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Yamaha YVS-100 Venova Casual Wind Instrument with Case, White
Purchase options and add-ons
Color | white |
Brand | Yamaha |
Instrument Key | C |
Material | Plastic |
Style | YVS-100 |
About this item
- Easy fingering similar to a recorder
- Rich and expressive tone that sounds like a saxophone
- Key of C with a fully chromatic 2 octave range
- Made from lightweight and durable ABS plastic
- Uses a soprano saxophone mouthpiece and reed
Frequently bought together
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This Item Yamaha YVS-100 Venova Casual Wind Instrument with Case, White | Recommendations | dummy | dummy | dummy | dummy | |
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Price | $99.99$99.99 | $264.99$264.99 | $89.90$89.90 | -10% $89.99$89.99 Typical: $99.99 | -14% $29.98$29.98 List: $34.99 | -27% $108.88$108.88 List: $149.99 |
Delivery | Get it Mar 29 - Apr 2 | Get it Mar 29 - Apr 2 | Get it as soon as Monday, Apr 1 | Get it as soon as Monday, Apr 1 | Get it as soon as Monday, Apr 1 | Get it as soon as Monday, Apr 1 |
Customer Ratings | ||||||
Value for money | 3.8 | 3.8 | — | 4.7 | 4.5 | — |
For beginners | 3.2 | 3.2 | — | 4.4 | 4.1 | — |
Durability | 4.6 | 4.6 | — | — | 4.8 | — |
Easy to learn | 2.8 | 2.8 | — | 3.9 | — | — |
Sold By | GearNuts | GearNuts | EX Effects Device | KONIX Direct | Music Supplies Now | Hour Loop |
instrument key | C | C | — | Recorder | C | C |
material | Plastic | Plastic | — | Plastic, Silicone | Plastic | Plastic |
style | YVS-100 | YVS-140 Tenor | Modern | Modern | Modern | Traditional |
weight | 3 pounds | 438 grams | 170 grams | — | 0.2 kilograms | 0.4 kilograms |
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Product information
Item Weight | 3 pounds |
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Product Dimensions | 18.11 x 3.54 x 2.17 inches |
ASIN | B074R86GRQ |
Item model number | YVS-100 |
Customer Reviews |
4.1 out of 5 stars |
Best Sellers Rank | #7,799 in Musical Instruments (See Top 100 in Musical Instruments) #47 in Recorders (Musical Instruments) |
Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
Date First Available | September 15, 2017 |
Body Material | Plastic |
Color Name | white |
Material Type | Plastic |
Instrument Key | C |
Size | Soprano |
Warranty & Support
Feedback
What's in the box
Videos
Videos for this product
0:43
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What's a Venova?
Yamaha Musical Instruments
Videos for this product
0:29
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Venova - Take Your Music With You!
Yamaha Musical Instruments
Videos for this product
0:30
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Make Music with Venova
Yamaha Musical Instruments
Product Description
The Yamaha Venova is a totally new type of wind instrument that blends the simplicity of a recorder with the sound of a saxophone. The original YVS-100 Venova uses a regular soprano saxophone mouthpiece and reed, but with simple open-hole fingerings similar to what you'd find on a student recorder. Durable and lightweight, the Venova is easy to take with you to the beach, the park, on vacation, or wherever you want to make music.
From the manufacturer
Venova
A new kind of instrument that's easy to learn and fun to play.
Make Music with Venova
Yamaha designed the Venova, an entirely new breed of instrument, to empower you to create music. From its simple fingering to its saxophone-like tone, playing the Venova is a truly satisfying, expressive experience, whether you're a beginner or an accomplished musician. From belting out a powerful song to finessing the details of a more delicate melody, the Venova is great for any kind of music.
