🤣🤣🤣 I want to get one for my Dad...he's a sailor and wants to bring his sax out on his next trip. I think this would be way more sea worthy! The salt air will kill the sax I think. Plus he loves Star Wars so it'll be an easy sell. Thanks for the thought.
I was looking at this for my daughter, who is very musically talented. After watching this, I'm thinking maybe I should get it for me, who has no musical talent but wants a starting point.
I understand why he wouldn't use it in a gig as I'm a Sax player myself. However, it would make for a good surprise during a Jazz Solo or even for just one song in a gig.
If you play the recorder, this can be a nice instrument to continue improving to the next level. A lot of people have not played the recorder flute professionally. I consider that all the woodwinds instruments have a purpose for different performers.
I’ve had one of these in the case for a couple of years, an impulse purchase at the time. I may just drag it out and try again, thanks to your upbeat recommendation! I’ve been a stringed instrument player for about half-century (pedal steel guitar), so woodwinds are a different world for me. Your presentation made me have a “just might be able to make this work” attitude towards this curiosity. Thanks for your video, and especially for your great attitude!
oooo I used to play the oboe when I was in middle, jr high and High school, this is intriguing. I'm now 66 years old and might need to get one of these for the fun of it.
There's a little black removable stopper in one of the Venova holes, and whether it is in place or not determines whether you should use the German or Baroque fingering. Don't use the wrong system. The extra tiny tube projecting away from the mouthpiece is the most clever feature of it. It doesn't do anything, it's not a hole to cover up, but mathematically it is equivalent to changing the profile of the instrument from a "cylindrical" profile like a recorder or flute to a "conical" profile like the structure of a saxophone, giving the soprano saxophone timbre.
Years ago, well over a decade, I used to play the alto sax, been contemplating buying a used one off ebay to get back into it, saw this goofy looking thing and thought I'd check it out, thank you for making me smile. It sounds not too bad, though I might snag one of these and a used alto for good measure.
Thanks! Was looking at this in a store today. I used to play sax but don't really need one as I'm now mostly keyboards. On the other hand this is attractive as an occasional different thing - your playing convinced me right away that it sounds great! Also a Sonny Rollins fan so good choice of demo tune!
Very nice video! LOved it. I have one of these and am just getting back into playing music. I used to play the Alto Sax but am just looking to casually play for fun - this is a fun instrument.
First off, great video, definitely gonna follow for more. Secondly, I play Clarinet and Tin Whistle and this seems like a perfect in between. I purchased one for a soprano sax sound without spending too much (plus it looks hella sci fi). Thanks for a great video review!
Really enjoyed your review, D. I'm a guitarist who has been looking for a MIDI synth sax sound for guitar. But this looks like much more fun to play onstage.
You say "of course not" for bringing it to a gig, which makes sense after stopping to think for a moment... but you managed to make it sound so warm, it made me think-- wait, what, why not?-- at first. Some other reviewers got a little more technical and described the range limits, and compared reeds, which is the missing puzzle piece in your vid, I think. They didn't make the instrument play as well as you did, though. So ultimately I think they underrated it. Thanks.
It sounds more like an early baroque oboe, and not like a saxophone. Is it good or bad? I do not know. But I know one thing: you have to treat this instrument neither as an oboe, nor as a saxophone. The purpose of this new brand instrument is, on my humble opinion, to deliver a single reed instrument with easy fingerings for those whom wished to play oboe, saxophone (or even clarinet) but cannot do it (either they do not have the suficient money for it, or because they do not have the proper amount of time to spend on learning a "true" keyed single - or double - reed instrument).
String instrument? Good to go? Viola/violin? How about slide whistle? I've also played tiddly winks. Will that help? Sounds like a good student instrument for grade school kids to learn on, along with plastic recorders.
Don't throw it in the box. Get yourself a good recorder method book e.g. Von Trappe Family and work through that. And go with the baroque fingering. German fingering is easier to start but a pain in the neck when you move onto the full chromatic scale and the upper register.
This instrument will be different in terms of embouchure compared with a recorder or clarinet or even saxophone. The reason why Yamaha has made it so compact is because of the squiggly piping of this instrument. While thats a good thing, you need more pressure from your lungs and a tighter seal in your embouchure to make notes. If you are used to playing tenor or baritone level instruments, then you will have no problem playing this one. If you want to give your lungs exercise to play more bassier instruments, this might be the right instrument to practice on.
