Great video Stef! Seems like a real contender!

Nice review... and you slid on that MIDI controller demo! 🔥

These things are very cool. I liked the Clarinet and Oboe sounds the best. Strings and Marimba remind me of the Yamaha DX7 II (yes, I'm so old I owned one of those!) Electronic Tom is fun. After that I just enjoy your playing. You deserve a few million bonus points for just how healthy and good your plants in that window look! 🙏 Cheers!

I got the toy-like Vangoa EWI-100 on sale recently to try out as a MIDI breath controller while playing keys. I am having fun with it standalone and may upgrade to this Greaten AP300 in the future. Thanks for your review! 😀

Oboe patch sounds great🔥

Haha I just demonstrated this instrument on Greaten's stage at Music China last month! Glad to see it in your video :)

@StefHaynes

6 ай бұрын

Oh awesome! Is there video of that anywhere?

@dirgsuite5546

2 ай бұрын

Does the ap 300 has tilt midi control?

Thanks Stef for a great review. I liked your review so much that I order a Greaten SP300 from the manufacturer. They shipped directly from China with free shipping, and I received it here in Connecticut, USA in 10 days for $290. Wow that was fast. I have had it for two days and love playing it, but with factory setting, it does not sound optimal. However, it is much better than I expected, and I am quite happy with it. Akai has suggestions for calibrating their instrument on their website, with specific settings as suggestions. And Bernie Kenerson has a video on KZread how to adjust the Akai calibration. It seems my comment would automatically be removed if I included links to the above two calibrations, so I removed these links to try again...Success, it did not links among the text - without links it posted fine. The design on the AP300 seems more intuitive than the AKAI for calibration but as a beginner I do not understand how to best set these controls and the manual offers no explanation of what these controls mean: Reverb, Chorus, Delay Key, Pitch Bend, Tune, Semit Key, Breath Sense, Breath Sense CC1, Breath Sense CC2, Vib. Type, Amp Sense, Vib.CC, Up Pitch, Dn pitch, Adjust. With 127 settings for each control, I am at a loss of where to start if I want to improve the sound. Would you consider making a video showing how to calibrate the Greaten AP300 with some suggested settings as a good starting point and what each of these setting mean? Thanks again for your great videos. You are a remarkable musician.

For the price it;'s a heck of a deal!

shots fired at Akai!

@StefHaynes

6 ай бұрын

I think they can take it, lol

@sound.workshop

6 ай бұрын

Agreed@@StefHaynes

@and7barton

Ай бұрын

I found the Akai far too heavy on the right-hand thumb. I hope this one is lighter.

It's great that Chinese companies start taking care of EWI players. I just wish there was a portable controller with open-source software or an option to fully customize every key. Berglund Instruments and WARBL (the most open software/hardware EWI out there) are close to that, but they are difficult to get and expensive. So, I'm still on my own trying to design something portable with keys that work like on a clarinet lower register because as a Clarineo beginner, I'm used to playing mostly in that range.

@StefHaynes

6 ай бұрын

that's exciting, best of luck with your designs, hope to see it in the future!

Great video thank you! Do you know if you can upload your own sounds into the built in patch bank like the ewi 4000?

@StefHaynes

4 ай бұрын

no, but that would be cool!

Great video - Very interesting. I never use my EWI5000's onboard sounds and some of the sounds in your demo seem pretty good. One question though - Do the little buttons on the side do the same as on the AKAI? as in hold and interval.

@StefHaynes

4 ай бұрын

I don't know offhand... tbh I barely used those on my EWI! I'll check when I return (traveling rn)

@matspan

4 ай бұрын

I only used them the other day when I forgot my computer and had to use the onboard instruments.

@StefHaynes

4 ай бұрын

@@matspan turns out they are to cycle between the four "favourite" patches

@matspan

4 ай бұрын

Thanks for checking it out@@StefHaynes

@StefHaynes Have you managed to get in contact with the manufacturer? They have AP300 Pro, and the only feature they have there is updates of the Firmware. But, there is no Firmware anywhere. And they didn't reply on messages.

Wish I've knew about this before, looks like a better EWI Solo for 1/2 of the price!

