is initially configured, all you have to do is open your daw, plug in the ewi, open the ewi vst, then open a vst instrument,
record a midi track. You don't need any extra midi interfaces.

Many of the breath controllers need a box to convert the breath control to midi if you are inputting to a computer, many stand alone synths have breath controller inputs built into them. The 4000 uses a regular midi connection and has audio outs from it's built in sounds, that would be more flexible for "stage", makes it more of a standalone, self-contained unit, unless you wanted to be tethered to a computer usb on stage. The ewi usb software allows you to tweak the sensitivities and make adjustments if you aren't satisfied with the default values. If you aren't doing live stage work, I don't know if you would benefit much from the 4000 over the usb, unless you loved the built in sounds, and you would have to take the audio out into your daw to get those. The midi would be the same, only one coming in via usb, and the other regular midi in. If you might be tweaking the midi files anyway, ?

How the usb generates midi data, is that the ewi software recognizes it coming from the usb port because you set it up to look for the midi input there when you configure the software, then it crunches and converts the data to regular midi that your daw or anything that can recognize midi.

[remmet]

This is exactly what I needed to know, Len. Thanks. But just to clarify, when you wrote "midi out" in the quote below, did you mean "USB out"? I didn't think the Ewi USB had a midi out.

In your daw you would open a vst "ewi" and another vst with your sound source, and connect the midi out of the ewi to your vst instrument for the sound. It does record the midi track into your daw.

I think you and Mazz have made a very good case for getting the USB. How problematic are the outside octave rollers for you?

Richard

[mazz]

The USB version is just like any other controller with USB instead of "regular" MIDI, the computer OS handles the MIDI data. Once you plug in the USB device (can't remember all the details right now of the drivers, etc.) the Mac OS recognizes it as if it was a MIDI keyboard or pad controller or whatever.

Yes it generates MIDI data that can be edited.

I think if you are a woodwind player that is used to an "octave key", then the rollers will be easier to deal with than someone like me who is a trumpet player and used to using breath pressure to jump up an down the overtone series. The skip over the 5th for trumpet fingering requires using one more finger which takes some getting used to for a trumpet player. I think next time I use it, I will play without worrying at all about the notes and just make sure I'm playing notes that are in time and really focus on the expression and just edit the notes after they are played. Once the expression is right, thats the most important part.

This is making want to go back and try it again, the octave rollers and the little bump in the middle of the scale kind of stymied me and I moved on to other things and priorities.

If you already play woodwinds, it's a no brainer, IMO.

[Len911]

When I said "midi out" what I meant was that the midi track within your daw was connected to the input of your sound source vst track within your daw, the way you do every midi track within your daw so you hear it played on your vst instrument, nothing new or different than usual.

The octave rollers are rather intuitive, you will become accustomed to what they will do just by playing around with it. Same thing with the pitch bend, though they vary a little depending on the instrument.

*A very important note. You should uninstall Logitek webcam software if it is on your computer. I suppose you can always download or install the software if you need the webcam, and de-install it again before you use the ewi. Somehow the software conflicts with the ewi.

[remmet]

Is there any restriction on the length of the USB cable you can use? My computer is in a different room (about 10 feet away) from my DAW and I figure I should get at least a 15 foot cable so there's room to move around. I'd hate to discover after the fact that in order for this to work, the cable can't be more than 6 feet long!

R

[mazz]

It's probably compatible with the USB spec which I think is at least 15 feet. You could always put a $12 powered hub in between.

[remmet]

It's probably compatible with the USB spec which I think is at least 15 feet. You could always put a $12 powered hub in between.

Thanks, John. I'll be placing the Ewi order this week!

Richard

[Len911]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5O_8sgz_vTQ

This is interesting about usb hubs. It's actually a review of one. Evidently some are problematic because they don't supply enough power.

[remmet]

I got the Ewi USB! I installed the software earlier in the evening, hooked it up, and started playing around. Oh man, this is gonna be fun!

Here's my first experiment using the Sample Modeling trumpet:

www.richardemmet.com/Ewi_Does_It.mp3

It'll take awhile to get things under control, but it's not a bad start. I'm sure the day (or night) will come when reverb won't be so essential for masking the flaws.

R

[andygabrys]

that's pretty hip Richard. nice work!