Simplicity of a recorder, sound of a saxophone
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Sounds like a saxInnovative technology gives the Venova a sound that's amazingly like a saxophone. It also uses a real sax mouthpiece and reed, so if you're already a woodwind player you'll feel right at home. |
Plays like a recorderThe fingering of the Venova is similar to a standard recorder, so it's simple to learn the notes even for beginners. |
Durable and easy to cleanThe tough ABS plastic body is strong enough to hit the road but durable enough to wash with water. |
Light and compactFrom a jaunt around the corner to a lengthy trip, it's an ideal travel companion. It even comes with a protective case so you can safely carry it or pack it in your luggage. |
Venova YVS-100 | Alto Venova YVS-120 | Tenor Venova YVS-140 | |
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Customer Reviews |
4.1 out of 5 stars
884
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4.1 out of 5 stars
884
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4.1 out of 5 stars
884
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Range | C40 - C64 | F33 - F57 | C28-C52 |
Tone | Bright, similar to a soprano sax | Mellow, similar to an alto sax | Dark and rich, similar to a tenor sax |
Mouthpiece | Soprano sax | Alto sax | Tenor sax |
Length | 460mm (about 18 inches) | 590mm (about 23 inches) | 697mm (about 27.5 inches) |
Instrument weight | 6.3 ounces | 10.4 ounces | 15.4 ounces |
Color | White with black keys | White with black keys | White with black keys |
Body | One piece | Two piece | Two piece |
Included accessories | Yamaha 4C-equivalent mouthpiece, synthetic reed, ligature, mouthpiece cap, cleaning swab, hard case with shoulder strap, "Let's Play Venova" guidebook | Yamaha 4C-equivalent mouthpiece, synthetic reed, ligature, mouthpiece cap, cleaning swab, hard case with shoulder strap, "Let's Play Venova" guidebook | Yamaha 4C-equivalent mouthpiece, synthetic reed, ligature, mouthpiece cap, cleaning swab, soft zippered case with shoulder strap, "Let's Play Venova" guidebook |
From the brand
Let Your Soul Sing, Make Waves
We at Yamaha want to inspire peoples' passion and help them take a step forward to express their individuality, emotion and creativity.
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The Yamaha Difference
The perfect combination of traditional craftsmanship and leading edge technology.
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Looking for specific info?
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers like the value of the brass and woodwind instruments. They say it's a good bang for the buck and worth the investment. Some customers also like the ease of playing. However, some customers have reported issues with the tuning, saying the instrument is hard to play in tune. Customers also disagree on sound quality, ease of use, quality, and performance.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers like the value of the reed. They say it's a good bang for the buck, worth the investment, and an inexpensive way to get into re-eds. Some reviewers also mention that the alto version is worth it.
"...For what it costs, in comparison to even a student sax, it's worth the money to me since I'm playing it mainly for my own enjoyment, not to perform..." Read more
"...That all said, overall, this is a pretty good little horn for $80. It will take practice to become really proficient...." Read more
"...Picking this up was easy. I like the tone. I like the price. And I like having one instrument, regardless of key...." Read more
"I have to say, although the price was very cheap this instrument is little more than a recorder with I half thought out design and a terrible..." Read more
Customers find the brass and woodwind instruments easy to play. They mention it's a fun instrument for beginners and professionals alike, and can be used for personal enjoyment or at a sing along with or without keyboard. They also say it'll occupy their time well worth it and is appropriate for jam sessions with friends and busking on the street.
"...In conclusion, my initial impressions are mixed. Its interesting, fun, portable, looks cool, and can be played with a little practice and patience...." Read more
"...A great little funky horn that is a lot of fun to play." Read more
"...This is fun to play around with, and I have seen videos of people playing this and sounding great, but it is not easy to get a good consistent sound..." Read more
"...But it is fun just to have around. And can be used for personal enjoyment or at a sing along with or without keyboard accompaniment. Have fun...." Read more
Customers appreciate the weight of the brass and woodwind instruments. They say it's super light weight, ultra portable, and easy to carry around. Some mention that the instrument has a great sound and is compact.
"...What I like about this over a sax is how durable, light weight, and easy it is to use and care for...." Read more
"...In conclusion, my initial impressions are mixed. Its interesting, fun, portable, looks cool, and can be played with a little practice and patience...." Read more
"...Another advantage is the super light weight. I am 71 years old with back issues, I would never be able to play a real tenor saxophone...." Read more
"...And being so portable and a low price, I think the tone are quite good enough for non-professionals...." Read more
Customers are mixed about the ease of use of the brass and woodwind instruments. Some mention it's easy to carry around, easy to use, and has a great sound. However, others say that it' s not an easy instrument to play, it''s hard than it appears, and is not best for beginners.
"...I was impressed with how easy it is to pick up and play decently. I bought a REAL soprano sax reed and that made a huge difference...." Read more
"...Playing sharps and flats is difficult and definitely requires some on the fly embouchure adjustment to get those half steps in tune...." Read more
"...It’s fun to play and the fingerings are fairly simple...." Read more
"...a favor and just through the stock plastic reed in the bin--it is unplayable, esp for anyone who is new to reed instruments...." Read more
Customers are mixed about the sound quality of the brass and woodwind instruments. Some mention that they love the sound, breath control, and it's helping them on producing the sounds. They say it has a great tone and is a fine gateway instrument. However, others say that it doesn't sound as good, has some little intonation issues, and squeaks instead of playing.
