How to Fake The Bamboo Saxophone In One Week!

Today I bring you an interesting instrument that I have been wanting for several years. About a week before making this video, I bought a bamboo saxophone from Erik the Flutemaker, who has been making these since the 1980's. I thought it would be fun to discuss on the channel because it's affordable, and I had never played a saxophone before buying this instrument. I figured it would be fun to learn how to play, and I was right. Of course I'm not the greatest player, but I have only been doing this for a few days now. If you have any helpful tips, feel free to leave some kind words in the comments! Erik's website: eriktheflutema... His YT channel: / theflutemaker

[@ThePianoforever]

If you like this format I could make this a series with many other instruments. Let me know in the comments if you think that might be a good idea. If you want to give me a idea of what instruments might be fun to try to play in a week using only one hour of practice time per day.

[@BecauseHeLives39]

Try learning the upright bass or Cello. Maybe even the viola or violin. I’d say try to play either the cello or upright bass because you already know how to play bass. It’s similar but different

[@MrFirefox411]

Flute

[@martinvegas1327]

Any chance of a review of the Moog one? it's one of the most expensive synths you can buy right now!

[@MogTheLynx]

Thats a really nuce idea

[@anderspersson7084]

I think Brian Wittman from Maui did his first Xaphoon in early 80s or even earlier.

[@michaellessel5532]

This is really cool and pretty unexpected. I’ve known about Erik for many years and have bought several items from him, but seeing you holding one of his products is really surreal

[@Josh-lm7qq]

heard the lick in there brother

[@The_Smith]

The Ancient Flute set looks like something you'd have a lot of fun with!

[@masterrhyno]

You should look into Ocarinas next. They are pretty fun and fairly compact so you can roam around with them and doot out a tune

[@user-74652]

Or recorders. Because they have much more musical value than most people attribute to them (thanks to them being badly played by schoolchildren).

[@Modeltnick]

Pretty neat! A tutorial of ancient wind instruments would be interesting. Recorders, shawm, krumhorn, etc. Thanks!

[@jcboutoire]

Dude! James! This is just one reason why I love you and your channel. You amaze me with your talents. What would sound really good (in my ears) would be your piece you wrote for Treble Test. The way I'm imagining it is magical. And the double flute would be a nice one to pick up.

[@ThePianoforever]

I have plans to expand on the Treble Test piece but I just need the time to actually pull it off. I've got some cool possibilities in mind too.

[@creativeconjurings]

nice...I've owned several of Erik's flutes and a sax for decades, since he used to work the Renaissance Festivals. I love them all. My dog ate my Japanese flute in '98... I think you'll like the Native American flute (I love mine) and the Ancient Flute set (which includes the Japanese flute my dog chewed). And, yes, definitely get a real saxophone!

[@BDWoodruffmusic]

Don't forget, you can hum into it to get the sax growl. Great vid!

[@marcd1981]

Hello, and Happy New Year! New to the channel and this is the second video I have watched. The only thing I would recommend is having a closer view when you are showing how to do each step (attach the reed, mouthpiece placement in your mouth, etc.). I've seen a version of these saxophones at Venice Beach here in SoCal, but they aren't bamboo, they are all metal. I've been curious if they are worth buying and learning some basic music with. I think this video shows they are, thank you for posting.

[@bamboosaxeswebshop]

Wonderful. I really like the style of your videos. And of course... I'm in love with Bamboo instruments!

[@AriKona]

Things of quality have no fear of time. They may be a tad on the high side, but considering the craftsmanship and time that goes into making them, I would say they are definitely worth it. And the sound, given what you played (so we know there has been no "doctoring" of it) has a rich and smooth quality that you are not going to get out of a cheaper instrument. Good purchase James and I look forward to hearing you play it in future. You are going to have to do some multi-tracks with you playing all the instruments (no synths because you can cheat with them - I know I play a few). As for what you should get, my only feeling is that any analog instrument interests me so go for it!

