This is a promising start. An electric sax that replicates exact feel of a real sax is needed to suit after hours and quiet practice....as others have said something that responds to or relies on embrochure would be a dream
You should check out the old WX-7 - I've had one for years and as it supports lip bend you can be MUCH MUCH MUCH more expressive with it. Vibrato and pitch bend with your embouchure are both possible and while it doesn't feel like a real horn, specifically pitch bend is a bit tough, but vibrato on the WX-7 is very easy and natural. Very disappointing they wouldn't have included that on such a modern device. Pair the WX-7 with a modern sync, I use the (now older) VL70m and you can get some rather impressive sounds out of it. The sax sounds suck, at least for a sax player, but the other woodwinds - specifically the flutes - are extremely impressive.
It's the first in-depth intro to this instrument, much appreciated. I am a current Roland AE-10 user, YDS 150's build quality, bluetooth function, new USB interface all looks superior, I'm very anticipate to this one.
Hey Thank you so much for this video. I own a Roland aerophone ae-10. I have to say I like it as long im using a external speaker. After watching and learning about this yamaha I'm taken by it. Is an Elegant instrument and sound beautiful. Let be real. It will never replace our 🎷 by a long shot. But its a fun instrument to play with
Mine turned up today at around 11.30 AM ( 30th October bang on schedule from pre order ) It is awesome. When the Missus was watching TV 4 foot away This evening I had my headphones on practicing and she couldn’t hear a thing. Even the press down on the keys is silent and hardly any blow can be heard in the instrument. I have only been playing and learning my Alto for 14 months so the key positions are vital to me to be able to pick up the real thing and make good use of the silent practice. This is going to be a game changer for anyone that needs to practice at unsociable hours. It sounds great through its own speaker but through the headphones it is brilliant. I’ve done nothing but play with this all day and tonight. I honestly couldn’t be happier with it.
Yes I agree with this. I have had one for a few days and while it may not sound like a real sax, you can practice many techniques any time - so long as you also get time to practice tone etc on a real horn as well.
Thank you for this helpful video. I ordered mine back in Mach and it arrived in UK on Weds and with me Thursday. I’m 66 years old, just a basic self taught player in my late 40s…..and I had a lot of fun and satisfaction from my alto and tenor. But then I got ill;became disabled; and had dentures fitted. Still not in the best of health but retired I tried playing again and just didn’t have the breath or embouchure…….then I read about this and it has solved all my problems.
Probably the most intriguing wind synth on the market right now. Would love to try it out and see how the real sax key layout feels. However, tones still aren't good enough for a professional player imo, and that's going to limit this thing massively
Hopefully it should have midi out so you can put it through any synth box (it will have breath response data) i have a WX5 which I use solely for silent practice.
@@patrickkyle4601 according to the yamaha promo video, it does have a usb midi out and you can see the micro usb port in the photos on the yamaha site.
Appears to be a great practice tool that also happens to be a lot of fun to play. Few people will buy it instead of a saxophone or to replace their saxophone. Play anywhere anytime and easy to travel with. When I travel on a plane, I'm thrilled I'll be able to take this instead of my "real" sax.
That you can basically practice all four types of saxophones on the same 700 dollar instrument more than makes it worth the cost. If further iterations include mouthpiece manipulation, this thing will become the gold standard for digital sax.
Just got a used one for much less than a 120. I fitted an alto neck and mp and use the alto neck strap. Added and mounted a rechargeable battery. Figured out the controller out setting in the app. Configured SWAM on iOS. It now replaced my EWI, AEROPHONEs and WX controllers. This is my daily driver.
What I am still not convinced about is how well they replicated the feel of a real saxophone in terms of fingering. In other words: is it a good tool for practicing without bothering neighbours?
Oh man, I am so tempted. My wallet is itching.... must.... wait.... Edit: Man, just read some of these comments. Very very valid criticisms. Maybe I'll wait!
I've had one for a few weeks to try. I've played a WX5 for some time so was thinking it was in that area. It is not designed for that market, although it does has several synth sounds. It is a lot of fun to play. when I quit trying to make it a traditional sax, I started getting more fun and understanding of it. This is a good video showing the options. people who wan t to learn sax or have played but not in a long time will really enjoy it. I am going to spend some time with it and see how aI can best use it.
Hi Richard, would you mind sharing your comparison between the fingering action of the wx5 and the YDS. I have the ewi 5000 and prefer it because there are no keys. The wx5 had no spring in it's keys making it hard to play fast passages. How does the YDS compare?
Hi Richard, I see that you've had the YDS-150 for some time now so I thought perhaps you can answer a vital question for me regarding it. Since it is not designed for a swab, how do you clean the residual condensation (saliva) from this instrument? I would imagine that over time, if it's not cleaned fairly regularly, it can become a breeding ground for bacteria.
I've played on a wx11 for over 20 years and the one thing that makes this controller unique is the pitch bend, lip zero control, I think it is the same on the wx7. This is the one feature that gives really nice control over expressive vibrato. With the wx5, it's as though they designed out the sensitivity of the best feature of that controller. Also have played on an Akai 4000 but always go back to my trusty old wx11 that has a soul. Yamaha, If it works don't fix it!
Without the emulation of pitch bend, vibrato, altissimo through embouchure, the only thing that this would help for the purpose of sax practice seems to be the fingering and keys as far as I can tell.
