Yamaha Venova & Alto Venova Reviewed!

Just in time for your holiday shopping comes this exclusive and not-especially-comprehensive review of Yamaha's "Casual Wind Instrument" series including the original Venova, and the new Alto Venova. Available on Amazon and wherever you get your other casual wind instruments!

[@adamarafat2465]

Earspasm Music, risking his marriage for content. Can we give him a round of applause

[@ahuddleofpenguins4842]

👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@azndrumsticks]

👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@rainbowbubble456]

👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@kevinngo9138]

👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@selbatsfam02]

👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@user-bw2rt8pi2j]

We need a bass version of venova

[@pearspeedruns]

Venova orchestra

[@andrewmarvell4604]

How about Yamaha-licensed organ stops....like the "Venova Celeste?!?!?

[@user-bw2rt8pi2j]

Great ideas.

[@kevinngo9138]

Oh dear god XDDDD

[@basilavenue7719]

we really really do

[@ttttuuuucccc]

The "neck thing" is important because without it, it would overblow on the 12th (like clarinets do). That, in my opinion, is the innovation in this instrument. They started with a half-closed cylindrical instrument and made it instead play like an open cylindrical instrument (flute) or conical instrument (sax/oboe/bassoon). The bends in the tubing are also clever, in that they prevent the finger holes for each hand from being too far apart for a human hand to cover.

[@alexandrasdad]

Q: How can you tell when a Venova player is at your door? A: The knock is sharp.

[@birubu]

“Damn bro is that a clarinet?” Plays venova Saxophone sounds Confused screaming

[@TheVoitel]

To be honest, I’d be surprised if this sounded anything different than a piece of pvc tube with a sax mouthpiece attached.

[@amschu04]

finally, an instrument to force everyone around me to abandon me!

[@Supremedalex]

I don’t need an instrument for that

[@marcusbalbas4788]

@@Supremedalex ooh rough, but same

[@BANDLDR]

“Please don’t.” “That’s what she said.” “This is why I make videos alone!” 🤣😂🤣

[@johnnysalinas]

Professional saxophonist here. I got to try the soprano venova in Hong Kong in summer 2018... I considered buying it for my daughter, but after playing it, I too thought it was too difficult for a beginner.

[@moth.monster]

this is just a woodwind otomatone

[@dirtywashedupsparkle]

Goodness, been around since 2017 and only come across it now. Thanks for showcasing these, been wanting something simple with a reed that wasn't as expensive or heavy as a sax and without the forbidding key fingerings and key change that happens with the clarinet. This would be ideal for a recorder player who wants a reed version of it.

[@Subparanon]

I love my Venova. The only thing I don't love about it is the difficulty with the lowest notes, and trying to fish that metal beaded swab through it. You pretty much have to use their swab in order to make it all the way through the bends. I didn't know there was an Alto version! Now I need to get one.

[@francistaylor5097]

Good job they aren't marketing it as the Yamaha Marital Bliss.

[@jmathesonjr]

That would be LeBlanc, not Yamaha.

[@rosedial]

LOL

[@stuartreevephotography2587]

I've Never learnt to play a wind instrument but seeing this video now makes me want to buy the Alto Venova.. Very tempted some time soon... Great video by the way 👍

[@geofixated]

A Gentleman is someone who can play a Venova but chooses not to.

[@RonWylie-gk5lc]

Ha ha ha

[@ninjaaron]

I aspire to be a gentleman. I bought one to see how I would feel about about soprano sax. It made me feel that I should have just bought a soprano sax.

[@bjbboy71697]

omg the banter with your wife was pure gold!

[@InstrumentManiac]

I died at the rite of spring solo 😂 Great review!

[@ekpinder]

These are fun! Some people like to experiment with instruments and sounds - thanks for the terrific and fun review!

[@ianjones5599]

I like this guy's sense of humour and awareness of Double Entendres and innuendo - Almost British in its level! ;-)

[@dextersbeard3472]

I feel bad for people who play brass and woodwind instruments, with an electric guitar you can just leave in unplugged and practice all night and never bother anyone in your house. Even with an acoustic you can still play lightly or just mute the strings and still practice quitely. With these style instruments everyone in the house needs to be ok with you practicing.

[@lamp9359]

*Laughs in EWI* /!\ Okk I know the EWI isn't perfect for practice, but it actually does stand as its own thing. It's a really cool instrument that I do recommend to all woodwind players. And even trumpet gang can find interest with trumpet fingerings on EWI! *disappears into the void*

[@SmokeyMagma]

When you played that first thing on the alto Venova, with the dancers - I thought that it was so beautiful

[@Seethenhagen]

Finally, a music instrument that is the same sound in real life as the sound of Trumpets on music recorded before WWII.

