Wooden Wind Pipe Instrument

[11] I must admit, the first time I unboxed the instrument, I was amazed at the build quality. It has some heft, the keys are properly and ergonomically placed and you know Akai really took their time to perfect this wind controller. But as a long time saxophone player, the first time I actually played some scales, I was quite disappointed - it didn't feel like a saxophone. I was beginning to regret my purchase and thought about exchanging it for the WX5. So I gave it a few more days. Days turned to weeks, and I am beginning to appreciate this instrument. Keep practicing those scales, breathing with the mouthpiece and you realize how this is such an amazing wind controller. I made a mistake thinking that this is a replacement for a saxophone in an apartment situation. In reality, you should think about how this instrument can be an extension to your musical endeavors. The possibilities you can do with the sounds and playability are endless. There are a few usable synths prebuilt, but I suggest using the Akai EWI 5000 Editor to really play and edit your sounds then save it to the user bank. Also there are synths out there that can be used if you plug the EWI as just a midi wind controller; unfortunately you can't upload other synth sounds into the controller. Definitely give it some time to get used to the instrument especially moving from one octave to another. Keep practicing and you'll appreciate that there's hardly any moving parts here. I was opposed at it first since horns have that tactile and key feedback. But with the touch sensitivity, it really felt I was playing an instrument from the future. Again, you just have to get used to it - think about when mobile phones shift from physical keyboards to the modern phones we have today. And here I am today still keeping my purchase and writing a review. I thank Akai for making a top-notch wind controller and continuing the support for the modern electronic wind musician.

[Straight] You may ask yourself (as I did) how to justify the price of this track vs old fashioned Schedule 80 Aluminum Pipe.� If you own a Grip Truck then no big deal, but if you drive a car well then ... The problem with regular pipe is the compromises you make in carrying pieces short enough to fit in your vehicle. I was considering just using shorter pieces of aluminum pipe with the "70ES Locking Splices" to join them together. That would require multiple pipes, multiple 70ES Splices, drilling a bunch of holes and buying a Carrying Case. At the end of the day, the "DIY" method would have been cheaper financially, but also cheaper performance wise, assembly wise and aesthetically. I decided to just get the Official Dana Dolly Track and I'm glad I did! It goes together quickly and seamlessly (very smooth rolling) better on both counts than the 70ES Splices would have been. Also, it looks much more professional than DIY Aluminum Pipe with holes drilled in the sides for the Splices. It packs up into a relatively small bag and is easy to throw in the trunk. It allows me to have a fairly long track run available for the client in case needed, something that wasn't possible with regular pipe.

[Foam] Wind bad, this good. Keep wind out.

[Music Rest] It's a good quality instrument that I like so much

[Tap Tempo] Can’t beat this little instrument for the money!

[Faux Fur/Foam] Blocks wind as it should

[Tripod] It's so beautifully made! I wish more companies made wooden tripods

[4.885 lb] Feels beefy. Fit my 1.5 pipe no problem.

[Jaw] The clamp provides security because it encloses entirely around a pipe. big fan.

[24" (61 cm)] Hey it's a metal pipe...what's to review? It does what it's supposed to, and it's solid.