I think the 3rd/4th generation of this instrument will be amazing. For me the sound is akin to a child's toy, key response slow and you can't vary tone through your embouchure. Sure in 5-6 years all those issues will be resolved.
One advantage of the Roland AE -10 compared to other similar products is that it features a bite sensor to adjust the pitch so that it is possible to play bending notes.
I’m a little surprised about the amount of negative comments, but I’ve no intention of cancelling my order. It’s not perfect some way of doing vibrato and bends with the mouthpiece would have been great. That said though being able to practice anytime anywhere ‘ with the identical key layout is ideal. Also the app allowing to program your own altissimo fingering is a bonus I didn’t expect. Does anyone know if the app is avail either yer
Just got one. Played half an hour. They have done a great job with the key work. It feels like a sax in your hands. It is very lite. It is a shame the bell does not seem to come off. Seems cosmetic and it would be easier for travel without this. It is not a strong instrument either. Keys feel they could snap with a knock. It does not feel like blowing a sax. But in a hotel, or at night, or wherever you can practice licks, scales, changes, melodies all you want and this will transfer to your horn. I will now take it with me as I travel. I will miss my horn, but really glad I have this to take with me so in the evenings I can still sit and work on music I am presently looking at. I could not get it to sound exactly like a real sax, but with the earphones on it was certainly good enough to use to practice. Not sure how long batteries will last but you can also connect to computer with USB/5V which you have to buy yourself. I think it is great. For people who find it hard to practice due to noise, this is something special. I would be very interested to try some of the others coming onto the market that also hav sex keywork. I am less bothered by the sound and more with how practice transfers to the real horn.
I think it’ll be interesting when users start posting their settings that give it some near sax sounds. I have heard a few demos that ain’t bad, and also heard some that worried me as they sounded horrible. But these two demos I think ain’t bad at all if I can get mine to sound this good th-cam.com/video/-vvFHK4rgt4/w-d-xo.html th-cam.com/video/ZREVvVnKxdU/w-d-xo.html
@@abolajiidowu8284 Yes, great point. Also I am sure it will help just when I get used to how to blow it. I am playing it like my real sax, when this is clearly not the way to do it. And I just tried with the earphones again and its not bad at all. But agreed, will be useful when people start sharing.
Jim, your professionalism and consequent very good and comprehensive review made me sit through your video to help your statistics in the channel. As soon as I understood that the mouthpiece is purely cosmetic, my initial enthusiasm got completely killed. I guess the people watching your channel are actually looking for a silent sax that is completely realistic in fingering and embouchure. I know there are these silencer cases to put a sax into while playing but these have a very high psychological barrier to purchase.I think a sensor to measure lip pressure would have been easy and a second sensor to register tonguing too.
I returned mine immediately due to an unsatisfactory amount of real time controllable influence over the sounds from the mouthpiece. It is so much more satisfying to play a saxophone quietly.
Agreed! I love my EWI 4000S for that exact reason! I love expressive synth sounds that I can edit to my liking. Acoustic instrument sounds are useless.
The demo was done very well. The product was well represented. But like others who commented, I too was hoping for more from Yamaha. Literally decades ago Yamaha made the VL70-m paired with the WX5. Way ahead of it's time. If they updated what they had it would have been amazing. But they didn't. I'm sure this new synth is good. But it could have been fabulous!
It is worth noting that the title of this video called it a digital sax and not a wind synth. It is an impressive accomplishment, however I don’t understand why any sax player would use this digital sax over a real sax. I guess their target market is people who don’t play the sax but wish they could? I love my Akai EWI, but I use it to supplement my sax use with synth sounds...I don’t try to digitally recreate sax sounds! Regardless, Yamaha has got people talking with this thing, and I’m sure they will sell many of them.
Man... I have been waiting for a new Yamaha Wind Synth! This one looks great. I am going to get it just because of the physical layout of the keys! The only thing I wish they would have done was put some expression sensors in the mouthpiece. Well...maybe in the next model! I wish Yamaha would buy the Lyricon patent and bring back that instrument. The original machine used additive synthesis which I have never seen in any other synth. This new synth is going to be THE wind synth to have. I am looking forward to the new models as they improve the instrument.
Hi Jim. I've had my YDS for 6 months. After 4 months the F# key stopped sounding after short sessions and occasionally the G# key as well. Adjusting responses in the instrument made no difference. Also, the Octave key seized up and became a touch sensitive option but I assume that was a precursor to the octave key failing to work at all. I have returned it to the store and have a store credit to purchase another if they ever become freely available here in Australia. I am disappointed that the instrument appears to lack a robustness I would expect in an instrument costing in excess of AUD$1,000. On the other hand, it was a most amazing instrument to play and I preferred to pick it up rather than my tenor. Neighbours and my wife were very appreciative I can tell you. I am hoping a replacement YDS will be able to cope with regular playing and that I just happened to have received a "lemon", in car parlance.
The video is very useful ... but you can make a video in which you can see and hear the response you have used as a MIDI controller, that is, using the USB MIDI output connected to an external device, for example MAINSTAGE, or a module of external sound. Thank you very much from the Canary Islands!
