Toy of the month: Akai E4000s Electronic Wind Controller

I was looking for an expressive instrument that could travel as carry-on, or in the worst case, fit in my luggage. Mini portable keyboards are tired and really not as expressive as I'd like. Really, I wanted something with a bit of the Continuum Fingerboard feel that was very portable (even more than their 1/2 sized version), so here's what I got from Swee*censored*er:

It's a lot easier to play than a 'real woodwind' for sure, and it has a synth built in to it (great for headphones). Midi-out helps too.

Here are some quicktime demos that are kinda cool:

Steve Tavaglione Home Demo - 14.7MB (this is the coolest link)
Michael Brecker Home Demo - 2.39MB
Bob Mintzer Rehearsal Demo - 3.39MB
Mike Phillips Rehearsal Demo - 5.98MB

Neat!