I just bought one after seeing your review and arrived 2 days ago. I am impressed by the shipping time basically 48hrs in flight + custom clearance. Never own any EWI except for the Vangoa EWI-100, originally looking at the AKAI but this one is less than 50% the price so I decided to go for this one Turned out I am not regretting the decision. Btw they updated the joystick button to a bigger square-ish button, not round button anymore, and is sticking out abit more (they might have listened to your comment?) I got 3 questions not sure you got the answer or not 1) You mention wireless midi, I assume BT, exists but you won't recommend using it for recording but what about just play back on a DAW computer using VST? To be honest I cannot even find any info on BT/wireless in user manual so I am not sure it exists? 2) They have ST fingering besides SAX fingering but when I look at the user manual they are exactly the same.... I am not sure if I am missing something here or I just can't spot the diff ;) 3) Is the replaceable mouth piece exactly the one AKAI uses? I see the mouth piece for sale on Amazon so I am not sure if I can use them or not. I know they come with an extra one but way down the road if I have to get a 3rd one I am not sure Greaten will have them for sale? Thanks for a great review. I am not very experienced with EWI so far but I spent quite a bit of time on it since it arrived and it does feel like a solid product.

@calmreliefmassagetherapy

3 ай бұрын

I bought the AP300 based on your review. The manual has no instruction for saving, nor how to save the ranking position or volume per bank. The volume will changes per sound patch unless there is a way to save volume per sound. Having a factory video to share this explanation or from an EWI players is my request. The sticking keys happen a bit much even when not playing fast, causing a lack of confidence in the instrument, even though I like the "wind pipe" and "oboe" amazingly beautiful soundss, Akai Solo has an amazingly rich "cello" sound; but NOT a great cello for the AP300. I was so disappointed when I thought I would like the AP300 would be better than dealing with the Akai Solo rechargeable battery freezing the power on/off button. The first Akai Solo was replaced & the replacement did the same thing. My EWI instructor won't buy another Akai. I like more natural instrument sounds in the world seems to be going with the synthetic sounds. What to do? If somebody has a solution, I'm all ears.

@hsitz

3 ай бұрын

@@calmreliefmassagetherapy Best solution for acoustic instrument sounds is to check out the various SWAM apps that run on iPad and iPhone. Also you could check out EVI-NER (15$) and Respiro synths (170$) for Mac/PC; they're not necessarily "realistic" but do feel like acoustic sounds. Check youtube for examples.

Stef, could you me a favor and check the following on your AP300. Do the pinkie keys increase or lower the tone by +/- 1/2 step no matter what other keys are pressed? (This is the Akai EWI standard fingering pattern.) For example, if you play (in ST fingering) a G4 (left index finger + left middle finger + left ring finger) and you press in addition the top left pinkie key, do you get a #G4? If you press the bottom left pinkie key, do you get a #F4? In addition, does the same work for top/middle right pinkie keys instead? And further, there also appears to be a key above the right index finger raising by 1/2 step (their manual shows that one as the "official" key for #G4)? Basically, I am trying to determine whether the pinkie keys work as they do at the Akai EWI by being additive to any other key pressed (in the EWI, each key has a value, either -1, -1/2, +1/2, +1, and the values of all keys pressed get added up to give the final tone-albeit there are a handful of exceptions to get standard fingerings). In this question, however, I am just worried about the pinkie keys. Just to clarify another way, do the pinkie keys have the following impact on the tone: Right bottom pinkie -1, Right middle pinkie -1/2, Right top pinkie +1/2, Right above index finger +1/2, Left bottom pinkie -1/2, Left top pinkie +1/2? Can they be added in arbitrary combinations to any other keys and have this impact? Or are only the combinations supported that are shown in the manual for a given fingering?

Thanks for this really helpful video. Can you say how the various fingering systems compare to Akai EWI’s?

@StefHaynes

6 ай бұрын

Fingering modes include Standard (which I think is EWI?), Sax, Flute, oboe, 2 versions of trumpet, dizi, and hulusi!