[@paulineb66]

This is what a duck crossed with a sax sounds like.

[@steveparker9361]

Sax crossed with duck = suck. It does. Good job they didn't start with a flute...

[@TooSlowTube]

That's called an oboe.

[@michael_likes_piccolo]

Lmao more like oboe

[@lucinxar2931]

You know what I love this instrument, regardless of what the haters say.

[@Subparanon]

How to swab, take the mouthpiece off, drop the bead end into the top of it while shaking the venova with the other hand until the beads drop past the first bend, then it will easily fall into it and the beads come out the bottom. Then you carefully floss back and forth rather than just pulling it through once. If the beads fall out of a sound hole, try rotating the body as you feed the beads in.

[@Subparanon]

I also recommend taking one of those clear vandoren reed clips that new reeds come in, and double sided sticky taping it inside the case so you have a place to store the reed off the mouthpiece. There is room for the neck strap and the reed inside the case but no built in holder for either.

[@Jared_De_Leon]

I also have problems with the intonation on mine. It's a great concept but I think it needs more development.

[@abedinsubashi]

Jared De Leon try and make a bass Venova of your own

[@ngtamphuong]

Jared De Leon we need an octocontrabass venova 😎

[@barnstormer322]

Have you heard of Nuvo? They make a similar (if slightly simpler) range of instruments designed for music education - I'd say they sound just as good as those Venovas at a much lower price!

[@redepsilon5]

You do great videos man, I have watched a few and learned some stuff and enjoyed your explanations. This is no mean feat because I do not play a reed instrument at all, but somehow you have drawn me into your world. Thanks heaps! :)

[@lukasthomasmusic]

Was gonna convince my parents to let me buy the Venova instead of an alto sax but now I’m not too sure...

[@simplyJenGrier]

Please don't do that. Go ahead and start with an alto sax like a normal human.

[@trash_dmleo956]

Remember this person was heavily out of tune by there own admittance

[@riptide534]

I would go for the alto first and if you really aren’t gonna play for people or not gonna show anyone your talent go ahead and get the venova

[@tubpheejteblauj4828]

Thanks for doing/posting the review; I was thinking of buying one of those; however, the reed looks like those of the real saxophone which I can't play due to the vibration and the much air required. I think probably due to my TMJ which the vibrations from the reeds affects my hearing. I instead bought the ae-01, electric aerophone mini, which is more like electronic and there's no vibration to affect my hearing. Although I don't have one, I do enjoy your review and comments.

[@marcelo90z]

I am a recorder player, and I can give you some heads up why does the Venova instruments seem to be so hard to tune, provided they are based on recorders in the first place. What I noticed is that, on the both Venova and Alto Venova, there's the presence of the dreaded *german fingering* - On the regular Venova, Mr. Earspasm used the Tone Hole adapter (which makes it play the german fingering system), and, from the official Yamaha website, they say that Alto Venova is built to play the german system. That is a terrible problem. Why? Because the german fingering system is doomed to fail: although they play they scale of C (or F, in the case of Alto Venova) very easily, the sharps get out of tune very badly. The correct fingering system that gets in tune is the *baroque fingering* . When one learns to play the recorder, even though german is "preferred" for educational purposes due to the easiness, the fact that they play the chromatic notes out of tune makes them not preferable in many cases. It's easier to learn the baroque system right away and train to use 100% of the instrument correctly than to be stuck with something that gets out of tune because physics. My suggestion for you, Mr. Earspasm, is to take the Tone Hole away from the original Venova and learn the Baroque fingerings for it, and wait for an Alto Venova that is built to play the Baroque system.

[@ivanrossi2051]

Tried the venova after alto recorder. Playing it w. it's baroque set up made things even worse for me. Definitely found clarinet to be easier to play. My 0.02

[@aysarmarzuqi]

So I should use the baroque system on my venova? Okay :D

[@julianweiner9596]

Great reply. Thanks for the useful information. Im new too wind intsruments and im amazed

[@davidm1922]

@@ivanrossi2051 do you actually know Baroque fingerings? Or did you just play it like a saxophone/clarinet?

[@KingfisherTalkingPictures]

I bought one, and it’s fun, but not something I pick up that often. I’m a recorder player who has a some clarinet skills. It’s a heck of a lot easier to pick this up & play compared to assembling & cleaning my clarinet. I like the sound of my xaphoon better, but the fingering is less intuitive. So, yeah, fun to have.