Would you say this instrument could be used as a cheap practice segway for a bassist/guitarist who doesn't have sax money right now but would like to experiment and practice with the concept?
I am thinking of learning the Saxophone but they’re expensive and I don’t want to have spent a lot of money on a sax and then not be able to learn it, would this be a good starting “sax”? In other words, will I be able to play an actual sax if I practice on the Venova?
I use to play a Trumpet, I'd like to try this. I'm also learning a Harmonica. I have been looking at those other "mini sax" out there too. Do you have a vid comparing some? Thanks for the vid.
All I want this/ a sax for is to play the sax solo in pink Floyd's money. I can play guitar, bass, drums, some piano, and sing.. Which course of action should I take between buying a venova, a sax, or trying to hire a sax player? Also I do have geoshred with all the instrument patches including sax.
That little pipe at the top? The weird one just poking out for no apparent reason? If you plug that thing up, it'll drop the register down to where the instrument sounds more like a clarinet, and less like an oboe. It sounds SO MUCH better like that. Just find a piece of cork or foam, and trim it to size, and stick it in there. Also, the reed that comes with it didn't work well for me. I tried several kinds before buying a $15 Bari soprano saxophone reed in medium soft, and it made a huge difference. This is my first reed instrument, and almost my first instrument of any kind in decades, and the new reed is the difference between a few painful, ugly squawks, and something that starts to actually sound a little bit like music. So highly recommended.
mranster I'm new to reed instrument and thingking to change my reed because I think there's something wrong with the reed that came with the instrument. Which size should I buy? 2 or 2.5?
Do you use a differnet Yamaha head and reed to the one that comes with the instrument, because no matter how hard I try, mine sounds like a strangled duck ? :)
Ha...me too! Actually for the playing portion of the video I used a Selmer C* soprano sax mouthpiece with a non-synthetic reed. Maybe try using a cane reed instead of the plastic one that came with it...before investing in another mouthpiece :)
@@DeMariusJackson I spent the first four months solely on the resin reed to see how much I could get out of it, and I like it. However, a cane reed (I use a 2 1/2) gives the VENOVA a darker, and in some ways richer tone. As with all wind instruments, the embouchure is key. Most of what one hears is shaped by that.
Hey DeMarius, there's an F between E and G. How could 99% of music and musicians get by without a 5 note scale? I imagine that you're quite upset with my attitude, and won't respond, but here is a sincere (not sarcastic) question: why use a pentatonic scale to illustrate a novel instrument to seasoned wind players or budding new musicians? Also, here is a convenient second opinion to make a point. When I just entered the word, "pentatonic" in this comment, the embedded dictionary spell checker did not even recognize it as a word! Quite a widely unknown and obscure part of music lore. On the plus side of your review, I enjoyed and learned from it!
Was this with the stock plastic reed or a wooden one? Im definitely getting a soft wood reed to start with, just ordered one and theyre only $50 on Amazon right now for the alto
@@DeMariusJackson any reeds you recommend? I have never played a reed instrument before haha... softer tends to be easier to learn, right? Or is it a harder reed I want?
I've only ever played the didgeridoo and I was making tunes with the alto one of these in seconds right out of the box. Back pressure is a bit much for me but I'll get it. Thank you for the video.
Would you consider it a good instrument to just play around with when bored? The saxophone is heavy so having a Venova on my backpack would be convenient to practice when bored between clases (University student)
I heard the venova 100 in a youtube vid by the all plastic orchestra (bolero) and it was playing what I thought was an oboe part and that's what it sounds like to me. What key is this, C? And how do you like the alto sax (vsh 120) by comparison?
I'm watching this, but I know I'm probably going to buy this either way because i want to feel like the cantina music dudes from star wars
Me to bro.
🤣🤣🤣 I want to get one for my Dad...he's a sailor and wants to bring his sax out on his next trip. I think this would be way more sea worthy! The salt air will kill the sax I think. Plus he loves Star Wars so it'll be an easy sell. Thanks for the thought.
Does anyone know if that band had a name?
What better reason??
🤣😂😂😂😂😅😂😂😂
Upvoted for confident pronunciation of Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene.
"upvote"
@@randint He clearly meant "Upvoted him", he simply omitted the pronoun because it wasn't necessary given the context.
@@andy5178 Sorry, I didn't make it clear. I meant that the proper term is "like", not "upvote".