@Chrisamic

2 ай бұрын

@@StefHaynesJust pointing out that dizi (a chinese transvers flute) is the same as Irish whistle and ocarina, so those that play these instruments could pick one up straight away and worry about chromatic fingering such as sax later on as they need it. On those instruments you can play outside of the dichromatic fingering by half-holing which obviously won't work on the AP300 and by cross fingering which might actually work if they've implemented it properly. That would be a really important question to answer - for example if it's possible to play a flattened 7th with cross fingering as that gives access to a second major key as well as a pentatonic scale.

Noticed a number of 'negative' comments... I guess if they want a saxaphone, they should buy a saxaphone. These instruments are excellent - if you accept them as they are, which is as an Electronic Wind Instrument. I have a modern 'inexpensive' model (not a Greaten) and after a few mods to the octave buttons (turned them into an octave rocker) and a properly positioned thumbrest with a suitable hook for a lanyard - it's marvelous; works midi, plays great through an Orange or a Roland amp - and just gives a lot of fun! Play the damned things - don't bitch about them!

@digitalsax101

4 ай бұрын

I agree

Hey ,,, how long the shipping , because I make the order long time ago and nothing yet not tracking # not nothing.

Hi Stef- ever heard of an ingpartner i8 or i9 .. how would you compare it to a vangoa and which one would you choose ?

Before they make yet another a new model that doesn't work right, they need to make a model that actually functions as expected and sounds good. They need to fix this one or get out of the biz. This sounds horrible with apparently no breath controlled filtering. There are huge delays, there are random stuck notes, wireless MIDI isn't working, the pitchbend stick is too hard to control, the mouthpiece is too stiff, on and on. This review states all these problems then makes excuses for the bad product (due to $200 free product?), then he states it could possibly be the best wind controller of all. This does no one any good. A big disservice. The Akai and Roland wind controllers are much more refined and they work correctly. This $200 garbage gives wind controllers a bad image and will likely end up turning people off to ever experiencing a quality wind controller. Just because one gets a free $200 product sent to them, doesn't mean one can gloss over all these major problems and make excuses. This is a horrible product.

@StefHaynes

6 ай бұрын

Sorry you feel that way! I will say that price does represent a substantial barrier to entry for a lot of folks interested in playing electronic wind instruments. It's true, this isn't up to the level of professional wind controllers, especially as a MIDI controller, however it does have many useful features that would be useful for folks in the non-professional demographic. I'll point out too that while the Akai and Roland instruments are great as well, they're also far from perfect.

I think this instrument is really cool, but I wish it didn't look quite the same as the EWI 5000. I know a lot of EWIs are similar in design with the hands in line and whatever, but I like it when companies have their own defining look of an instrument. Anyway it's still cool, just how I feel

@sound.workshop

6 ай бұрын

Yes I agree the aesthetic is borderline not transformative. Greaten if you read this don't be afraid to try finding your own look next time you update the instrument. Still glad you're making a more portable wind synth with expressive built in sounds.

Live strip? Is there control/setup software for the instrument? How do you rate (or just a list of items of note) the English (maybe non-Chinese also) language support? What kind of support is there patch editing/effects/organization? Hummmm… that packaging seems familiar;-) Do the Chinese wind instrument sounds support overblowing? Any ideas regarding their ability to provide hardware/software support for the instrument to non-Chinese customers? Thanks as always for these instrument reviews.

@StefHaynes

6 ай бұрын

No accompanying software I'm afraid, but at the very least the decent UI makes it much less necessary than for, say, the EWI 5000. I'd say the english support is quite good. As for patch organization, there are four preset slots for quick recall! No support for overblow, but every sound has some sort of extra effect connected to the thumb joystick. Hardware/software support remains to be seen. Thanks for your questions!