[@Jeremazing13]

We need a bass Venova and a contrabass venova

[@DrQuizzler]

This was fun!! I'm going to see if i can get my wife to heckle me in a video shoot. Interesting instrument, but I got a sense from your demo that a bunch of the accidentals are tough to make come out right. As a very "casual" EWI player, I was intrigued with that case. The case I'm using is an oversized soprano sax case lined with some bubble-wrap.

[@terrybyrd5105]

Captivated by the concept - but I keep hearing drop outs and resonance on certain notes. It may be because the plastic body has its own resonant frequency. I'd like to hear a venova made of metal.

[@MichaelJohnsonMDJ]

The alto Venova made me laugh entirely too much.

[@dumb2676]

For a second I thought your name was Michael Jackson

[@DellaStreet123]

The alto version doesn't sound that bad, actually -- if YOU are playing it, at least. The introduction of an alto in F was a clever move on part of Yamaha. The Venova is clearly marketed to recorder players. Not exclusively, but they wouldn't have added the "baroque fingering" plug if they didn't have recorder players in mind. Virtually all children start with a soprano (actually a piccolo instrument, but who cares) recorder in C. When their fingers are long enough, they are willing to learn a new fingering and their family is willing to buy them one, many switch to an alto and, over the years, forget the C fingering. Young children are quick learners, but also quick forgetters. Also, some adults who take up the recorder start with an alto because they find the soprano too high-pitched. So some recorder players are unfamiliar with the C fingering, and the alto Venova would be more convenient for them. However, I think it's a bummer that the Venova is more or less confined to its native key. Recorders have their own intonation issues, but I never had issues with accidentals. I think the semi-keyed design is a bit misleading, it suggests that it's a fully chromatic reed instrument, when it is not. I have a "reedocorder", too. It has three keys. One is a register key that works like one on a clarinet, one works like the a key on a clarinet, and a third one that bends notes down. You can use it to bend the "all fingers down C" into a B or play a second octave f sharp, which would otherwise fall under the table because that thing changes registers like a clarinet. "all fingers down C" becomes a second octave g if you press the register key. Reedocorders have their advantages. They are more affordable for a family on a budget (mine still cost the equivalent of *3* de-humidifiers though) and are more lightweight than a clarinet, not to mention a sax. I can feel the weight of my licorice stick on my thumb, and I think it could be painful for a child.

[@bassmickeyd]

I spotted these last week in the music store and wondered and now I think I'll buy. ... Thanks

[@jazzadn]

When are we going to get a review of the plastic xaphoon vs the pocket sax?

[@88namiller]

I think the xaphoon is a better option. I don't have a Venova, but I have a xaphoon and it doesn't seem to have the same intonation problems. You have to do a lot of lip adjustment to play it in tune but it can be played in tune. And it's smaller and cheaper too.

[@blackandsteak]

Love me some “Casual wind” 💨

[@alexcarter8807]

For about $170 you can buy a Shakuhachi Yuu, which is a really good student shakuhachi, and learn an instrument that's actually cool.

[@stefanhennig]

After all these years of Futurama, finally a real-life holophonor.

[@iqi616]

Like the recorder it takes a lot of skill to make it sound like a musical instrument.

[@pniiice]

oh - it's in C and sounds painful

[@connordecasse9434]

Can we get a video about trying to find the right Bb soprano clarinet for our needs and what different types of wood do and how the metal the keys are plated in will effect its sound?

[@merledoughty5787]

I just brought a Venvoa 100 its going to take me sometime to learn I played flute for years but these reed jobs take a bit getting used to.

[@joshhuffman4286]

Hey Michael I’ve been watching your videos for a while now and I’ve used a lot of advice from your videos and they have helped me a lot. I’ve been playing clarinet for about 4 years now and i was wondering if you could make any videos that give advice on auditions for things like all-region or all-state.

[@jamestomberg5614]

Josh Williams As my teacher said if you are not playing with a metronome 99% of the time then your not playing with one enough

[@arilande2805]

Now I'm curious about an your (maybe one day?) Yamaha YVS-140 Tenor Venova review 😉

[@Sta111e]

Have you seen Linsey Pollak's Cylisax videos? It's a similar concept with the branch tube at the top of the instrument but actually sounds good!

[@rasmusn.e.m1064]

Exactly what I was thinking. They are more expensive though, and they don't have a fancy keywork and bends, but they do play chromatic :)

[@beamoorefrank5194]

Mrs. Spasm has the patience of a saint.