I agree I still like my Roland ae10 better although I do wish it did have that Bluetooth feature which I think is cool and I suggested it a while back that I wish it had Bluetooth
Thank you for your video. I want to learn the sax, and am leaning towards this digital instrument as it would give me the option of playing both tenor and alto.. rather then needing to choose between buying either a traditional tenor or alto (which is a very hard choice as I can see the beauty in both). Would you recommend this for a complete beginner to practice on? Thank you in advance for any guidance!
Keep in mind I do not own this or any other synth nor am I opposed to them in any way(I find them kinda sexy actually). But my personal opinion would be start on an actual sax. It's such a hard thing to describe but you won't get the real feel of learning with sax with an electronic instrument. Although the sax and guitar are two different instruments, Keith Richards of the rolling stones is a firm believer in learning acoustic before you try an electric guitar. Which also applies here. You can't feel an electric instrument like you can the real deal. Very long winded but I hope this helps!
Were you using an external speaker, or was that the built-in speaker that we hear in the video? Also, does the app allow you to transpose sax voices to the key of C?
Great Video Jim. Can you edit a voice sound by using the App and then download and save it to one of the user setting so that it can be played in the stand-alone mode? Also can you modify the alto sounds to always be in Bb when played?
Well done Yamaha! Awesome practice instrument for those living in apartments. Real shame they decided not to add a lip bend option, they should develop more modulation controls into a mouthpiece. The analog control looks much better than the WX5 and Akai. 90% sure I will have to add one to my kit at some point.
Indeed, as a teenager I was used to playing 4 hours a day for years, when I started living in apartments this just wasn't possible anymore if at all. With this out I can practice songs and scales again. 🙌
When I was gigging more on clarinet I only rarely needed to play saxophone, but when I did it seems like they always called for 8 measures on soprano, 24 on alto, and then another 8 on bari (all in the background supporting the real sax players), making three or four extra instruments to bring for just a few minutes of sound. This could've been a device to lighten the gig bag dramatically.
Jim, Great video. Can you permanently set the YDS so that all the voices play in Bb and copy a current voice to one the User voices. Also, does this all get reset once the unit is turned off and back on. Thanks.
So what are the non-sax sounds? Are they all synths or are there other instruments? Does the fingering adjust to the instrument you're playing? and can you add more instruments from a database like you can with the Akai 4000s?
The sax patch dynamics sound all wrong. That's a shame, but I assume one might still use it with something that actually sounds good, like Audio Modeling's SWAM saxophones, even if that means having to have a computer in the signal chain.
I'm looking to get back into the sax. Should I choose this or a different wind synth? I can't go with any analogue instrument because I'm in an apartment.
I got an email from Yamaha today. I clicked and was looking at instruments. I have a bunch of guitars, a Yamaha sax, bass guitars, pianos and other stuff. I got the sax so I could learn jazz. But I don't like playing because my stepfather is upstairs and I always hear sighs. haha I get it through. The thing is loud. In the email, first thing I saw was a synth. Man, I want that and it shall be mine. But then I saw this digital sax. I wanted it. I looked and say it for under $800. Which was a lower price then on the Yamaha site. I checked Amazon and they had it for the same low price. Said it ships in 1 - 2 months. So, I got it. While out today, people probably thought I was high. haha I was so pumped full of excitement.
Also wondering if Yamaha will allow other patches to be loaded on this at some point. Again, just wondering. Mine arrives tomorrow so let’s see what I think of this. Unlike most people here, I’m not a professional, I’m just someone that loves music and I have an alto and a soprano. However I love the idea of silent practice, playing along to a song on my headphone and I honestly believe that one day, an electronic sax will be better than accoustic. It’s all a matter of time
Hi Abolaji, I see that you've had the YDS-150 for some time now so I thought perhaps you can answer a vital question for me regarding it. Since it is not designed for a swab, how do you clean the residual condensation (saliva) from this instrument? I would imagine that over time, if it's not cleaned fairly regularly, it can become a breeding ground for bacteria.
I have had the sax about 3 weeks now. I am surprised how much I use it. I got it for travel and played it for two weeks while staying in a hotel in quarantine in China, travelling there for work. But now I use it every evening. I play my real horn as well for a few hours each day, but later I sit and practice changes and patterns in the evening for a few hours. I do think it sounds basically like a kid's keyboard. But in the hands the keys feel like a sax. I would suggest you can use it to practice like a real horn in important and useful ways. I cannot see the purpose of the brass bell. It seems simply decoration. Given the general quality of the sound, it does not seem to be doing much at all. It maybe adds to the weight a bit. This a very light object. Good for carrying. I think perhaps the bari is the best sound in it, I would say. There is one softer, breathy, sax sound that I tend to use. The volume from the horn itself is not so loud either. It gets through batteries fast, but I play it with a USB/5v cable to my computer.
Hi David, I see that you've had the YDS-150 for some time now so I thought perhaps you can answer a vital question for me regarding it. Since it is not designed for a swab, how do you clean the residual condensation (saliva) from this instrument? I would imagine that over time, if it's not cleaned fairly regularly, it can become a breeding ground for bacteria.