[@kourtneylehman410]

Erik the flute maker does great quality instruments. Been following his website for many years. Unfortunately his instruments are to expensive for me to own as I am on a tight budget. Love your video keep up the great work. Each video you do, I learn something new. Thanks.

[@ChaffinchNZ]

If you have access to dried bamboo, and woodworking drill bits (preventing splintering as easily, and somewhat nicer than burning with pokers or a soldering iron), and round rasps/files, it's actually quite feasible to make your own end-blown flutes, and even fairly basic keyless double-reed instruments (that don't neatly overblow into high registers, unfortunately) as I have. It really depends on how much time you have to spare. For the amount of time I spent making mine, I'd probably have been better off purchasing mass-produced ones.

[@Lucius1958]

There is an interesting sort of reed instrument I read about in the old _Experimental Musical Instruments_ newsletter, many years ago. It seems to have originated as a toy, or noisemaker, in the vicinity of Bali, in the late 20th century: a simple pipe, surmounted with a reed cap made of discarded film canisters. A hole was cut in the bottom of the canister, to fit the pipe; another, slightly larger hole was cut in the lid; and a piece of plastic film, from bags or other packaging, was stretched over the upper end of the pipe, and secured by the lid. Another hole, in the side of the canister, held a mouthpiece. Blowing into the mouthpiece caused the film to open at the end of the pipe; the film's elasticity caused it to snap shut again, and the cycle repeated according to the pipe's resonant frequency: the film, or membrane, was acting as a reed. I took this idea, and applied it to a an instrument that I made out of copper tubing and plumbing fixtures: thus was born the *Plumbhorn*. The name is fairly appropriate; since its buzzy, musical tone was quite similar to the Medieval/Renaissance krummhorn. I later went so far as to construct a set of small bagpipes on the membrane principle: although these instruments now languish in desuetude, I am glad I experimented with them.

[@anderspersson7084]

Brian Wittman on Maui have been making his Xaphoon atleast since early 80s, I think he did create the first ones actually.

[@Lucius1958]

I read about the Maui Xaphoon in the old _Experimental Musical Instruments_ newsletter back in the day. I don't remember whether it could overblow, though. However, given a suitably expanding bore, one might be able to get above the octave...?

[@alexsabber]

There's a lot of traditional chinese woodwind instruments like bawu, dizi & hulusi on chinese marketplaces like aliexpress etc.

[@martinarce8138]

I bought exactly one like those when I was there. Trying to get it sounding as the guy who sold it to me!

[@Reeldin58]

Like you I had been looking at the bamboo sax on Eric the Flute maker's for a while. Here in the UK it would be quite expensive because of the shipping cost. In the end I went for the "Nuvo Dood" It's a very similar sounding instrument in the key of C, but fully chromatic with a range of just over an octave. Very affordable here in the UK around £30 I think that's around 40 dollars, well worth checking out.

[@gvmiketodd]

I have enjoyed all of your reviews on the piano topic and other topics.

[@olvimend]

What a wonderful video ! Thanks a lot.

[@davederrick9431]

I really liked the flutes & Erik's web site. Loved the forest. P,S. The playing was perty good too.🙂

[@paulochavarin3168]

That is an awesome flute. I love playing recorder but i will try this bamboo sax. Please look into the Egyptian Ney flute. Another thing to blow your mind if it hasn't yet.

[@ardad6843]

I can’t believe you started the video with that lick

[@davidmckinney6577]

You have a nice place there James ✌️👍 good job buddy 👍

[@SamTahbou]

A couple of notes from the lick, lol

[@cisp360]

I bought one from Eric too, but it was 6 years ago. At that time, he sent me a much smaller than what you have. I played it several time then let it collecting dust. If you ever want a good bamboo flute, I would highly recommend you buy a bansuri, and you should not buy a bansuri from Erick.