[@fnersch3367]

That thing sounds funky and you're a really good player. It sounds like a struggle but ,hell, I just got a baroque bassoon made in London in 1753 and that thing is a bitch to play as well. So goes the life of woodwind players.

[@bennovak5827]

To you, or to anyone who is knowledgeable about bass clarinets: I’m currently music major and a freshman in college, and I’ve been using my current bass clarinet for a couple of years, but I don’t know how good my bass is, or if I need an upgrade. My bass is an old Kolhert (built in 1929), made of a Blackwood of some kind, no low C extension. I personally love how it sounds, it’s a very unique sound and I think is better than most modern bass clarinets. But any advice on if what I have is decent and if I would need an upgrade is appreciated

[@AristotleBabyBottle]

sadly I don’t know anything about the bass clarinet but I wanted to comment because nobody commented on here, but if you think you sound good, then it’s good. I play the trumpet, and the piano and I’m getting this for Christmas and if I think I sound good on the piano then it’s good for everybody else.

[@leocomerford]

You didn’t end by Roland Kirking both Venovas: I’m afraid I’ll have to take a point off for that. More seriously, have you considered reviewing the Nuvo jSax at some stage? It would be interesting to hear how you think it compares.

[@guywithdogs]

Great gifts for your niece or nephew, you know, the children of the sibling who you're not that fond of...

[@davidm1922]

Have you ever gone back and tested it with the plug removed and playing proper Baroque fingerings?

[@ivanrossi2051]

I tried the classic Venova, then I tried a clarinet and found it easier to play. Got a used Yamaha E1 for less. Not looking back.

[@nymphetangelic4709]

love this editing 😂 your wife is so funny

[@grima5788]

@@billyt8868 Michael Lowenstern is quite jolly, yes.

[@ianjones5599]

I reckon its better to buy a proper instrument BUT if you already play, its kinda cool you could take it places you wouldn't want to bring your good instruments e.g. beach party, travelling, yachting/ cruising. I used to have a martin backpacker travel guitar I used to bring out with me to the oil rigs and learn guitar, that said to play this you could only do it up on the helideck well away from sleeping shift workers (I used to practice my harmonica up on the helideck though!) but for that a wind synth and earphones would be better!!

[@aspaulding5000]

Love your show

[@kokicoke]

I've found that the venova sounds best when I play it with a proper sop.sax. mouthpiece. Sounds ok, but costs 3 times as much as the venova itself...

[@illmade2]

The Nuvo Jsax would be a better introduction instrument, but I can see a busker on a rainy street corner playing one or if someone just wanted something to play around with on a camping trip or vacation.

[@user-sd3jc8nv6k]

Good review. Thank you ☆

[@ManuelHernandez-bg8bl]

You started off so badd I wanted to break my phone. I don't know why hung on till the end but you did get a lot better. I feel sorry for your wife. No, I really feel sorry for your wife! The Yamaha Venova sounds like a very expensive gazoo. I would buy a Cheap Chinese soprano or an old casio digital horn before this. Yamaha used to make a really nice wind controller the WX5 and the WX7. With the improvements of the In the digital saxophone sound samples, Yamaha should bring the WX7 back.

[@LinaSan]

I wish all the reviewers actually reviewed the instrument itself as it comes out of the box, without changing reeds willy-nilly

[@eyebrid]

Someone from Yahama wanted to give the vuvuzela the respect it deserves.

[@MEZ4RCI]

I don't really think it is worth it. İntonation is bad and for beginners this can train their ears wrong :/

[@enjoyeverything7165]

I think the neck thins is a brach tube

[@rajgill7576]

Wait so is it like a very mouthy feeling reed instrument? Aka more lip work involved like a brass horn would be? I played trombone for like 8 or 9 years back in school but I want this to try as a first reed instrument. Recently starting learning ukulele and had a blast hha

[@yeezet4592]

Different type of work but it is easier

[@jmathesonjr]

I think these things need to be played more like a recorder and less like a clarinet or saxophone. When I play recorder, I need to use less air to get the thing in tune. I have to wonder if these might play better with less air and more breath support than on clarinet or saxophone. I would also think the Alto Venova might play more like a Tenor Recorder.

[@Teladian2]

I thi k these things shouldnt be played at all. Yuck.

[@Fonzipan]

This is BEAUTIFUL 😂

[@zekeortega1576]

I pray the bari venova comes one day

[@JoaoTiago87]

The guy from Inglorious Basterds. You're thinking about Christoph Waltz. This guy reminds you of him.

