It would be nice to have this Digital Sax within my instrument collection. Interestingly how the Low A can work on all 4 of the Sax presets rather than the Bari.
I too own both the Yamaha YDS-150 and a Roland AE-10... I should say I am primarily a vocalist in a Classic Rock cover band, and was an intermediate sax player at my best when I was younger - these days I no longer play an acoustic sax AT ALL in the band. I mention this because "real sax players" will not benefit from my comments so much, and that I use my two for more than "just practicing on" - I actually perform on these! Of the two, I have spent about 10x more time on my AE-10 since I bought it a few years ago, vs several months ago on the Yamaha. What I like about the Yamaha is: 1) the feel of the keys - being much more like an acoustic saxophone - and are comfortable... one of the keys requires a bit more pressure than it should, but I wonder if that is something in the tolerances and quality control (?), 2) it looks cooler than the Roland, 3) it sounds closer to a real sax than the (standard sax sounds) of the AE-10. Things I prefer about the Roland: 1) Much better display and you can change parameters directly on the instrument (the Yamaha requires a phone app and the details are handled remotely); 2) a total of 4 octave keys (two higher and two lower) - which is really handy as you can actually skip palm keys if you prefer and simply press the next higher octave key and finger the "natural note fingering" - (Yamaha should add this to the next gen YDS!), 3) Better display - I play about 10 voices in my cover band on the AE-10 (flute, violin, Bari Sax, 3x Tenor Sax, 2x Alto Sax, Soprano Sax, harmonica)... These are user assigned and I can "name each voice" and it is in the display so I know I have the right one... the Yamaha simply shows U1, U2, etc. so harder to remember). Why 3x Tenor sax's? Each one is in a different "key" so I can play all my favorite songs in the key that is easiest for me to finger... again "real sax players" will call this cheating, but at my age, I go for the easiest path that gets the job done! I hope this was helpful! Cheers!
Since this mouth piece and reed to not function as on a real saxophone, must you wet the reed before playing the Yamaha YDS 150 digital saxophone? It's a simple question yet I can't seem to find this answer anywhere. Hopefully, you can provide an answer. Thank you.
Good question! The answer is no, you do not have to wet the reed to play. Honestly, you can remove the ENTIRE mouthpiece and reed setup, and blow directly into the tube/tenon, and get the same sound. The reed does not move in the way a normal cane or even sythetic reed moves. Hope that clears things up!
You're lucky to get it. Due to the shortage of semiconductors, the production is delayed even in Japan, and it is very difficult to obtain. YAMAHA is currently suspending orders.
as I understood it doesn't make any acoustic noise (except key clicking) when you play with headphones, does it? so I can play at night without disturbing my family?
Honestly, no. Due to the lack of any feedback in the mouthpiece I would not suggest these for beginners. If you wish to learn the sax, I’d still start with a quality intermediate horn with functioning mouthpiece.
I bought my YDS-150 as soon as it became available, but had to give it up. Yamaha has a great concept there, but the key switches are poorly designed and some of them require a lot of pressure to make contact. The required squeezing is very unhealthy and can easily cause hand and tendon injuries as well as contributing to poor technique. Even though the Roland Aerophones (I play the AE-10) have more primitive looking buttons instead of keys they work far better than the YDS-150 keys and are much healthier for your hands and tendons. I do prefer my Emeo to the Roland because its keys are actual saxophone keys, but it is significantly more expensive and I really do like the Roland Aerophone. Glen Quarrie professional saxophonist and retired lecturer of sax at Carnegie Mellon University
@@barthvapour This is the case and I have a YDS-150 (but also an EWIUSB, 4000 and Aerophone AE30), nothing happens at the level of the EMEO! the feeling of playing on a traditional Sax is there. And to work on a piece the transition between an EMEO and the Sax (Alto for me) is done naturally, which is not the case with other controllers and even less the Yamaha YDS-150
Lo strumento dopo un anno non suona più ed è ingestibile, soprattutto sul cambio di semitono fa/fa# , sol sol#,la campana del sax risulta molto lunga ed e' sempre svitata ,in pratica 900 € buttati ,sconsiglio vivamente l’acquisto ,e penso che la Yamaha per serietà come azienda dovrebbe ritirare lo strumento e risarcire gli acquirenti che si trovano in mano un affare che non suona
It would be nice to have this Digital Sax within my instrument collection. Interestingly how the Low A can work on all 4 of the Sax presets rather than the Bari.
It's really fun! We have a few in stock? Call me!
