Akai has introduced a new Electronic Wind Instrument, EWI USB.

The $499.00 wind controller features a plug-and-play USB interface for use with the included Aria software with Garritan and Akai Professional samples as a sound source.

Features:

• Electronic wind instrument controller
• Easy to play, easy to use, and easy to own
• Powerful, flexible, and reliable
• Plug-and-play USB connection to Mac or PC
• Custom Garritan Aria Player software, contains wind instrument sounds
• Multiple fingering modes: sax, traditional EWI, flute, oboe, and EVI brass
• Expandable sound palette
• Removable, dishwasher-safe mouthpiece

Includes:

• EWI USB wind instrument
• Neck strap 
• Cleaning cloth
• USB cable
• Software DVD
• Quick start guide
• Safety instructions

EWI USB is Mac and PC compatible.

Professional players will find EWI USB fully capable of performance for stage and studio with a five-octave range, breath modulation with adjustable threshold, pitch bend, adjustable vibrato, transposing and octave shifting, and fingering modes to emulate various electronic and acoustic instruments. Further, the Garritan/Plogue Aria software enables instrumentalists to perform with up to four instruments selected from the full collection of over 75 orchestral, band and synthesizer sounds.

Multiple fingering modes make EWI USB model saxophone, flute and oboe, as well as traditional EWI and EVI trumpet for intuitive performance.

“With EWI USB, we are exposing the world of wind-instrument expression to a whole new world of players,” states Gregg Stein, Director of Marketing, Akai Professional. “EWI USB is the first instrument to offer professional quality at such an affordable price.”

EWI USB is now shipping to musical instrument and pro audio retailers. Available for $499.00 MSRP.