🎉🎉🎉❤❤❤❤

Hello, I'm from Brazil and I recently bought the AP200 and received the instrument from the factory with two defects. The bite sensor does not work, despite the last page of the manual mentioning “BITE GAIN: 127” among the resource settings that the instrument offers, that is, theoretically it should be possible to adjust the sensitivity of the bite sensor between 0 and 127, but There is no adjustment on the instrument display in the configuration menus and submenus to adjust the sensitivity for the bite sensor. The term "bite sensor" simply doesn't even appear in the display settings. Physically the sensor is there, but it doesn't work. Perhaps a joint hardware and firmware problem. There are also recurring failures in the execution of some notes, as Stef observed in AP300. Some days it fails more, others less, but I think if you intend to use it for studying or recording, you will need a lot more hours of work. Even configuring the “key delay” feature to 0, the failures still persist. There is one more person here in Brazil who also bought the AP200. I contacted the other Brazilian owner of the AP200 and asked about the bite sensor on his instrument and, guess what, he told me that the bite sensor on the AP200 doesn't work either. I was hoping this was an isolated problem with my AP200 and was thinking about buying an AP300, but this video from Stef put me off.

@StefHaynes

5 ай бұрын

Glad it was informative! I'll agree the instrument is not perfect yet. They are sending me a firmware update, I'll be sure to let you know what I think when I can update it!

@jeffherzeg

5 ай бұрын

@@StefHaynes What good news! I would really like you to ask Greaten about the bite sensor on the AP200 if they will also do a firmware update on the AP200 to make the sensor work. I was very disappointed, because on the Greaten website it says that the AP200 has the sensor, that is, it exists, but it doesn't work and it isn't even mentioned in the manual as I said previously. I believe that none of the AP200 that Greaten sold the sensor works. Thanks.

Hello @StefHaynes, have you ever had problems with your EWI's keys oxidizing? Believe it or not, the keys on my AP200 started to oxidize yesterday, after just 2 months of little use. After playing a little yesterday, I noticed that my fingertips were grayish. I checked the keys and some had a reddish appearance in some parts. Even though I washed my hands a lot, my fingertips still remained slightly gray and had a faint smell of hydrogen peroxide. Have you ever had a similar problem? I asked the seller and he told me that the keys are zinc-aluminum.

@StefHaynes

4 ай бұрын

my EWI 5000 keys are very oxidized, but still work. My Greaten AP300 keys have not started to oxidize yet!

Will the firmware update you mentioned be released to the public and do you have any idea of date?

@StefHaynes

4 ай бұрын

sorry to say that I don't know! would recommend getting in touch with the company

I appreciate your review. My AP300 arrived the other day. It works out of the box with Garageband (default setting is CC1 - 11). I noted that it took numerous attempts to record MIDI from the AP300 for Garageband to adjust to the AP300. At first, I couldn't hear the MIDI-recorded sound or just a bit of the sound. Even after it adjusted to the AP300 as a MIDI controller, I had to go into the EQ settings and raise the volume to get the instrument sound to a normal level. I also noticed the sticky fingering on the AP300 when recording to MIDI. However, it was only some of the time, so that seems odd. Also, my AP300 came with a movable lever rather than a joystick. Folks will want a longer USB cable for capturing midi to a computer (a short one is included). Two quick questions: After I record a MIDI track using Apple's default sounds (e.g. Solo Flute) - I can see the volume control information recorded from the AP300, which plays back with that volume control. However, if I change it to a user-defined patch instrument, it plays with that instrument but does not play back with any volume control - the volume control indicators are still visible - do you have any suggestions to get that working? What does CC2 in the AP300 do (it is set to 0 now)? The manual should describe what CC2 is sending, but doesn't. Overall, it is a quality instrument.

@StefHaynes

5 ай бұрын

Thanks for the comment! I think I can answer both questions with a quick explanation of MIDI CC. Basically, the AP300 continuously sends data from the breath sensor as a value between 0 and 127. This value can be sent over a variety of "channels" called CCs (which stand for continuous controller). Whether that info is being sent on CC2, CC7, CC11, or CC126, that information is the same: an integer between 0 and 127 that is continuously updated to reflect how hard you are blowing into the instrument. Some software and hardware is programmed to respond to data transmitted via certain CCs. For example, Garageband's default sounds respond to CC11, as you discovered. Many popular softwares for electronic wind instruments, such as EVI-NER, Respiro, and my own patches for Surge and Vital are programmed to respond to data from CC2. Back in the earlier days of MIDI, these "channels" of CC had a more standardized usage. See more here: professionalcomposers.com/midi-cc-list/ This list does't always apply anymore, I always say to check the MIDI implementation chart in the user manual of any software or hardware you plan to use with an electronic wind instrument to see which CC messages they are "listening" for. In your case, the user-defined patch instruments that you're experimenting with may not be set up to listen for data from CC2 or CC7, but may respond to data from CC7, which, if you take a look at the list in the link, is the CC historically associated with volume control. It's worth a shot, anyway! Check out this video to learn more about the basics of sound design for electronic wind instruments: kzread.info/dash/bejne/a4uGmsRpfNqoXdI.html