@@d.williams7887 No more than a normal sax really. But I notice that you have to take the mouth piece off every few times and rinse it off. I also then just wipe round with a damp cloth in the closed bit it fits onto. And a few times then cleaned in there with a little alcohol rub. I am using this a lot though later in the evenings and whereas with my actual sax I always remove the mouthpiece after playing I tend to leave this one on, slightly worried the rubber band things might wear out.
hi i liked it , i got my second tenor from u < but off late my jaw gets locked when i play its beacuse of pressure and have been un able to play , its called TMJ disorder am missing my sax play just want to know whether i can blow with less pressure and get the same sound can i begin playing sax again i am excited to know thanks
As a WX7 player I'm really disappointed this doesn't support lip pitch bend, specially for vibrato. Anything that's required me to use a thumb/finger for it never worked for me and the ability to be super expressive with that on my WX7 is one of my favorite features. Otherwise it looks amazingly fun.
The wx11 also had the similar feature of really organic sounding pitch bend for realistic sounding vibrato. After the original wind controllers wx7 and 11, Yamaha seemed to have dropped the ball somewhere.
When I play with just a reed and mouthpiece it makes quite a bit of noise. Does this produce that same noise when using headphones? If not, is it just fully absorbed into the horn? Thanks in advance, really interested in using with headphones while babies are asleep.
I just use my Helicon Voiceplay harmonizer if I want effects on my sax or to sound like a section. years ago I had the Maestro box which basically had all the sounds that this Yamaha has!
...emulating perfect sax sound is kinda not the point right? If you can play this, you can play a regular saxophone and sound good. I think new sounds is the way to go with something like this. Do what Brecker and Mitzner did in the 80's, but with better sounds. This is like a digital keyboard for woodwind players. Not a sax replacement.
Not true, because the hardest part about a real sax is is manipulating the sounds with the mouth piece.. you could play like a pro on this and have no ability to play a real sax
Sounds very electronic. Can you keep the tuning in c like on the EWI 50000 or does it only play in the Bb, Eb fingering keys? I would of Leo liked to see Yamaha use the sounds like the keyboard. What is the weight of instrument?
@@45zapatero I would assume so, Yamaha doesn't have a lot of info out there yet, but I was curious about the midi functionality as well and I only saw it mentioned in the official promo teaser video from yamaha but you can also see the micro USB port on the photos on the yamaha website.
This is a promising start. An electric sax that replicates exact feel of a real sax is needed to suit after hours and quiet practice....as others have said something that responds to or relies on embrochure would be a dream
You should check out the old WX-7 - I've had one for years and as it supports lip bend you can be MUCH MUCH MUCH more expressive with it. Vibrato and pitch bend with your embouchure are both possible and while it doesn't feel like a real horn, specifically pitch bend is a bit tough, but vibrato on the WX-7 is very easy and natural. Very disappointing they wouldn't have included that on such a modern device. Pair the WX-7 with a modern sync, I use the (now older) VL70m and you can get some rather impressive sounds out of it. The sax sounds suck, at least for a sax player, but the other woodwinds - specifically the flutes - are extremely impressive.
We hope you enjoyed the vid! We 💖 RoboSop 🤖 🎷
It's the first in-depth intro to this instrument, much appreciated. I am a current Roland AE-10 user, YDS 150's build quality, bluetooth function, new USB interface all looks superior, I'm very anticipate to this one.
Awesome work Jim Cheek
Hey Thank you so much for this video. I own a Roland aerophone ae-10. I have to say I like it as long im using a external speaker. After watching and learning about this yamaha I'm taken by it. Is an Elegant instrument and sound beautiful. Let be real. It will never replace our 🎷 by a long shot. But its a fun instrument to play with
Mine turned up today at around 11.30 AM ( 30th October bang on schedule from pre order )
It is awesome. When the Missus was watching TV 4 foot away This evening I had my headphones on practicing and she couldn’t hear a thing. Even the press down on the keys is silent and hardly any blow can be heard in the instrument.
I have only been playing and learning my Alto for 14 months so the key positions are vital to me to be able to pick up the real thing and make good use of the silent practice. This is going to be a game changer for anyone that needs to practice at unsociable hours.
It sounds great through its own speaker but through the headphones it is brilliant.
I’ve done nothing but play with this all day and tonight.
I honestly couldn’t be happier with it.
Yes I agree with this. I have had one for a few days and while it may not sound like a real sax, you can practice many techniques any time - so long as you also get time to practice tone etc on a real horn as well.
This is great for the neighbors of a beginner sax player.
This is exactly why I want to get an electric saxophone… I don’t want to let apartment living get in the way
As a trumpet player who always wanted to learn sax that thing is baller for me.
Thank you for this helpful video. I ordered mine back in Mach and it arrived in UK on Weds and with me Thursday. I’m 66 years old, just a basic self taught player in my late 40s…..and I had a lot of fun and satisfaction from my alto and tenor. But then I got ill;became disabled; and had dentures fitted. Still not in the best of health but retired I tried playing again and just didn’t have the breath or embouchure…….then I read about this and it has solved all my problems.
So what.
Probably the most intriguing wind synth on the market right now. Would love to try it out and see how the real sax key layout feels. However, tones still aren't good enough for a professional player imo, and that's going to limit this thing massively
Hopefully it should have midi out so you can put it through any synth box (it will have breath response data) i have a WX5 which I use solely for silent practice.
@@patrickkyle4601 according to the yamaha promo video, it does have a usb midi out and you can see the micro usb port in the photos on the yamaha site.
Yo what do you think about the slyphyo?
I was just about to @ you on Twitter to see if you knew about it lol
@@patrickkyle4601 It does. You may need a USB to MIDI converter, though.
