The EWI, otherwise known as an electronic wind instrument, is a technological invention that has made a huge impact on many different genres of music and has a recent history that is often overlooked.
The History of the Instrument:
It all started in 1981, with inventor Nyle Steiner. In its first stages, the EWI was made by hand, and was essentially an analog controller that didn’t have very many sounds other than the ones built in. The top of the EWI contains sensors inside the mouthpiece that measures how much wind is being blown into the instrument and would change the volume. The front of the instrument was made of non-movable buttons/parts on the front. On the back close to the mouthpiece, there is a series of metal rollers that would allow the user to control the octave register with their thumb.
Shortly after being created, its increasing popularity caused some of the users to carry lots of extra equipment in order to create extra sounds as well as cords that made the it compatible with other synthesizers. The solution to that problem came when Steiner integrated the MIDI box into the EWI in 1985. This allowed the it to be more compatible with commonly used samplers and mimicked any real sound the user wanted to make. That is why the instrument itself was so versatile, including it’s ability to program different fingerings (for brass instruments or saxophone) that are more familiar to users.
Once Steiner was no longer able to make the EWI’s by hand, he went to Akai Professional who were already working on their own digital sampler at the time with music instrument company Electroharmonix, and made a deal for the prototype to be mass produced. It continued to be revised over the years to improve its technological abilities and playing ability. The most recent model, the Akai EWI 5000 was revealed in 2014, and even contains its own soundboard to change reverb, delay, chorus, and pitches. It features the same button/octave mechanics as the original but in a much slimmer form containing more advanced technology, and more patch sounds.
The EWI and Michael Brecker:
The most prominent figure in the early advancement of the EWI was virtuoso jazz/fusion saxophonist, Michael Brecker. He used the it as a platform to expand the range of sounds possible on a MIDI controller, as well as a tool for improvisation in a jazz/fusion related context. He even used it as a solo unaccompanied instrument in some contexts, looping certain sections as well as harmonize itself to create sounds representing an entire ensemble. Considering the more common pop/dance/jazz fusion sounds that existed in the 1980’s, I would consider the EWI groundbreaking in terms of surpassing what people thought was musically possible.
The first major breakthrough for the EWI occurred when Michael Brecker performed Steps Ahead in Tokyo in 1986, only five years after the it was invented. It features the EWI’s full technological capability with the help of extraneous pedals/synthesizers/foot switches to create a plethora of futuristic sounds. All the way up until 3:33, it is just Michael Brecker alone venturing into fascinating harmonic depths.
Another example would include my favorite piece featuring the EWI: Original Rays on Michael Brecker’s Michael Brecker (1987). It is also plugged into an Oberheim Xpander (a six voice keyless interval generator/analog synthesizer). The notes that are being played on the EWI are marked as pink, and the color coated chunks mark each time the Oberheim Xpander generates a new set of six intervals harmonizing the main note.
One last example, just because Michael Brecker is that awesome, is the song Itsbynne Reel on Don’t Try this at Home (1988). It showcases the EWI in a different context as described in the liner notes by George Varga: “The opening section, ‘Itsbynne Reel’ begins with a vigorous traditional Irish-reel-cum bluegrass duet between Brecker on EWI and violinist O’Connor before leading into a driving, harmonized vamp…” It’s not the typical setting for an electronic instrument with violin, but it totally works and that is the best part. The EWI is not just limited to jazz or fusion music, it can go anywhere if it fits the context. I also highly recommend listening to the rest of the track, it’s quite unbelievable.
EWI in the context of contemporary music:
Although the EWI became more popular among other users, more artists became critical over its legitimacy in music after Michael Brecker didn’t use the it as often in the 1990’s. Despite that, there are a lot of musicians that continued to use it at a very high level, one of them being Bob Mintzer. There is a group called the Yellowjackets that features him on the saxophone and on a more recent model of the instrument. One of my favorite snippets of the group is them performing in Stockholm in 2009, showcasing the amount of technical ability that can be achieved while being musical and assimilating vocabulary from the blues/jazz.
EWI as its own instrument:
As awesome as the EWI can sound, people often mistake it as being too similar to being able to play an acoustic instrument, specifically the saxophone, clarinet and flute. As described in an article regarding technique and expressivity on EWI, the reason why the it is incredible is because it requires its own technical mastery, completely separate from any other instrument. That is why people often experiment with the EWI, but do not get past the early stages. One major difference is that the buttons are touch sensitive, as opposed to physical finger buttons that can be pressed down or tone holes that can be covered as well. It is essential that the finger movement is clean and precise. If users are not paying attention, their fingers can be easily touching buttons and swirling between notes that were not intended. Another challenging concept is the touch sensitive thumb roller for the octave register. It is not the same as producing the upper and lower harmonics on an acoustic instrument. If users aren’t careful, the thumb can easily roll quickly between octaves and creates a huge whirlpool of morphed unintentional sounds. There are also seven/eight octaves on the instrument, which is a lot more than usual acoustical instruments are accustomed to having. Figuring out how to properly incorporate this huge range on the instrument into music can be very challenging as well. The continuing capabilities of the EWI include pitch bend, vibrato, and glissandos is not as easy to use in context as users might think. The mouthpiece is also made of hard rubber, which can feel much different than actively vibrating a reed or buzzing in a brass mouthpiece. As an EWI 5000 user myself, I absolutely love the instrument, but the technical challenges are certainly apparent.
EWI and its place in music today:
One issue that the EWI ran into at the beginning of its development is that it was considered as a replacement for 80’s jazz/pop saxophone. This limited the usage and its credibility to be continually used in other contexts. I believe that the EWI should be treated as its own instrument and should be assimilated into any musical context of which is appropriate. Considering that it is somewhat like a technological version of what an acoustic wind instrument, it is very unique and has a futuristic/contemporary feeling to it. It can certainly push the boundaries of what is possible in music and can also yield to the creation of other music niches/genres in the future.
Sources:
https://www.patchmanmusic.com/JoelPeskinEWIStory.html
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/penny-will/the-amazing-ewi_b_1746317.html
http://www.gwhitty.com/ewi.html
https://scholarlyrepository.miami.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1577&context=oa_dissertations
Varga, G. (1988). [Liner notes]. In Dont Try this at Home [Vinyl, LP]. New York: Impulse record label, MCA Records, Inc.
Hey Emiel, really interesting read! I had never heard of the EWI before reading your article, but I feel like you did a nice job introducing it to someone who is unfamiliar. I enjoyed listening to the videos you provided because the EWI produces a sound that is difficult to describe in words (and it’s super cool to listen to).
I think you could have gone a little further into the history of the instrument and why it was invented in the first place. Its early stages seem similar to an acoustic wind instrument, so I’m curious what the creator’s intention was. I noticed some small grammatical errors (ex: second sentence of paragraph titled, “EWI as its own instrument”), but your point still came across clearly.
I agree that this is a type of musical technology that will advance many genres of music in the future. I did a quick search for the EWI in classical music and came across this really cool performance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_d8pMxm8Ns . This might be interesting to include in your article, since a lot of your videos are more jazz-oriented.