@tomsackett. I have the same question. What is the "semit key"? I imagine that stands for semi tone, but no mater what I set it to, it doesn't seem to make any difference for anything played. I had some questions answered by buying a book but if post the books name the KZread censor algorithms delete my post. I think I will move to an EWI forum that is not so censor crazy.

Very nice review and a *very* interesting alternative for a second hand EWI5000 which I’ve been eyeing, as a first EWI. Waddya think, are they legit company and gonna make firmware updates for this thing? 🤔

@StefHaynes

4 ай бұрын

Just heard from the company, seems like the current version of the instrument can't be easily updated, and they're working on a new version that has both the new firmware that they've since created, as well as a way to easily update the firmware in the future. Definitely a legit company, but maybe wait for a newer version if you think this firmware update is make or break for you!

@jsivonenVR

4 ай бұрын

@@StefHaynes thanks for the info. The Akai EWI 4000/5000 models have what I mainly want from this sorta instrument, as a recorder player I don’t need so much “sax feel” so I’m content with touch sensitive plates. But the more modern connectivity w/ Bluetooth and USB on this device seem tempting! 👀

i am a keyboard player that also plays a little clarinet, this is very intriging, the price point is very very appealing, its an EWI clone with some minor modern updates for less than half the money, of a Akai 5000, or the aerophone mini. i would just to (eventually) wireless midi it to swam and do some sax parts, where did you buy it?

I am investigating EWIs for the first time. I want to be able use traditional instrument patches (tin whistle, pipes, flutes etc.) Are these available with the Greaten AP 300? Vangoa EWI 100 ? Celtic sounds has an app. But that would mean I would need to use it as a midi controller limiting mobility (can’t play instrument on a hike, or place without internet etc.)

@StefHaynes

5 ай бұрын

If you pause at 4:35 you can see the full list of AP300 sounds! btw, I don't think that using an EWI as a MIDI controller would necessarily impede mobility. One instrument that springs to mind is the Artinoise Re.Corder. It is purely a MIDI controller, and sends MIDI over Bluetooth. If you have an iPhone, I would consider checking it out.

Have any updates happened since you made this video to fix the issues you had?

@StefHaynes

3 ай бұрын

They've sent me a firmware update but I haven't been able to install it, so I'm not really sure. I'd reach out to them and ask how you can get an instrument with new firmware!

What is the price of this wind synth?

Have you tried any wind controllers on Temu?

@StefHaynes

4 ай бұрын

no not yet!

Will your patches for EWI's be compatible for the Greaten AP300?

@StefHaynes

5 ай бұрын

Yep! In fact I used one of my Surge patches in this video

Does the ap 300 has tilt midi control?

Does it ship to uk

how can it have flute fingering when it doesnt have the keys for B and B flat? Can you share what the fingering patterns are on this thing?

@StefHaynes

5 ай бұрын

yeah definitely take flute fingering with a grain of salt. it works nothing like a flute, I think it just means that the F# is played with the third finger instead of the middle one.

As a MIDI controller, I would like to know about the breath control over volume - does it work the same as the EWI (same cc messages)? Do I need to do anything special to get breath control with Garageband?

@StefHaynes

5 ай бұрын

The CC message is customizeable, like the EWI! Garageband responds to CC11 so just set up the instrument to send that one and you're good!

Hi Stef, I bought this ap300 after watching ur video. However, I am unable to even play scale on it as the notes seem to be off key. Are there some settings for me to do to get them right? I understand pitch bend is one. U mentioned something about version update. How is it possible to do it as there's no app for software support & updates.