"...Beautiful warm tone both low and high notes, and much finer tone control become quickly apparent when switching to the natural reed...." Read more
"...Edit 2: sounding low C consistently is somewhat difficult, as the instrument wants to hop into the upper register--although that could just be me..." Read more
"...to fool anyone into believing that you are playing a sax, but it sounds great to me...." Read more
"...This is not an easy instrument to play and it can sound better than a recorder...." Read more
Customers have mixed opinions about the quality of the brass and woodwind instrument. Some mention it's well built, has a nice case, and has slick sound, while others say it comes with a terrible plastic reed that is too firm for beginning players.
"...With the clarinet reeds, it really sounds like a soprano sax. Beautiful warm tone both low and high notes, and much finer tone control become..." Read more
"...given that it does come with a nice case, cleaning cloth and a rudimentary mouthpiece, but I would have felt better paying $70-$80 for it...." Read more
"Comes with a hard plastic reed. I don't care how long you have been playing, remove the hard reed and replace it with a lighter one...." Read more
"Neat little instrument! The tin whistles were driving me crazy with their limited range and limited abiity to fake an accidental sharp or flat...." Read more
Customers are mixed about the performance of the brass and woodwind instruments. Some mention that it seems to play well, is easy to use, and effective enough, while others say that it's less than satisfactory, not very helpful, and not much of an instrument for beginners.
"...I think this instrument works just fine. It's sound isn't going to fool anyone into believing that you are playing a sax, but it sounds great to me...." Read more
"...I was playing notes but after 2hrs I still was unable to get anything consistant, tonally pleasant nor in any scale my tuner would recognize as c...." Read more
"...I was impressed with how easy it is to pick up and play decently. I bought a REAL soprano sax reed and that made a huge difference...." Read more
"...bring anywhere the only issue I have is the sound quality it is not great at all but it is still worth it" Read more
Customers are dissatisfied with the tuning of the brass and woodwind instruments. They mention that the F#, G#, and Bb are badly out of tune and hard to play in tune. They also say that the half tones are very difficult to get in tune sometimes. Some customers also mention that it's hard for beginners to play smooth notes and that the notes don't stay in tune when hitting higher notes.
"...However, as others have reported, F#, G# & Bb are badly out of tune and require "lipping it" to play...." Read more
"...It is impossible to play in tune and the upper register will not play the proper notes at all...." Read more
"...Very limited in terms of range and tone, definitely hard to get the tuning right on some of the notes...." Read more
"...Not perfect, but close. Some little intonation issues, inherent in the design, can be corrected with a slight change of embouchure...." Read more
Reviews with images
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Top reviews
Top reviews from the United States
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I haven't played anything for nearly a decade and haven't owned a sax for at least as long. What I like about this over a sax is how durable, light weight, and easy it is to use and care for. It really is a very casual instrument, but one that can produce incredible sound in the right hands. The Venova has allowed me to easily fit music back into my life again without breaking the bank or being bothered by setup and breakdown time, maintenance, etc. Just pop open the case and play.
Would I recommend this as a beginner learning instrument for an adult or child? Maybe for an adult, but definitely not for a child. Better off with a clarinet or alto sax or something a little easier to make a sound out of. I gave my wife and my daughter a quick lesson and neither could make the Venova do anything other than honk like a goose. But for an intermediate sax or clarinet player, for less than the cost of a decent mouth piece the Venova offers a lot of fun and a new challenge in a quality portable package.
Some have called this an "overpriced toy." Tin whistles are children's' "toys" that take years to master but sound beautiful when in the hands of an accomplished artist. Recorders are often (mistakenly) considered "children's toys" but have a long history as legitimate musical instruments. Hell, there is that dude on youtube who makes instruments from carrots and garden hoses that he records with. So what is the Venova? Well, its certainly not a "toy," but it is not a symphonic wind instrument either. The construction of the instrument seems solid and it is apparent that a lot of sound engineering went into making it. I think it has great potential for what it is marketed as --- a "casual" wind instrument--appropriate for jam sessions with friends, busking on the street, playing in church.
That said, contrary to Yamaha's advertising, this is certainly NOT the musical equivalent of a Polaroid camera. Teh Venova is an instrument in its own right that while quirky, has the potential to sound great--but it is in no way a beginner's instrument. After 15 years of serious clarinet study and another 15 of "noddling," I can attest that the Venova is challenging. The embouchure is not as tight as a clarinet, but nowhere near as loose as most true saxophones. It is somewhere in between. The biggest difficultly is that the instrument is VERY sensitive to changes in embouchure. Once one finds the "sweet spot," one has to maintain it or you wind up sounding like a goose with its balls being squeezed or a ill snake charmer. When played properly, the instrument sounds like a cross between an oboe and a soprano sax. Again, once one finds the "sweet spot," the tone is very pleasant. The sensitivity to embouchure changes also means that the Venova can be played very expressively. That said, I am suffering through my fair share of inadvertent honks and squeaks.
