Portable Wind Instrument With A Keyboard

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] This keyboard is portable. Light comes with a bag to carry the instrument in. The pedal and headphones are nice touch for playing without disturbing other people. I have played endlessly with the number of keys to make different sounds. And what a value for a beginner.

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.

I like this keyboard, Its portable and really nice

I use the Stage box nake for small church music instrument (Guitar, piano, keyboard, E drum, 4 mic), it works great and strong.

the keyboard stickers are a superb way of helping a starter to master and improving in playing an instrument by learning the different keys. my granddaughter was able to greatly improve her memory skills of the notes through this method.

I have other Native Instrument keyboards, but I'm using this one more for when quick ideas come up. Sort of like a sketch pad keyboard versus a production one. Easy to carry any where, and setup is just plugging in the usb cable. The price is right as well.

There are many keyboard stands on the market. B & H sells several models that all seem to do the same thing: support a keyboard instrument above the floor. The great thing about this unit is the value. It is the least-expensive model, but it is well built and accomplishes the goal with style. The single x is not a liability, and the limited number of pull-lock positions accommodates all the usual working heights one is likely to need. The rubber grips keep the stand in place on the floor and keep the keyboard in place on top.

This keyboard includes features I may never get to or use, but it is nice they are there. It provided me a reasonably priced opportunity to return to a keyboard instrument. It would appear great for beginners, although I cannot vouched for the usefullness of all of the built in lessons. I have not tried to use them much.

Just the thing I needed. As a musician, my instrument keyboards and Touchscreens are on the table. The computer keyboard and mouse are only used for setup. They easily are stored away from the workspace when not needed

I have a Yamaha XF8 Motif keyboard which is huge: 18W x 57L x 6. This dustcover has lots of stretch (think of dancer's tights)and wraps quickly and well around the instrument. Because it is so taut, it looks smooth over the instrument. It fits into its own pocket, which is small enought to hold in your fist. Bottom line: I like it; it works.