"I am going to review it and let you know if you should get one."
0:29
*Licc Intensifies*
Would you recommend this or the Xaphoon pocket sax?
I was looking at this for my daughter, who is very musically talented. After watching this, I'm thinking maybe I should get it for me, who has no musical talent but wants a starting point.
00:29 the licc
I understand why he wouldn't use it in a gig as I'm a Sax player myself. However, it would make for a good surprise during a Jazz Solo or even for just one song in a gig.
I was not expecting that sound to come out of that instrument.
If you play the recorder, this can be a nice instrument to continue improving to the next level. A lot of people have not played the recorder flute professionally. I consider that all the woodwinds instruments have a purpose for different performers.
“If you play a woodwind instrument”
“No”
“If you play a brass”
“No”
“If you play no instrument”
“Not that either”
LIICC INTENSIFIES
I’ve had one of these in the case for a couple of years, an impulse purchase at the time. I may just drag it out and try again, thanks to your upbeat recommendation! I’ve been a stringed instrument player for about half-century (pedal steel guitar), so woodwinds are a different world for me. Your presentation made me have a “just might be able to make this work” attitude towards this curiosity. Thanks for your video, and especially for your great attitude!
oooo I used to play the oboe when I was in middle, jr high and High school, this is intriguing. I'm now 66 years old and might need to get one of these for the fun of it.
There's a little black removable stopper in one of the Venova holes, and whether it is in place or not determines whether you should use the German or Baroque fingering. Don't use the wrong system.
The extra tiny tube projecting away from the mouthpiece is the most clever feature of it. It doesn't do anything, it's not a hole to cover up, but mathematically it is equivalent to changing the profile of the instrument from a "cylindrical" profile like a recorder or flute to a "conical" profile like the structure of a saxophone, giving the soprano saxophone timbre.
Years ago, well over a decade, I used to play the alto sax, been contemplating buying a used one off ebay to get back into it, saw this goofy looking thing and thought I'd check it out, thank you for making me smile. It sounds not too bad, though I might snag one of these and a used alto for good measure.
Same
MrBruceDmoose same here, played alto then baritone sax back in school but they are so expensive. Going to pick up this as a small side hobby
You're one of the top best reviewers I have ever seen. Well done!!
Wow, thanks!
Great vídeo... thank You
This was a very informative review. I play the guitar but I'm very inclined to pick this instrument up now.
Great review. Great playing! Thanks for taking the time out to make this video!
Thanks for watching!!
I love mine i cannot afford anything but this but I'm able to play Coltrane with this I plated clarinet as a kid so it took a day for me to learn it.
Thank you for the review, Mr. Jackson! I'm going to be picking one up thanks to your video!
Sweet! Let me know how you like!!
This is such a fun video to watch, great job 👏
Glad you enjoyed it!
I wonder what his thoughts are on the YVS-120? There's an "Alto" version that sounds much better.
I love your attitude about music!
that thing is so cool and funny looking at the same time! It looks like so much fun
Thanks! Was looking at this in a store today. I used to play sax but don't really need one as I'm now mostly keyboards. On the other hand this is attractive as an occasional different thing - your playing convinced me right away that it sounds great! Also a Sonny Rollins fan so good choice of demo tune!
Very nice video! LOved it. I have one of these and am just getting back into playing music. I used to play the Alto Sax but am just looking to casually play for fun - this is a fun instrument.
First off, great video, definitely gonna follow for more. Secondly, I play Clarinet and Tin Whistle and this seems like a perfect in between. I purchased one for a soprano sax sound without spending too much (plus it looks hella sci fi). Thanks for a great video review!
Thank you!! I appreciate it!
Great review, Thanks!!! (...and what a great musician does it!!!! Bravo!!!)
Thanks DeMarius . . . very educational 💯 👍🏾
I was like “pleeeease play the licc” and u did WHAT A MADMAN HAHAHAHA
Great video man, I enjoyed!
0:59 it looks like it says 'VENOM' on the case 😄
CC: Fingers go down, pitch goes down, fingers go up, pitch goes up, very easy.
Guitar players: Well, actually...
Lol 😂
You know a video is good when the player starts the video with the lick
Really enjoyed your review, D. I'm a guitarist who has been looking for a MIDI synth sax sound for guitar. But this looks like much more fun to play onstage.