Appears to be a great practice tool that also happens to be a lot of fun to play. Few people will buy it instead of a saxophone or to replace their saxophone. Play anywhere anytime and easy to travel with. When I travel on a plane, I'm thrilled I'll be able to take this instead of my "real" sax.
As usual, this is a great, honest and in depth review, Jim. I don't purchase anything expensive until I see what you have to say about it.
That you can basically practice all four types of saxophones on the same 700 dollar instrument more than makes it worth the cost. If further iterations include mouthpiece manipulation, this thing will become the gold standard for digital sax.
Just got a used one for much less than a 120. I fitted an alto neck and mp and use the alto neck strap. Added and mounted a rechargeable battery. Figured out the controller out setting in the app. Configured SWAM on iOS. It now replaced my EWI, AEROPHONEs and WX controllers. This is my daily driver.
What I am still not convinced about is how well they replicated the feel of a real saxophone in terms of fingering. In other words: is it a good tool for practicing without bothering neighbours?
That pitch bend can’t be done with the embouchure is a deal breaker for me.
Yes, unfortunately. If it has a bite sensor in the mouthpiece I think it would be great feature.
Oh man, I am so tempted. My wallet is itching.... must.... wait....
Edit: Man, just read some of these comments. Very very valid criticisms. Maybe I'll wait!
Just don’t run it over pls
Anthony Giordano :’(
I knew you were going to be here man, I can't wait until you review this thing on your channel.
@@Amedeus1756 🤣🤣🤣
Im not surprised. Knowing that Yamaha makes good keyboards and acoustic sounds are one of their best sounds
I’m actually really suprised at the bari sax sound
Yeah me too
Me too
I agree !
Plastic Bari sax...
Bari sound is the ONLY useful thing about this horn. 🙁
I just ordered one of these babies! Thanks for the excellent review!
I've had one for a few weeks to try. I've played a WX5 for some time so was thinking it was in that area. It is not designed for that market, although it does has several synth sounds. It is a lot of fun to play. when I quit trying to make it a traditional sax, I started getting more fun and understanding of it. This is a good video showing the options. people who wan t to learn sax or have played but not in a long time will really enjoy it. I am going to spend some time with it and see how aI can best use it.
Hi Richard, would you mind sharing your comparison between the fingering action of the wx5 and the YDS. I have the ewi 5000 and prefer it because there are no keys. The wx5 had no spring in it's keys making it hard to play fast passages. How does the YDS compare?
Hi Richard, I see that you've had the YDS-150 for some time now so I thought perhaps you can answer a vital question for me regarding it. Since it is not designed for a swab, how do you clean the residual condensation (saliva) from this instrument? I would imagine that over time, if it's not cleaned fairly regularly, it can become a breeding ground for bacteria.
good night, I'm from Brazil and I watch your channel since the beginning, I really like the videos, congratulations on your work!
Tmb sou brkkkkkk
Best demo so far, thanks for posting!
I've played on a wx11 for over 20 years and the one thing that makes this controller unique is the pitch bend, lip zero control, I think it is the same on the wx7. This is the one feature that gives really nice control over expressive vibrato. With the wx5, it's as though they designed out the sensitivity of the best feature of that controller. Also have played on an Akai 4000 but always go back to my trusty old wx11 that has a soul. Yamaha, If it works don't fix it!
Very Good
Thanks for this great review, a comparison between the EMEO and this one would be very nice and helpfull.
Without the emulation of pitch bend, vibrato, altissimo through embouchure, the only thing that this would help for the purpose of sax practice seems to be the fingering and keys as far as I can tell.
I think the 3rd/4th generation of this instrument will be amazing. For me the sound is akin to a child's toy, key response slow and you can't vary tone through your embouchure. Sure in 5-6 years all those issues will be resolved.
At last!!! From the legacy of the WX5 (I own one and love it!!!) an upgraded up-to-date wind controller!!!
Great demo Jim, I can’t wait to have a go on this myself. I wonder how it compares to the new EWI Solo?
Anyone else drinking a shot every time he says “sort of”?
More "in the sense"
Raising my glass
I'd be dead lol
One advantage of the Roland AE -10 compared to other similar products is that it features a bite sensor to adjust the pitch so that it is possible to play bending notes.
I’m a Yamaha drummer...(a drummer who loves Yamaha products), and this is yet another reason why Yamaha is the best!
I’m a little surprised about the amount of negative comments, but I’ve no intention of cancelling my order. It’s not perfect some way of doing vibrato and bends with the mouthpiece would have been great. That said though being able to practice anytime anywhere ‘ with the identical key layout is ideal. Also the app allowing to program your own altissimo fingering is a bonus I didn’t expect. Does anyone know if the app is avail either yer
Just got one. Played half an hour. They have done a great job with the key work. It feels like a sax in your hands. It is very lite. It is a shame the bell does not seem to come off. Seems cosmetic and it would be easier for travel without this. It is not a strong instrument either. Keys feel they could snap with a knock.
It does not feel like blowing a sax. But in a hotel, or at night, or wherever you can practice licks, scales, changes, melodies all you want and this will transfer to your horn. I will now take it with me as I travel. I will miss my horn, but really glad I have this to take with me so in the evenings I can still sit and work on music I am presently looking at. I could not get it to sound exactly like a real sax, but with the earphones on it was certainly good enough to use to practice. Not sure how long batteries will last but you can also connect to computer with USB/5V which you have to buy yourself. I think it is great. For people who find it hard to practice due to noise, this is something special. I would be very interested to try some of the others coming onto the market that also hav sex keywork. I am less bothered by the sound and more with how practice transfers to the real horn.