@ziggylu2

3 ай бұрын

Hi I have not purchased on yet, what do you think of it. Did you get the "off key" sorted?

@lighthouseaudioEWI

2 ай бұрын

Notes seem to be off? setting has a function to open/close the semi keys, did you turn it open?

Q. can you edit the sounds at all like you can on the ewi solo/5000 re enveliops lfo filter etc?

@StefHaynes

6 ай бұрын

No, basically you can control the amount of reverb and that's it

@cresshead

6 ай бұрын

still for the price it's pretty good and it sounds good too@@StefHaynes

@digitalsax101

6 ай бұрын

You can control Reverb and Delay on the AP300.

Where do buy music to play, and a good fingering chart.

whats it like jumping around octaves? can you play grade 4 + music on it?

@StefHaynes

5 ай бұрын

super good! The octave rollers make it super easy to change octaves. There's a 6 octave range

Nice, but unless it has some type of bite sensor I probably won't get it. I Already have several Yamahas. My most recent is the YDS150 which I'm not really happy with, but it does allow me to practice without needing to hook up a bunch of stuff. I would like to know, what is the difference between the AP200 and AP300?

@StefHaynes

5 ай бұрын

300 has roller style octave keys and 200 has button style!

@jeffherzeg

5 ай бұрын

There are other differences besides the octave buttons, such as speaker, bluetooth, synthesized tones as leads, buttons for quick access to tones. But as I said in another comment, I have the AP200, and the bite sensor on the AP200 definitely doesn't work, and I bet that among all the AP200 that Greaten has sold, the bite sensor doesn't work on any of them. The AP200's drain valve is also poorly positioned at the top, so saliva will splash onto the cable or WiFi transmitter. But on Greaten's website they put the image upside down, making it look like the valve is at the bottom. But there is a video on Greaten's KZread channel making an AP200 box and showing some details. My AP200 also presented other defects such as silent notes, sometimes the note is silent and I have to stop blowing and blow again or change the note for the sound to return, and another strange bug that eventually occurs when turning on the instrument, where nothing comes out. sound, there is only a sharp sound when blowing, but it does not sound like a musical note, but rather a broken sound, as if something is in bad contact.

@StefHaynes

5 ай бұрын

@@jeffherzeg thanks for the comment! Great to know about these differences, clearly much more different than I thought!

Is it possible to have the simple fingering of a soprano flute in C with this thing? Thank you for your reply

@StefHaynes

4 ай бұрын

what kind of flute? like a transverse flute? or like a recorder? I think there's a fingering system similar to a transverse Boehm flute but not one that's like a recorder. hope this helps!

@tomsackett

2 ай бұрын

If you're talking about a six-hole flute like a tin whistle or old "simple system" flute, there is a fingering setting for that. I think it's called "DiZi". I haven't tried it, but someone describes in here: kzread.info/dash/bejne/Y2mGy8GMeLnbqMY.html

What is the price of the instrument

I appears as tough there is a MASSIVE delay. Is this true? From the looks of it in this video, with the sounds being so delayed, I would never even consider playing it. And the sounds sound like simple volume swells with no dynamic filtering lije on pretty much all other wind controllers.

@StefHaynes

6 ай бұрын

I wouldnt say it's massive, but there is a bit of a delay. I suspect it's related to the stuck note issue and the way that the instrument handles the key delay setting. I've let Greaten know about this and I've been assured that they're working on it.

The midi controller is over Bluetooth or USB or both? Thanks

@StefHaynes

5 ай бұрын

Technically both, but the Bluetooth midi is really laggy

@mariomarcelo

5 ай бұрын

Do you know the price and where to buy in Europe thanks or may be something similar

🎉❤😊

How is the built in speaker? $650 on Aliexpress $290 on the Greaten website 😵‍💫😵‍💫

@StefHaynes

3 ай бұрын

it's pretty small so don't expect anything incredible but it's practical for solo practicing i'd say

Does it not have a vibrato sensor in the mouthpiece? It looks like the mouthpiece is being held only between the lips- not between the teeth? This is odd. How are you controlling vibrato?