Lots of people ask if the instrument is chromatic. Nominally, yes; in practice, not really. Accidentals are played through a variety of odd "forked" fingerings that while playable, do not really lend themselves easily to running 16th notes.
What about the tone? Well, again, the instrument is sensitive to embouchure changes. However, as others have reported, F#, G# & Bb are badly out of tune and require "lipping it" to play. To me, this is the biggest drawback to the instrument and something Yamaha needs to address if it expects this to be anything more than a one-off novelty item. Oh, and please ignore that vast majority of youtube videos using mic'd Venova's with the reverb turned up. It is not going to sound like that in your basement.
Fingerings are a mix between a recorder/clarinet/sax. If you already play a woodwind, you will have a leg-up with the embouchure control, but will have to reprogram your brain on the fingerings, as they are just similar enough, that sometimes you hands go on autopilot. My only major complaints about fingerings are: 1) you have to "roll" C# and Eb, which is obviously a hassle if you need to return [there is a reason sax's and clarinets have all those side keys!];2 ) The fingering chart for some reason is inexplicably written upside down!--contrary to every other fingering chart I have ever seen; and 3) The manual gives a number of alternative fingerings, which can be confusing at first, but are actually helpful depending upon the piece you are playing. For instance mid-C is supposed to be played with just the thumb hole covered. However, it can also be played like a "C" on a clarinet, using the register key and fully covering the remainder. This alternative doesn't sound as "bright", but is essential if you are running up and down b-c-d-e. I note that the primary fingering for mid-D is the middle top hole, which if played with the primary C fingering results in a flub-flub-flub front/back rocking motion.
Other thoughts: Please do yourself a favor and just through the stock plastic reed in the bin--it is unplayable, esp for anyone who is new to reed instruments.
Price: Meh.....Is this thing worth $100? Depends on how you intend to use it, how much spare cash you have laying around, if you like experimenting with new things, and if you like the novelty factor. I am not SHOCKED at the $100 price tag, given that it does come with a nice case, cleaning cloth and a rudimentary mouthpiece, but I would have felt better paying $70-$80 for it. Have I gotten $100 in enjoyment from it?--Probably. Would I have gotten the same enjoyment from a J-sax or Xaphoon? Probably.
All that being said, I have spent at least a good 1.5 hours the past three nights playing with this thing and having fun with it. I plan on getting a C fake book for Christmas tunes and taking this along on my holiday travels.
Like any other instrument, this will require a lot of practice to sound decent, but I can definitely see myself playing on the main street with the rest of the college hispters by the college and making some extra dough this summer if I keep at it.
In conclusion, my initial impressions are mixed. Its interesting, fun, portable, looks cool, and can be played with a little practice and patience. Are you going to be able to just pick it up with no musical background and start jamming with your hipster friends under a bridge with a picnic basket---No. Are you going to take the classical music scene by storm once you have mastered it? No. Is it a fun, interesting sounding instrument, that sorta sounds like a sax and can be used to noddle/jam with..absolutely. Can it be used with children as an alternative to a recorder and introduction to reed instruments? Absolutely, if one acknowledges its limitations.
Overall, I am generally happy with the purchase. I will update my review if my opinion changes in the next few months.
Edit 1: For shites and giggles I threw on a clarinet reed---very interesting change; more consistent tone (that could just be due to added thickness), but less spunky sound.
Edit 2: sounding low C consistently is somewhat difficult, as the instrument wants to hop into the upper register--although that could just be me playing with too tight an embochure.
Top reviews from other countries
しかし、まともな音はとても難しい。
発音の仕組みは、Saxと全く同じ。
毎回、クロマチックチューナーで音を確かめながらの練習です。
C音階(2オクターブ分)が、どの音もきれいに出せるには、もう少し掛かりそうです。
それだけに、自分の音を作るのは、進捗が止まる事ばかりですが、
とてもやりがいがある、時に、やんなっちゃう時もあるけど、
とてもたのしい楽器です、吹けば音の出る楽器(EWI等)では、これは体験出来ないことです。
シンプルだけど「音作り手作り感120%」の楽器です。
始めは、プラスチックの楽器が10,000円!高いんでないかい!と思いましたが・・
始めて観たら・・もう、その価格以上の楽しみは体験できました。((^_^))