I think it’ll be interesting when users start posting their settings that give it some near sax sounds. I have heard a few demos that ain’t bad, and also heard some that worried me as they sounded horrible. But these two demos I think ain’t bad at all if I can get mine to sound this good
th-cam.com/video/-vvFHK4rgt4/w-d-xo.html
th-cam.com/video/ZREVvVnKxdU/w-d-xo.html
@@abolajiidowu8284 Yes, great point. Also I am sure it will help just when I get used to how to blow it. I am playing it like my real sax, when this is clearly not the way to do it. And I just tried with the earphones again and its not bad at all. But agreed, will be useful when people start sharing.
Jim, your professionalism and consequent very good and comprehensive review made me sit through your video to help your statistics in the channel. As soon as I understood that the mouthpiece is purely cosmetic, my initial enthusiasm got completely killed.
I guess the people watching your channel are actually looking for a silent sax that is completely realistic in fingering and embouchure. I know there are these silencer cases to put a sax into while playing but these have a very high psychological barrier to purchase.I think a sensor to measure lip pressure would have been easy and a second sensor to register tonguing too.
That is one fantastic review of an instrument. Thanks man. This is how it should be done.
Thanks for the review! Would be good if we could hear some of the synth sounds too, and maybe what it sounds like in a mix / with backing tracks!
4:14 "Swallow the mouthpiece" 😂 That was funny
Such an unexpected start with that bari from a soprano😂😂😂
Always a great explanational video - thank you.
I returned mine immediately due to an unsatisfactory amount of real time controllable influence over the sounds from the mouthpiece. It is so much more satisfying to play a saxophone quietly.
Any EWI beats this by a long shot. Like insaneintherain said, wind controllers sound best when they’re NOT trying to emulate real instruments.
I'm just a fan of music, I believe this for any synth category instrument.
Nice review tho 👍
never liked the electrostatic touch (no movement) of EWI
Patrick Kyle It just takes some getting used to
Agreed! I love my EWI 4000S for that exact reason! I love expressive synth sounds that I can edit to my liking. Acoustic instrument sounds are useless.
I wish they had put a bite sensor in the mouthpiece, like all of their competitors have. It looks really cool though.
♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
やっぱり、ありとあらゆる分野で韓国より日本の方が世界に先かけていちはやく名品を生み出してますね。普通の頭からはYDS-150のアイデア何かは出ません。もっぱら、天才のみの発想でござる。
以上、ソウルに住んでる親日派韓国人でした。私が提言しましたタンギングとベンドアップとベンドダウンを感知できるスマートリードも天才の発想で御座る。
Sticking with my Roland AE-10 and SWAM modeled sounds. Can't be beat.
Muito top esse sax.
Como sempre a Yamaha surprendendo.
The demo was done very well. The product was well represented. But like others who commented, I too was hoping for more from Yamaha. Literally decades ago Yamaha made the VL70-m paired with the WX5. Way ahead of it's time. If they updated what they had it would have been amazing. But they didn't. I'm sure this new synth is good. But it could have been fabulous!
vl70-m and WX5, with Patchman ROM is still my combo of choice.
@@haroldtoups same here. However none of the patches on the Patchman ROM matched the Jazz sax patch on the plg-150-VL card, at least not to my ear.
It is worth noting that the title of this video called it a digital sax and not a wind synth. It is an impressive accomplishment, however I don’t understand why any sax player would use this digital sax over a real sax. I guess their target market is people who don’t play the sax but wish they could?
I love my Akai EWI, but I use it to supplement my sax use with synth sounds...I don’t try to digitally recreate sax sounds!
Regardless, Yamaha has got people talking with this thing, and I’m sure they will sell many of them.
Can you practice with the ear phones on .to practice in silence no matter where or what time of night ?
Yes
Man... I have been waiting for a new Yamaha Wind Synth!
This one looks great.
I am going to get it just because of the physical layout of the keys!
The only thing I wish they would have done was put some expression sensors in the mouthpiece.
Well...maybe in the next model!
I wish Yamaha would buy the Lyricon patent and bring back that instrument.
The original machine used additive synthesis which I have never seen in any other synth.
This new synth is going to be THE wind synth to have.
I am looking forward to the new models as they improve the instrument.
Hi Jim. I've had my YDS for 6 months. After 4 months the F# key stopped sounding after short sessions and occasionally the G# key as well. Adjusting responses in the instrument made no difference. Also, the Octave key seized up and became a touch sensitive option but I assume that was a precursor to the octave key failing to work at all. I have returned it to the store and have a store credit to purchase another if they ever become freely available here in Australia. I am disappointed that the instrument appears to lack a robustness I would expect in an instrument costing in excess of AUD$1,000. On the other hand, it was a most amazing instrument to play and I preferred to pick it up rather than my tenor. Neighbours and my wife were very appreciative I can tell you. I am hoping a replacement YDS will be able to cope with regular playing and that I just happened to have received a "lemon", in car parlance.
Thanks mate, just wonder if you can do a continuous glissando on this? Like the intro bit of Rhapsody in Blue?