[@CanalDojogames]

I definitively loved it! you teach very well and woow an bamboo with sax sound is so amazing... I honestly want to play some flute and i DO LOVE shakuhachi, japanese bamboo flute, i'm a huge fan of Cornelius Boots and his musics. but the bad part of flute and violin is: it does a lot of sound and i usually play instruments at night,its the hour i most love,its very calm here. so i will keep on Piano (keyboard on my case)...but even so i keep loving flute.this sounds relaxing and amazing. If there be an way to attach flute to an mic and make sound on headsets and no sound outside it,i will definitively look into it. I think its a bit off topic but do you know how or where like youtube or any class website, i can learn more about how to play piano (keyboard) on Synthwave stlye and Jazz style? these two i love so much, synthwave also extending to some 8 bit sound wave and variants.... i found ocarina style on keyboard is a good way to make some 8bit sounds almost... Thank you!

[@Astronomater]

reminds me of a chalumeau. neat little instrument!

[@Gangl10n]

Cool! Plastic tube cool too

[@pamelaarescurrinaga8201]

This was a fun video, thanks.

[@GuitarEvenings]

Could you please share the measurement of distance between the holes?

[@tpoe1321]

Try the Ukulele....very cool you’ll enjoy it.

[@BarryCap]

You definitely have to try real copper saxophones! I think they have the most incredible sound if well played and I think will try and buy one myself!

[@gvmiketodd]

Have you considered trying a midi sax? Akai/rowland/yamaha?

[@moldenburg909]

Wonderful, oh I really like it and in a beautiful surrounding. You play really well, I am going to ask to someone I know if she got some extra tips for you but it sounds already good. And that in a rather short time I believe. I would definitely recommend you to go this path. You got, in my humble opinion and I can’t play a saxophone, the right feeling for it so ... why don’t buy one an fiddle around? The sideflute plays different of course but is also nice to listen to. Anyway I am going to ask around for you because that person plays a lot of wind instruments. If I got an idea of a cheap instrument? O gosh there are a lot of nice instruments out there. I am going to think about it. The only one that comes to mind is a small banjo. And that is because I saw one lately. I have to wonder around a little more on the website you just mentioned. Looks great. Funny guy but he plays gorgeous. Now thank you very much for sharing and playing

[@Jwm367t]

Could you do reviews of Toy Pianos? Like those made by Korg vs Kawai?

[@rsprague1]

I bought erik’s alto bamboo sax a couple month’s ago. I’m having a difficult time finding music written for this instrument. All the sheet music for the songs I’m interested in playing have note beyond 1 octave. Any ideas where I could get sheet music written for this sax?? I sent an email to Erik requesting the same but he never responded.

[@umajunkcollector]

Digereedoo and Tongue drum or is it tung drum

[@MogTheLynx]

James your subscribe icon in the corner is not see through, just a quick reminder :)

[@datdeerdude5139]

came to learn how to play the bamboo sax Stayed for the lick

[@MrTallwilly]

Get all of them!

[@MaramaGitz]

Like Kenny G so cool

[@timkaufhold6163]

Try a juice harp.

[@tonepot2339]

Piano fever guy, getting a real sax is a no brainer. Get a C melody sax if you don't wanna deal with transposing or an affordable Jean Paul tenor

[@ELVENGADOR858]

I NEED ONE URGENT

[@jenniferpurvis5441]

COOOOL

[@nigel6816]

Get a cheap sax, for sure. That way you could play in all keys :p also, they're fairly cheap. Of course if you want a brand new, fully functional one, it'll be a cheap Chinese/Taiwanese model. But it'll work nonetheless. With all the pieces. Sax isn't too hard to pick up...just difficult to get good at! Good look, James. 🎷

[@ThePianoforever]

It's has to be on the list.

[@jenniferpurvis5441]

Ok

[@umajunkcollector]

Chromatic harmamaka aka harmonica