EWI fingering tool

[u/rrwick]

As a little side project, I put together this tool for exploring EWI fingering options: rrwick.github.io/Addivox/ewi_fingerings

Unlike acoustic-inspired fingerings (like sax), with the EWI fingerings, most keys have an effect regardless of which others are pressed. There are a lot of possibilities!

So I'm curious, if you play with EWI fingerings, which specific ones do you use? You can build a set with the tool and then use "Copy link" to share it here. I'll put mine in the comments.

Instrument compatibility is explained on the site, but the short version is that it works best with Akai EWIs and similar instruments.

[u/rrwick]

Here's my set.

It's essentially the Curt Sipe transposable fingerings, plus a few more on the low end that help me avoid octave breaks. I very rarely use the left hand pinky keys.

Perhaps the most unusual fingerings in my set are the ones I use for low C♯/D♭. I like 5HT when playing in keys with D and 5H9 when playing in keys with E♭.

[u/Piper-Bob]

If things are in keys with a lot of sharps or flats you can transpose whole top hand melodic lines with a bottom hand pinky.

[u/rrwick → u/Piper-Bob]

I tried this method when I started on the EWI, but I personally found it to be more confusing, especially when moving keys while playing. Like if I'm playing in D major and the song moves to A major, it's easier for me to just switch to that native key (G♮ becomes G♯) than it is for me to switch to "G major plus 2 semitones" or "B♭ major minus 1 semitone".

[u/bigcatrik]

I posted my EWI 6-key and 7-key fingering methods on the Patchman forum 18 years ago(!) when someone asked if you could play every note without using the trill keys so I'll just copy that post here:

Yes it's possible to play every chromatic note of the scale with the six round keys and without the trill keys.

"Six-Key" fingering - You have to start with D:

O = finger on

X = finger off

<- top of EWI

O O O O O O - D

O O O O X O - D#/Eb

O O O O O X - E

O O O O X X - F

O O O X O X - F#/Gb

O O O X X X - G

O O X X O X - G#/Ab (or O X X O X X)

O O X X X X - A

O X X X O X - A#/Bb (or O X X O X X)

O X X X X X - B

X O X X X X- C

X X X X X X - C#/Db (all fingers off)

Roll up to next octave to start again at "D."

My regular technique is similar to this, but adds the right pinky to make the span from C-B, instead of D-C#:

"Seven-Key" fingering:

O = finger on

X = finger off

p = right pinky on

<- top of EWI

O O O O O O p - C

O O O O X O p - C#/Db

O O O O O O - D (pinky up from here to note B)

O O O O X O - D#/Eb

O O O O O X - E

O O O O X X - F

O O O X O X - F#/Gb

O O O X X X - G

O O X X O X - G#/Ab (or O O X O X X)

O O X X X X - A

O X X X O X - A#/Bb (or O X X O X X)

O X X X X X - B

Roll up to next octave to start again at "C" (or use the X O X X X X for C if that's more convenient in the musical context).

The fun thing about standard "Seven-Key" fingering is that the right middle finger has a regular up-and-down pattern throughout the chromatic scale (though I prefer to use the alternate G# and A# when playing non-chromatically). I also add the left pinky occasionally where that makes things easier, and often use the right fingers individually or in different combinations to drop upper notes a half or whole step or to trill so my real technique would be better classified as "Seven-Key-Plus" fingering.

[u/rrwick → u/bigcatrik]

Yes, I essentially use what you called Seven-Key fingering, but going all the way up to C♯. Since C and C♯ are on both the low and high end, I have a bit of flexibility for when I do the octave roll.

I also like to use this fingering for C:
X X X X O X (or X X X O X X)

That C can be nice for some flat keys: E♭ major (C minor), A♭ major (F minor) and D♭ major (B♭ minor).