The video is very useful ... but you can make a video in which you can see and hear the response you have used as a MIDI controller, that is, using the USB MIDI output connected to an external device, for example MAINSTAGE, or a module of external sound. Thank you very much from the Canary Islands!
Great Presentation!
It looks nicer than my AE 10 but I think I would rather buy another real saxophone 🎷😊 Thanks for an excellent demo.
Thank you! Is it true that the app is only available on Apple?
Thanks for the preview. I'd have preferred if you showed us what the speakers can do, instead of using an amp.
Hmmm. I’m wondering if someone will create an electronic mouthpiece in the future as an aftermarket add on that will allow vibrato etc. Just wondering
For a moment I was afraid I was going to be dissapointed in my Aerophone AE-10. But the Yamaha has no bite sensor, so the Aerophone still rules :)
I also have an AE-10 and you have forgotten to mention the other 120+ tones that it has over this poor relation.
I agree I still like my Roland ae10 better although I do wish it did have that Bluetooth feature which I think is cool and I suggested it a while back that I wish it had Bluetooth
Hi, nice video. Compliments. Have you used OBS to do this?
Ciao, bel video. Complimenti. Hai usato OBS per farlo?
Salivating. Waiting for it to come out
I’m digging this. Not sure if I would pay the asking price, but I wouldn’t try talking someone else out of it.
Can you demo with the audiomodeling SWAM Saxophones?
Thank you for your video. I want to learn the sax, and am leaning towards this digital instrument as it would give me the option of playing both tenor and alto.. rather then needing to choose between buying either a traditional tenor or alto (which is a very hard choice as I can see the beauty in both). Would you recommend this for a complete beginner to practice on? Thank you in advance for any guidance!
Keep in mind I do not own this or any other synth nor am I opposed to them in any way(I find them kinda sexy actually). But my personal opinion would be start on an actual sax. It's such a hard thing to describe but you won't get the real feel of learning with sax with an electronic instrument. Although the sax and guitar are two different instruments, Keith Richards of the rolling stones is a firm believer in learning acoustic before you try an electric guitar. Which also applies here. You can't feel an electric instrument like you can the real deal. Very long winded but I hope this helps!
@@Stridor826 thank you, it does
Does it have a bite sensor inside the mouthpiece? Just like Roland AE-10 has.
Woooooow!!! Just what i was waiting for!!!👍
Were you using an external speaker, or was that the built-in speaker that we hear in the video? Also, does the app allow you to transpose sax voices to the key of C?
Great question
yes, you can in the user section u01 through u20 with the app
Great Video Jim. Can you edit a voice sound by using the App and then download and save it to one of the user setting so that it can be played in the stand-alone mode? Also can you modify the alto sounds to always be in Bb when played?
Well done Yamaha! Awesome practice instrument for those living in apartments. Real shame they decided not to add a lip bend option, they should develop more modulation controls into a mouthpiece. The analog control looks much better than the WX5 and Akai. 90% sure I will have to add one to my kit at some point.
Also, nice review Jim! Enjoyed the demo of the app.
Indeed, as a teenager I was used to playing 4 hours a day for years, when I started living in apartments this just wasn't possible anymore if at all.
With this out I can practice songs and scales again. 🙌
Is it possible to remove the brass bell? It would make it easier to travel with it.
Best thing since the keytar 👍
At 1:07 when you said "Yamaha" I think you probably meant to say "Akai" at that point (you were bringing up Yamaha competitors).
When I was gigging more on clarinet I only rarely needed to play saxophone, but when I did it seems like they always called for 8 measures on soprano, 24 on alto, and then another 8 on bari (all in the background supporting the real sax players), making three or four extra instruments to bring for just a few minutes of sound. This could've been a device to lighten the gig bag dramatically.
Great 👍 a step up from the AE10?
With the lack of active mouthpiece and no MIDI out, I'd suggest not. Yamaha have missed the mark.
Jim, Great video. Can you permanently set the YDS so that all the voices play in Bb and copy a current voice to one the User voices. Also, does this all get reset once the unit is turned off and back on. Thanks.
So what are the non-sax sounds? Are they all synths or are there other instruments? Does the fingering adjust to the instrument you're playing? and can you add more instruments from a database like you can with the Akai 4000s?
😢why no J shape
The sax patch dynamics sound all wrong. That's a shame, but I assume one might still use it with something that actually sounds good, like Audio Modeling's SWAM saxophones, even if that means having to have a computer in the signal chain.
Awesome review
I'm looking to get back into the sax. Should I choose this or a different wind synth? I can't go with any analogue instrument because I'm in an apartment.
I love it!!!!
I got an email from Yamaha today. I clicked and was looking at instruments. I have a bunch of guitars, a Yamaha sax, bass guitars, pianos and other stuff. I got the sax so I could learn jazz. But I don't like playing because my stepfather is upstairs and I always hear sighs. haha I get it through. The thing is loud. In the email, first thing I saw was a synth. Man, I want that and it shall be mine. But then I saw this digital sax. I wanted it. I looked and say it for under $800. Which was a lower price then on the Yamaha site. I checked Amazon and they had it for the same low price. Said it ships in 1 - 2 months. So, I got it. While out today, people probably thought I was high. haha I was so pumped full of excitement.
Also wondering if Yamaha will allow other patches to be loaded on this at some point. Again, just wondering.