@digitalsax101

6 ай бұрын

There are breath sensor and bite sensor on AP300. Breath sensor for dynamic. Bite sensor for vibrato. There are 3 options for vibrato. Full, semi and off. Full, it auto generate vibrato. Semi, you have to bite once. Off, no vibrato, you have to make it.

@StefHaynes

5 ай бұрын

This is a fault of mine. Mouthpiece should be held between the teeth to facilitate activating the bite sensor. I personally find this uncomfortable so I don't.

Is there a legato mode?

@StefHaynes

6 ай бұрын

Yes, but you need to keep your left thumb on the glide strip (like with the EWI 5000)

@andersbostrom3745

6 ай бұрын

@@StefHaynes Thank you! It looks great. Do you know the price?

@StefHaynes

6 ай бұрын

You can order it from Ali Baba for 210 USD! www.alibaba.com/product-detail/Digital-Wind-Instrument-100-Sounds-Built_1600900273012.html

@hsitz

6 ай бұрын

@@StefHaynes $210 from Alibaba with minimum order size of 2 pieces. $290 direct from Greaten with link in description.

Hey Stef, thanks for adding more details in the comments below, especially the info on connecting to Garage Band and EVI-NER. I'm hoping you might know the answers to few more questions. What is the "semit key"? The "semit key" setting is in the settings menu, and mentioned in the manual, but I don't know what it controls. How do I use the thumb switch to turn on the "growl" sound? The thumb switch works to bend the notes up or down, but when I move it right or left, it does nothing. Can I turn the glide bar off?

les sons de sax alto soprano tenor et baryton sont moyen, mais sur le yds 120 sont excellent

Having a decent display alone is good reason to take this seriously as an Akai competitor. It's hard to believe Akai is still charging $900 for an instrument with a 2-digit display that's maddening to use.

@StefHaynes

6 ай бұрын

absolutely agreed!

Hello pro❤

Q. how much is it?

@StefHaynes

6 ай бұрын

You can order it from Ali Baba for 210 USD! www.alibaba.com/product-detail/Digital-Wind-Instrument-100-Sounds-Built_1600900273012.html

@cresshead

6 ай бұрын

thank you! @@StefHaynes

Honest question, Why do all onboard ewi patches sound so awful? Is it like a computing thing? Every instrument library I’ve tried on the PC with my cheapo EWI USB sounds better than anything I’ve heard straight from the spendier onboard options (this, ewi, aerophone, etc)

@StefHaynes

6 ай бұрын

I think lack of computing power is part of it, yeah. I imagine it's hard to get a great computer in there while trying to keep the cost down. I think the other thing is an assumption that most users would want a variety of "emulated" sounds, which again is hard to do without a great onboard computer. Samplers take a lot of memory and physical modeling takes a lot of computation. I'd love to see more companies experiment with simple substractive synthesis for built in sounds. I'm no expert, but I suspect that a decent subtractive synth is less computationally expensive than a mediocre sampler. It's just that many companies assume (perhaps correctly) that the majority of their customers would prefer to sound like "real" instruments.

@digitalsax101

6 ай бұрын

For Greaten AP300's sound, I think it's quite good. Please visit my channel to listen to some songs playing with it. youtube.com/@digitalsax101

Ehhh, I regret buying the EWI Solo

@StefHaynes

4 ай бұрын

EWI Solo is a great instrument! True, the Greaten AP300 might have cooler features, but the EWI Solo is rock solid IMO

Feels like shilled, cloned EWI from Chinese hardware cloners.

@StefHaynes

6 ай бұрын

definitely an EWI clone in many ways, but I have to give them credit for the improvements they've made such as audio over USB, and wireless MIDI (provided this gets optimized at some point). Plus, I think the built in sounds are considerably more responsive than the EWI 5000 and Solo's

@JeffHopkinsMusic

6 ай бұрын

@@StefHaynes you don't have to give them credit or publicity at all. But you've seemed to have found a niche from these small clone companies like Greaten, Robkoo, Vangoa.... Not my cup of tea. But you do you.