I too own both the Yamaha YDS-150 and a Roland AE-10... I should say I am primarily a vocalist in a Classic Rock cover band, and was an intermediate sax player at my best when I was younger - these days I no longer play an acoustic sax AT ALL in the band. I mention this because "real sax players" will not benefit from my comments so much, and that I use my two for more than "just practicing on" - I actually perform on these! Of the two, I have spent about 10x more time on my AE-10 since I bought it a few years ago, vs several months ago on the Yamaha. What I like about the Yamaha is: 1) the feel of the keys - being much more like an acoustic saxophone - and are comfortable... one of the keys requires a bit more pressure than it should, but I wonder if that is something in the tolerances and quality control (?), 2) it looks cooler than the Roland, 3) it sounds closer to a real sax than the (standard sax sounds) of the AE-10. Things I prefer about the Roland: 1) Much better display and you can change parameters directly on the instrument (the Yamaha requires a phone app and the details are handled remotely); 2) a total of 4 octave keys (two higher and two lower) - which is really handy as you can actually skip palm keys if you prefer and simply press the next higher octave key and finger the "natural note fingering" - (Yamaha should add this to the next gen YDS!), 3) Better display - I play about 10 voices in my cover band on the AE-10 (flute, violin, Bari Sax, 3x Tenor Sax, 2x Alto Sax, Soprano Sax, harmonica)... These are user assigned and I can "name each voice" and it is in the display so I know I have the right one... the Yamaha simply shows U1, U2, etc. so harder to remember). Why 3x Tenor sax's? Each one is in a different "key" so I can play all my favorite songs in the key that is easiest for me to finger... again "real sax players" will call this cheating, but at my age, I go for the easiest path that gets the job done! I hope this was helpful! Cheers!
Thanks for detail introducing.
No problem!
Since this mouth piece and reed to not function as on a real saxophone, must you wet the reed before playing the Yamaha YDS 150 digital saxophone? It's a simple question yet I can't seem to find this answer anywhere. Hopefully, you can provide an answer. Thank you.
Good question! The answer is no, you do not have to wet the reed to play. Honestly, you can remove the ENTIRE mouthpiece and reed setup, and blow directly into the tube/tenon, and get the same sound. The reed does not move in the way a normal cane or even sythetic reed moves. Hope that clears things up!
@@fleming_instruments_and_repair , Thank you very much. I appreciate your response.
You're lucky to get it. Due to the shortage of semiconductors, the production is delayed even in Japan, and it is very difficult to obtain.
YAMAHA is currently suspending orders.
Yes, we sold our last one recently so hopefully it won’t be too long!
Do the Yds has speakers? Thanks. Can I play and hear it with out headphones or amplifier? Thanks.
as I understood it doesn't make any acoustic noise (except key clicking) when you play with headphones, does it? so I can play at night without disturbing my family?
That’s correct! When headphones are applied all the saxophone noise is transferred to them!
non funziona il reset??
Good morning. Thanks for the description of YDS 150. A curiosity! Is it possible to emulate the sound of a violin with this instrument?
Yes! There are lots of voices built-in and a string like tone is easily produced. You can also add or adjust custom voicing as well!
Are you doing the growl with your voice or switching to a distortion patch?
It’s actually built into the voice! At the highest volume it auto-distorts.
@@fleming_instruments_and_repair Which voice is that? One of the altos, I guess. I wonder if one of the tenors does the same thing.
@@ubizmo can’t recall, but yes there is a tenor voice with the same effect!
It's a Yamaha snake charmer horn looks like a sax but is different in all aspects when playing.
Haha! That gave us a laugh 🐍
Do you recommend this for beginner?
Honestly, no. Due to the lack of any feedback in the mouthpiece I would not suggest these for beginners. If you wish to learn the sax, I’d still start with a quality intermediate horn with functioning mouthpiece.
Wow🎉
I bought my YDS-150 as soon as it became available, but had to give it up. Yamaha has a great concept there, but the key switches are poorly designed and some of them require a lot of pressure to make contact. The required squeezing is very unhealthy and can easily cause hand and tendon injuries as well as contributing to poor technique. Even though the Roland Aerophones (I play the AE-10) have more primitive looking buttons instead of keys they work far better than the YDS-150 keys and are much healthier for your hands and tendons. I do prefer my Emeo to the Roland because its keys are actual saxophone keys, but it is significantly more expensive and I really do like the Roland Aerophone. Glen Quarrie professional saxophonist and retired lecturer of sax at Carnegie Mellon University
All great choices listed here as well! It’s all about preference. The new EMEO is great looking too. Looking forward to trying one soon.
Can I have it
Sure can! Give us a call.
@@fleming_instruments_and_repair how much for it
You have to try the EMEO, which is far superior in all respects
Unless your aim is to have an instrument on which you can practice the fingering used on an acoustic saxophone.
@@barthvapour This is the case and I have a YDS-150 (but also an EWIUSB, 4000 and Aerophone AE30), nothing happens at the level of the EMEO! the feeling of playing on a traditional Sax is there. And to work on a piece the transition between an EMEO and the Sax (Alto for me) is done naturally, which is not the case with other controllers and even less the Yamaha YDS-150
Lo strumento dopo un anno non suona più ed è ingestibile, soprattutto sul cambio di semitono fa/fa# , sol sol#,la campana del sax risulta molto lunga ed e' sempre svitata ,in pratica 900 € buttati ,sconsiglio vivamente l’acquisto ,e penso che la Yamaha per serietà come azienda dovrebbe ritirare lo strumento e risarcire gli acquirenti che si trovano in mano un affare che non suona
Un son de m....
il sax emette solo un suono... Aiuto
Change the voicing with the arrow buttons on the back!
sorry ...sounds like a goose !
That’s ok! It’s not supposed to replace a real sax. Just supplement.
Clearly first prize for optical ugliness 🙄