Mine arrives tomorrow so let’s see what I think of this. Unlike most people here, I’m not a professional, I’m just someone that loves music and I have an alto and a soprano. However I love the idea of silent practice, playing along to a song on my headphone and I honestly believe that one day, an electronic sax will be better than accoustic. It’s all a matter of time
Hi Abolaji, I see that you've had the YDS-150 for some time now so I thought perhaps you can answer a vital question for me regarding it. Since it is not designed for a swab, how do you clean the residual condensation (saliva) from this instrument? I would imagine that over time, if it's not cleaned fairly regularly, it can become a breeding ground for bacteria.
I have had the sax about 3 weeks now. I am surprised how much I use it. I got it for travel and played it for two weeks while staying in a hotel in quarantine in China, travelling there for work. But now I use it every evening. I play my real horn as well for a few hours each day, but later I sit and practice changes and patterns in the evening for a few hours. I do think it sounds basically like a kid's keyboard. But in the hands the keys feel like a sax. I would suggest you can use it to practice like a real horn in important and useful ways.
I cannot see the purpose of the brass bell. It seems simply decoration. Given the general quality of the sound, it does not seem to be doing much at all. It maybe adds to the weight a bit. This a very light object. Good for carrying.
I think perhaps the bari is the best sound in it, I would say. There is one softer, breathy, sax sound that I tend to use. The volume from the horn itself is not so loud either. It gets through batteries fast, but I play it with a USB/5v cable to my computer.
Hi David, I see that you've had the YDS-150 for some time now so I thought perhaps you can answer a vital question for me regarding it. Since it is not designed for a swab, how do you clean the residual condensation (saliva) from this instrument? I would imagine that over time, if it's not cleaned fairly regularly, it can become a breeding ground for bacteria.
@@d.williams7887 No more than a normal sax really. But I notice that you have to take the mouth piece off every few times and rinse it off. I also then just wipe round with a damp cloth in the closed bit it fits onto. And a few times then cleaned in there with a little alcohol rub. I am using this a lot though later in the evenings and whereas with my actual sax I always remove the mouthpiece after playing I tend to leave this one on, slightly worried the rubber band things might wear out.
@@TheDavidmachin Thanks for the prompt reply, David. I appreciate the feedback.
@@TheDavidmachin Thanks for the feedback, David.
Thanks
Could you tell us how to record on a Mac the audio of the sax YDS and the audio of a track simultaneously
how come it plays in fifths in the beginning? sorry if it is explained later in the video
hi i liked it , i got my second tenor from u < but off late my jaw gets locked when i play its beacuse of pressure and have been un able to play , its called TMJ disorder am missing my sax play just want to know whether i can blow with less pressure and get the same sound can i begin playing sax again i am excited to know thanks
As a WX7 player I'm really disappointed this doesn't support lip pitch bend, specially for vibrato. Anything that's required me to use a thumb/finger for it never worked for me and the ability to be super expressive with that on my WX7 is one of my favorite features. Otherwise it looks amazingly fun.
The wx11 also had the similar feature of really organic sounding pitch bend for realistic sounding vibrato. After the original wind controllers wx7 and 11, Yamaha seemed to have dropped the ball somewhere.
When I play with just a reed and mouthpiece it makes quite a bit of noise. Does this produce that same noise when using headphones? If not, is it just fully absorbed into the horn? Thanks in advance, really interested in using with headphones while babies are asleep.
Came here to ask the same question
Is it possible to play with headphones on and avoid the sound coming out of the horn?
I just use my Helicon Voiceplay harmonizer if I want effects on my sax or to sound like a section. years ago I had the Maestro box which basically had all the sounds that this Yamaha has!
Would this be a good invest to relearn the tenor/soprano saxophone? Haven't touched a saxophone in over 11yrs and been wanting to relearn it
...emulating perfect sax sound is kinda not the point right? If you can play this, you can play a regular saxophone and sound good. I think new sounds is the way to go with something like this. Do what Brecker and Mitzner did in the 80's, but with better sounds. This is like a digital keyboard for woodwind players. Not a sax replacement.
Not true, because the hardest part about a real sax is is manipulating the sounds with the mouth piece.. you could play like a pro on this and have no ability to play a real sax
It would be nice if it had replaceable neck and bell so it could be configured more like an alto, tenor or bari.
Hi thanks for your review. Do you know if it has Bluetooth functionality so it can be connected to wireless earphones/headphones?
It can be a soprano mouthpiece right?
Sounds very electronic. Can you keep the tuning in c like on the EWI 50000 or does it only play in the Bb, Eb fingering keys? I would of Leo liked to see Yamaha use the sounds like the keyboard. What is the weight of instrument?
I have an EWI5000 that I like , tried the Roland and was not impressed.
it plays in C and you can write user programs from u10 to u20 and have them in C as well
I'm only a simple guitar player but I can appreciate a well crafted instrument.
There is also EMEO saxophone, and Travel Sax on the market
Is there a midi output of some kind ?
Yes, USB midi out.
@@jasonlawson1369 So you can use it as a midi controller for software sax synths etc..
@@45zapatero I would assume so, Yamaha doesn't have a lot of info out there yet, but I was curious about the midi functionality as well and I only saw it mentioned in the official promo teaser video from yamaha but you can also see the micro USB port on the photos on the yamaha website.
can I use this to practice soprano in my condo where I don't want to bother my neighbors?
How do you do vibrato with this if the reed has no influence?