You say "of course not" for bringing it to a gig, which makes sense after stopping to think for a moment... but you managed to make it sound so warm, it made me think-- wait, what, why not?-- at first.
Some other reviewers got a little more technical and described the range limits, and compared reeds, which is the missing puzzle piece in your vid, I think. They didn't make the instrument play as well as you did, though. So ultimately I think they underrated it.
Thanks.
Just got one yesterday and it goes well with kleizemer music 🎶 jam on bro
It sounds more like an early baroque oboe, and not like a saxophone. Is it good or bad? I do not know. But I know one thing: you have to treat this instrument neither as an oboe, nor as a saxophone. The purpose of this new brand instrument is, on my humble opinion, to deliver a single reed instrument with easy fingerings for those whom wished to play oboe, saxophone (or even clarinet) but cannot do it (either they do not have the suficient money for it, or because they do not have the proper amount of time to spend on learning a "true" keyed single - or double - reed instrument).
Is it the same fingering as an alto
String instrument? Good to go? Viola/violin? How about slide whistle? I've also played tiddly winks. Will that help?
Sounds like a good student instrument for grade school kids to learn on, along with plastic recorders.
Oh God, I just bougth one of these, but watching this guy playing I think it's better cry and cry while I keep my instrument inside its box.
Don't throw it in the box. Get yourself a good recorder method book e.g. Von Trappe Family and work through that. And go with the baroque fingering. German fingering is easier to start but a pain in the neck when you move onto the full chromatic scale and the upper register.
This instrument will be different in terms of embouchure compared with a recorder or clarinet or even saxophone. The reason why Yamaha has made it so compact is because of the squiggly piping of this instrument. While thats a good thing, you need more pressure from your lungs and a tighter seal in your embouchure to make notes. If you are used to playing tenor or baritone level instruments, then you will have no problem playing this one. If you want to give your lungs exercise to play more bassier instruments, this might be the right instrument to practice on.
how proud were you to nail that compound name
Immediately into “the lick” love it.
You are amazing! What do you think about reeds? Any recommendations?
I am drunk in a bus and started laughing dor thw licj :DD
Would you recommend this one or the Stein Concerto Tenor G on Songbirdocarina? If you could only pick one...
Such a great video, thanks you!
You left out the F and B in the C scale. Any reason why???
Any way to correct for that intonation problem?
What if I played the oboe would this be easy to play?
Very well explained, thank you
I dont even need to hold down the high octave key, is that normal?
one question. I live in an appartment and want to avoid trouble with my landlord. How loud is the Venova in comparison to a Sax?
That Wikipedia article read was incredible. It'd take me hours to get the reading right.
Would you say this instrument could be used as a cheap practice segway for a bassist/guitarist who doesn't have sax money right now but would like to experiment and practice with the concept?
Sure! A recorder would probably work as well...however, since the Venova uses a soprano sax mouthpiece it would probably be more beneficial!
Does it have the same fingering as an alto sax
not looking super close cuz I'm tired but is that fingering the same as an alto sax?
I am thinking of learning the Saxophone but they’re expensive and I don’t want to have spent a lot of money on a sax and then not be able to learn it, would this be a good starting “sax”? In other words, will I be able to play an actual sax if I practice on the Venova?
What a great video and great guy.
I use to play a Trumpet, I'd like to try this. I'm also learning a Harmonica. I have been looking at those other "mini sax" out there too. Do you have a vid comparing some? Thanks for the vid.
All I want this/ a sax for is to play the sax solo in pink Floyd's money. I can play guitar, bass, drums, some piano, and sing.. Which course of action should I take between buying a venova, a sax, or trying to hire a sax player? Also I do have geoshred with all the instrument patches including sax.
Immediately hits the lick
this may be good to help keep embouchure while traveling without my horn
I play violin and I want to learn a woodwind. I can't decide between alto sax or clarinet, but maybe I should get one of these...?
Great review
Wonderful review sir.
Thank you!
Thanks for your video. Can you please let us know if we can play all 3 octaves on this? Low, C, High?
That little pipe at the top? The weird one just poking out for no apparent reason? If you plug that thing up, it'll drop the register down to where the instrument sounds more like a clarinet, and less like an oboe. It sounds SO MUCH better like that. Just find a piece of cork or foam, and trim it to size, and stick it in there.