[@andrewbird8624]

8.13. Yes. Hahaha👏🏽 well done.

[@doctorprofesor3876]

Real question here. How many of the "venova sound sucks" claims are real and how many of them are just "this doesn't sound like the instrument I like so the instrument is tresh"?

[@nickscott4272]

These are basically reeded recorders, you can play C and F recorder music on them. Just buy a decent recorder from mullenhauer! This price is insane. A mullenhauer prima can be bought for less than 50 dollars (alto or soprano) and they are going to be way more satisfying.

[@lapislazers2373]

plug the hole at the top to make it sound and act like a clarinet

[@kooz914]

Yes, Mr. Earspasm Music, if you bothered to read the manual, the Venova has a cylindrical bore like a clarinet. That pipe on top that you blew into to clear the water out is open to make it play like a conical instrument (overblow to the octave). When you plug it with the stopper they include, it turns into the cylinder-shaped clarinet. Please try it and post another video reviewing the Venova's clarinet voice. And thanks Marcus for pointing this out.

[@senser2335]

First saw that my and ngl thought it was a recorder. (I play bass clarinet)

[@cloudbaserapture99942]

Great video. Very funny. I have just received my Alto. I play flute and Irish whistles but don't intent on buying a sax any time soon. Is it worth the money to buy a top end Val mouthpiece and V12 reed in the future to get the most out of the instrument? Does it make it any easier to play or stay in tune? Cheers.

[@etienneyitian]

Interesting, but i would prefer a double ocarina ^^

[@starducks8954]

alto venova is great

[@31416]

And that video is why I bought a Pianica for casual sorties 😂

[@AFN2750]

For 170$ you can buy a used alto sax (on a good day) or Bb clarinet. Terrible ones, but they are significantly better instruments

[@scottbailey7626]

Great Review, Had my Venova for about 12 months now, (Fly Me To The Moon) Fav tune on it, also love that it is in the key of 'C' as I can play all my Piano music on it! Also to clean, take off the mouthpiece, hold the pipe vertical, and dangle the cleaner in the top, then shake the Venova side to side it will wiggle through and then this will clean out the spit. 2nd, I found that the synthetic reed was great to practice on for the first month or so while developing my overture and then switched it for a C4 Wood Reed (Clarinet Reed I think) as it deepens the sound. I am still working on the 2nd Higher Octave, but how can you complain, Yamaha has designed the max out of this thing! And thanks for you video, now I know what I need for Xmas (F) Venova...... Cheers, Queensland AU

[@nr3rful]

i would say not good for a brand new beginner. Getting them started on the wrong fingering notes if they intend to advance to clarnet or sax

[@rjs1215]

Never have I play any wind instrument. But I saw this one and I thought this would be a nice one for me to pick up. Its small and different. Would you say I could use the Alto Venova to play with the church praise team?

[@kevinm.pfeiffer5037]

I got as far as 5:59. Wearing headphones didn't make it any easier. From Yamaha?? What were they thinking?

[@Ice_Karma]

It's marketed to woodwind newbies, but... it's a reed instrument? or did I miss something?

[@4000marcdman]

venova or jSax which is better? Your opinion is much appreciated. thanks.

[@John17thru26]

yes, you have won the flatulent contest

[@i_cam]

Yay it’s in F

[@Clarinetfanz]

I tried these once at a music conference and I thought that they were very weird.

[@roco0986]

What is the song that you played in the intro of the video here?

[@georgf9279]

Why? These are only good if you want to clear a room so you can practice alone.

[@mrsroper68]

Did you get to keep them? They look fun to try but probably sit while I played my real instrument.....Have you reviewed a plateu or covered key clarinet?

[@LarryShone]

Apparently if you plug that weird neck thing you get into a different tuning...

[@tamraanne4066]

The plastic reed is awful! How much control does one have with embouchure adjustments? I played oboe way back when and loved the control I had to perfect the pitch with the double reed.

[@vicbulbon8821]

whats the name of the jazz tune he starts playing at 6.20

[@hugovandermeer1566]

Misty.

[@dawnhirsh6263]

I can tell you're a fine musician despite the instrument!

[@aldrinbasilan365]

Venova Fingering is same as Recorder Fingering

[@GabrielDipo]

Why do people don't understand? How much music can heal us? I have a teacher his wife also did a lot of complaining to his daily guitar playing. Do you guys know how hurt being told to stop doing something you love so much? It hurts, I stopped playing guitar because of that. Ffs.