Digital Saxophones Compared - Which One to Get?

Jay Metcalf compares 3 of the most popular digital wind instruments Yamaha YDS-120, TravelSax2 and Roland Aerophone AE-20 #bettersax #saxophone #ewi

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[ericpvgm]

I think insaneintherain made a great point that when playing an electronic wind instrument, don't treat it like a replacement for real instruments, treat it like a digital instrument and you'll find it much more satisfying.

[HarrisonAnesh]

I just purchased the AE-20 a few weeks ago after watching all of your previous digital sax reviews. For me, I think it was the right fit because it gives me extra versatility to play different sounds when I'm jamming with my band, yet the feel is close enough to my sax to where what I practice on the AE-20 transfers to my sax. I've been having a lot of fun with my Aerophone, and one feature that you didn't touch on here is the pitch bend wheel! The pitch bend is really useful when I'm jamming and doing call and response with the guitar player! Though I agree with you that the bite control is not as useful as I originally thought it would be. Thank you for always posting helpful videos, Jay!

[TerryAndHerSax]

Thanks for another fantastic comparison, Jay! I use the YDS-120 for travel practice and don't experience the glitches. I press the keys hard in general. It fits in my carry-on case. I don't miss the Bluetooth - I use an aux chord to connect to my iPad or phone. Also - I've never put actual batteries in it. I connect a very old portable charger to it while I play. (This charger is so old it can't even charge a new phone). I rarely change the sounds - but I love that I can switch between Alto, Tenor, and Soprano, so I don't have to transpose. Two ideas worth mentioning next time: 1)The air pressure required to play the electronic one is nothing compared to the real sax. And voicing is not required. You cannot practice many of the skills that make your sax sing, such as vibrato, bends, dynamics, and tonguing techniques. It's most useful to work on fingerwork (such as a fast passage). Make sure you have a few hours with your real sax before you return to rehearsal or play live! 2) It's great for written transcribing. The actual sax is clunky to set down and pick up. The electronic sax (no matter which brand you choose) is light and easy to set down and pick up to test a passage and then write it down.

[JaegerDives]

Great comparative review. I started playing the Yamaha WX-7 wind controller in the late 1980's and took it very seriously. Tom Scott and Michael Brecker were inspirational pioneers in the field. I spent many, many hours developing patches for expressive synth engines like Yamaha's TX-802, VL-70, and their phenomenal FS1R FM formant synth. The lip pressure sensor on the WX-7 was crucial for playabilty - I can't imagine not having that feature. I still have my sax+wind synth rack of equipment that has all the signal processing and effects for sax and the synths for the wind controller. This video has inspired me to fire the rack up and play. Thank you!

[josephmarinucci]

Love practicing and playing on my Roland AE-10. Not even the slightest desire to upgrade to an AE-20 or AE-30 or switch to another digital instrument. The AE-10 has great build quality, the supernatural sounds are fantastic, it's fun to match different sounds to different songs, and its size and weight make it super comfortable and convenient to play.

[solvigujonsson]

I followed your advice and got the TravelSax2. And I absolutely love it. I am a fisherman and stay out on the ocean for long times and I can practice the saxophone in my cabin.

P.s. I also bought one of your courses, the Pentatonic Foundation, and it really hit the spot.

[alberto_saxo]

I tried both the travelsax and the yds120 for a prolonged time and came to the conclusion that the yds120 is the perfect practice Instrument for me. I particularly found the travel sax to be more glitchy than the yds120. Even though the keys on the travel sax feel way more real and sax-like, I found them to be too hard to press, playing technically fast passages was a real pain for me. I even ordered a second one but had the same issues. Also the built in sounds on the travel sax felt too unresponsive to me (as if the sound came too delayed). Even when I was using it without bluetooth.
On the other hand the yds120 felt more „at home“ for my fingers and my ears. The keys are very soft, so you dont get as cramped up pressing them compared to the travel sax (my experience), so you also benefit from a softer touch for your real sax.

My only gripes:
- no bluetooth
- octave key is not protruded enough
- no rechargable battery

First of all I do think that bluetooth on these devices is useless as the latency messes with your playing big time.
Secondly, the octave key can EASILY be fixed by sticking a pre-cut felt over the mechanism, now It works every time I want it to.

As for the missing rechargable battery: I just ordered a micro-usb to USB-C cable from Amazon and now i can even practice on my couch while plugging the yds to my phone, ipad or Macbook.

Really do give it a try, it‘s cheaper and for me personally a way more accurate instrument to practice. I still think the travel sax is amazing, but for the price and especially with these flaws I had to return them and happily kept the yds120.