Also, the reed that comes with it didn't work well for me. I tried several kinds before buying a $15 Bari soprano saxophone reed in medium soft, and it made a huge difference. This is my first reed instrument, and almost my first instrument of any kind in decades, and the new reed is the difference between a few painful, ugly squawks, and something that starts to actually sound a little bit like music. So highly recommended.
mranster I'm new to reed instrument and thingking to change my reed because I think there's something wrong with the reed that came with the instrument. Which size should I buy? 2 or 2.5?
*thinking
How did you clean the venova? Ist didn‘t work for me
The fingering isnt really the problem, blowing it is. Blowing a recorder and this thing is very much different. It resembles blowing on a sax.
It sounds ok.
Surprised me.
Do you use a differnet Yamaha head and reed to the one that comes with the instrument, because no matter how hard I try, mine sounds like a strangled duck ? :)
Ha...me too! Actually for the playing portion of the video I used a Selmer C* soprano sax mouthpiece with a non-synthetic reed. Maybe try using a cane reed instead of the plastic one that came with it...before investing in another mouthpiece :)
@@DeMariusJackson I spent the first four months solely on the resin reed to see how much I could get out of it, and I like it. However, a cane reed (I use a 2 1/2) gives the VENOVA a darker, and in some ways richer tone. As with all wind instruments, the embouchure is key. Most of what one hears is shaped by that.
Is it like a saxophone? Cuz i know how to play the alt saxophone
Thanks for your post!
Thanks buddy ✌🏿🎶🎷
Gret to see you post videos, by the way, do you still play the Eastman 52'nd street? And if u do, maybe do a review? :)
What about bassoon will it be easy for me
Definitely!
Hey DeMarius, there's an F between E and G. How could 99% of music and musicians get by without a 5 note scale? I imagine that you're quite upset with my attitude, and won't respond, but here is a sincere (not sarcastic) question: why use a pentatonic scale to illustrate a novel instrument to seasoned wind players or budding new musicians? Also, here is a convenient second opinion to make a point. When I just entered the word, "pentatonic" in this comment, the embedded dictionary spell checker did not even recognize it as a word! Quite a widely unknown and obscure part of music lore. On the plus side of your review, I enjoyed and learned from it!
Get it Bro!!! Im subscribing! Im launching mine too
Was this with the stock plastic reed or a wooden one?
Im definitely getting a soft wood reed to start with, just ordered one and theyre only $50 on Amazon right now for the alto
This was with a wooden reed. I did notice that the prices went down!!
@@DeMariusJackson any reeds you recommend? I have never played a reed instrument before haha... softer tends to be easier to learn, right? Or is it a harder reed I want?
when you start it off with a lich what can go wrong, DeMarius??
Can you tune this instrument?
Is jsax 2.0 better or worse then this
I've only ever played the didgeridoo and I was making tunes with the alto one of these in seconds right out of the box. Back pressure is a bit much for me but I'll get it. Thank you for the video.
Nice video thanks well done
What about sharps and flats though
Is there any app to learn Venova ? I am completely new to this , but have some knowledge of playing keyboard
You sound great on this cheap plastic pipe! I’d like the red model!
Can this instrument play in C minor keys ?
I wonder how this one compares to the Jsax. I'm trying to decide between the two...
Well. What did you decide? I'm at the same point now myself.
Great attitude
Does it have a reed? Need to convince my bd to switch me form trumpet to sax and maybe this is it..
Yes it does use a reed :)
Thanks for this. I reckon the instrument would look less toyish if the plastic part was coloured ivory or wood look, but it sounded nice to me
Would you consider it a good instrument to just play around with when bored? The saxophone is heavy so having a Venova on my backpack would be convenient to practice when bored between clases (University student)
No
I heard the venova 100 in a youtube vid by the all plastic orchestra (bolero) and it was playing what I thought was an oboe part and that's what it sounds like to me. What key is this, C? And how do you like the alto sax (vsh 120) by comparison?
I read a review on reddit that said the intervals between the notes in the upper register were wrong... is that true?
There aren't wrong...more so heavily out of tune :/
I'm a simple man. I hear the lick, I like subscribe and comment.
I’m gonna order this!
How edited is the sound of the vanova? I would like to buy one and I want to know if it sounds decent.
I didn't edit it at all.
DeMarius Jackson ok thank you very much I will definitely be buying one now!!!
Qual é a hora que você toca?
I play an Ocarina. So i may have to try this.