[VincentTassy]

I own an Aerophone Go (AE-05) which I used to use to practice silently, to transcribe or compose and take on (some) trips (it takes some space). I play it live as well ! However it too has glitches and as you describe, the feeling of the key pressure/response is far from a real sax. I also found that the bite sensor is not essential ...
After watching your previous videos on the TS2, I ordered one with your code earlier this year and I think that's the best gear purchase I've made in years 😄
I take it with me on trips, I take it with me to the office and practice at lunch break. I use it every day and the battery lasts quite a long time ! The key response is so much closer to a real sax and no glitches ! I just love it ❣

[thecontinentalist]

I used your discount code for the travel sax about 6 months ago and have grown to really enjoy it, in that 'does what it says on the tin' kind of way. I've been travelling for the last four months and have taken it everywhere, whilst my sax has mostly been in storage. Ive played it on trains, in tents, camper vans and on bike trips as it fits easily in panniers. I used it in cafe's and it's become a conversation opener as people are curious to what Im doing. I even watch TV with it and pay along to theme tunes and incidental music, whilst still taking in what im watching. It's become a bit obsessional, I have to admit, but it has improved my ear no end. I'm currently full of cold and can, laid low and can still play the thing in bed, as it doesn't require much of a puff to get a sound out of it. The sounds are awful, I just leave it on Trumpet as its the least offensive sound to my ears.

I also have an EMEO that I bought at the same time and don't play it as much, but will do once my travelling stint comes to an end. I still play my tenor in a band ( 4 times in four months ) and realise I'm suffering from sarcopenia and so need to rectify that by hitting the gym !
My travels is I must say starting to wear out, after 6 months of solid use. The battery life is decreasing so I always travel with a battery bank that will charge the thing at least 3 or 4 times. The keys are beginning to squeak and some notes like D are getting a bit glitchy. I'm going to speak to the guys in Spain to see if they are interested in taking it back to give it a service. I never thought Id say that about it, but like everything with moving parts, albeit in 3D printed plastic, things do wear out.
All that to say I have found it to be a great tool.

As for the people taking interest in the thing, it is only women it seems. The Netherlands was a big hit, putting life into the old adage " Is that a Travel sax in your pocket, or are you just pleased to see me ? "

[zululDrummer]

for performing, better choices in my opinion would be nurad or older akai ewi models. also yamaha wx7 and wx5 are good

[davidwood]

I saw Sonny Rollins in the late 70’s, he played an electronic wind instrument for a couple tunes. It was pretty wild for those days.

[michaelkelly]

I didn’t agree with your review of the YDS-150, but your review of the travelsax2 was spot on. Do to its size and internal battery I’m finding myself practicing with it most often. With the limited room available in the cab of my truck it gives me the best chance to get some practice when I’m waiting on a load. It also allows me to practice quietly at home at night as I’m trying to force myself into a practice habit. I’m still looking forward to ordering the Master Class off of the Better Sax website. I’m not sure why I haven’t ordered it already, just trying to figure out the best way to do the class in the truck while I’m on the road.

[MusicChannel-rfzz]

Which is the most expensive? Is it hard to blow. I love the sax but never played one.

[RobertOdell-hqwn]

The EMEO is finest digital-sax. Jay previously reviewed as the best in class. I agree. It travels easily and the actual sax keys allow you to not lose the proper manual coordination and orientation. The customer service is first rate. It's not glitchy, has great software and uses Bluetooth.

[donbrown]

Nothing compares to the Yamaha WX5/VL70 - great instrument. Don’t know why Yamaha stopped making it.

[CraigMcGorryMusic]

I’ve had the EMEO for a couple of years and have loved it. I do find that for traveling, it’s a little cumbersome because of its size. So, I recently bought a TS2. The TS2 really can go anywhere. A few points: My EMEO sometimes doesn’t connect for me right away. Since it has no internal sounds, this is very frustrating and I’ve sometimes lost good practice time trying to connect it. Other times, it connects right away and I’m good to go. My TS2 always connects quickly. And, as I said, the size makes it super convenient to take anywhere. It has those internal sounds, so I’m ready to practice right away. I have found it a little glitchy sometimes. I’m not sure if that’s just my instrument or what. I will go to play a key and it will sometimes not play for a moment. I need to find out if that fixable and why that might be happening. But, overall, it works well.

[brandolph]

I’m a beginner, and took a chance on the YDS-120. I actually like it, and it’s fun, although you are absolutely right: it’s glitchy. And that octave key…whoa. Really bad. The forums are pretty up in arms about that octave key. But overall it lets me practice in places I normally couldn’t, like when i travel, or even in the hospital visiting a relative.
When I progress to more intermediate level, I will really take a look at the Emeo.

[mockupsaxer]

To me the bite sensor is very important for pitch bend and vibrato. That's why I switched from my trusty but very old WX7 to the Roland AE20. I don't use it live and I don't use the internal sounds. It's a studio tool for me to record mostly brass sections (trumpets, trombones, saxes) and I use dedicated plugins for all sounds (Samplemodeling, Audiomodeling, Acousticsamples).

[SamChaneyProductions]

I got the YDS-150 and while it doesn't sound good or have features like MIDI output, it is good for practicing. The keys feel most like a real sax compared to the others (besides the Emeo obviously). For me it was the best practice aid for the price as I got a used one for a good discount. It's not good for performance though that's for sure

[woodwindwebby]

EWI 4000s & Yamaha VL70m (Patchman) is my go to wind synth, also with Respiro software