The BEST and WORST sounds on the Roland Aerophone AE-20 Wind Synth
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- Опубліковано 30 тра 2022
- #bettersax #saxophone #windsynth
Jay Metcalf play tests and reviews the Roland Aerophone AE-20 Wind Synth.
Roland Aerophone AE-20 geni.us/EjdqES
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Hey Jay, I have an aerophone AE-20 and I know this video is a year old now but by chance if you look back at this comment im a wind instrument player in high school and I really want to learn how to play this thing but I can't make it sound anywhere as good as you do, do you think you could tell me how to make it sound so good?
Thanks for the comprehensive review and your unvarnished, honest views Jay. The lack of sales pitch is very refreshing! I am looking for a practice instrument with sax fingering and your reviews of wind-synths have opened my eyes that these have really moved on in the last few years and have become so much more accessible to aspiring musicians!
Thanks so much for the mention Jay. Wow, you got through those sounds so fast. The AE-20 is the one I’m reaching for all the time.
Great job. 👏👏👏
Thanks Alistair!
Watched/listened to videos from both of you. While you're both here, when you buy an 88 key digital keyboard, it probably has something like Hamburg D and it sounds and plays pretty to really realistic. I listened through Jay's performance because it was musically entertaining, but was hoping somewhere in there to be confronted with, say, Paris Supreme, or US Royalty. Or classical versus cool, or Parker v Webster.
What I heard was between plastic and electronic. I know, they call it Aerophone. But still. You're both doing a great job, understand me correctly. Grateful for that.
@@jpdj2715I politely disagree. I can always hear when someone is playing windinstrument sounds on a keyboard. The phrasing is just different.
@@45zapatero - I totally agree, and used the piano sidestep as an example where a synthetic instrument "may" work.
The sounds in the video are gimmicky. And it is not clear to me that these "instruments" support e.g. portamento. These devices may help learn fingering and melody but not embouchure, I think.
Was just playing my ae-10 when this came out. I'm having a really good time with my toy!
Hi Jay - as always, thanks for posting a great video! I have a Roland AE-10 and love it. I am in a cover band and play mostly bass guitar and sing (lead and harmonies). I spent about 5 years as an adult learning to play sax (about 15 years ago). I tried to bring my sax playing to the cover band, but found that a "Real sax" takes too much "maintenance" and by that I mean embouchure strength, reed conditioning, etc. I only play the horn maybe 1-3 times per hour, and the sax doesn't seem to be an instrument you can just grab and blow a sax part then put it down and grab the bass back... the reed dries out, the horn is "cold", etc. and at my skill level, basically sounds terrible. My AE-10 solves much of that and always plays perfectly in tune which I like. The thing is - I don't use my AE-10 for "Synth sounds"... I use it to sound like "real analog instruments"... it does a good job sounding like a "real" flute (California Dreaming, Can't You See) , like a violin (Doobies Black Water) and some brass sounds (trumpet, muted trumpet). But the instrument I mainly bought it for was to play "sax" which, sadly it really doesn't do all that well... Most of your subscribers play "real sax" so probably don't use a wind synth to try to play sax voicings on, but I sure wish it did a little better at this one... I notice you don't spend much time with the AE's and their ability to sound like a sax, seems the AE30 might be better at expressing since you can "growl" just by angling it up... Hmmm...
I have both the AE-30 and 20, I love the 30, the extr features make it awesome, you can plug Widi Master in the Din Sockets and Have dual Bluetooth Midi connectiving. this means 1 for DAWand 1 for artist. I use MidiMittr and and Midi Macro for instant changes to scenes and settings
13:03 That flute sound was nice.
Finally! A new gear review! Love it 😊 btw, could you do a review on ishimori’s new vintage tenor or alto? Didn’t find many info about it on YT
You sound great well played
From Synth k-board background, a breath supported synth is a great invention! My keys creates real, believable sounds. This AE20 has breath instruments down! The world of synths just moved over for this AE20 breath machine.
If they were cheaper I could see myself getting one for kicks, but, since I already have effect pedals, I run my miked sound through those instead for a synth sound. Typically only use octave pedals to drop my alto sax to bari or soprano clarinet to bass, though.
Dear Mr. Metcalf --
First of all, I'd like to say: I very much enjoy your content. As an amateur saxophonist, it is a delight to have a channel to tune into to find so many informative reviews!
However, I have a burning desire for content on your channel and that is a review of the Singer's Day (SDAS-2020) alto saxophone.
You see I purchased this sax and have been a tad bit disappointed. But I don't know if I should chalk it up to my poor skill or it being a poorly constructed horn. I worry, though because I've heard bad things about the horn.
Thank you for your time and consideration!
Sincerely, your follower, E.A. Johnson.
I just got mine from UPS today. I was amazed at how easy it was with fingering. I had some other synth years ago and it was such a PIA to try and play because the fingerings didn't match well at all to a sax. From what I can tell so far, the only learning curve will be with the octave keys and setting up which sounds to put in the favorites so it's a quick and easy switch while on a gig. Love it so far!!!
This video is just great !! 😄😄
Jay. in the ethnic instruments scene, the xiao 2 with the octave raised up one so the lower octave activates with out the octave down key. that is the jazz flute sound you are looking for, I promise.
Will check it out thanks.
WOW those soft leads really shine!
Great presentation on the instrument, great playing 👏 👏 👏 I laughed so hard on emojis on the sax sounds. I already ordered one, now I'm more impatient.
I have the AE-30. I couldn't do without the motion sensors, thumb pad, or MIDI Out socket because I have too much fun using those to play my Behringer Neutron analogue synth (aided by a CC to CV converter). The motion sensors and thumb pad are great for adding expression to the internal sounds too.
That's exactly why I'm looking at the pro myself! 5-pin MIDI out for HW synths is great, and the Pro also seems to have a transpose function for those of us that haven't learned all our scales yet...
Thanks Uncle Mick - I have an AE-10, and the biggest draw for me to step up to the AE-30 is the motion sense... I think all the Roland wind synth have the transpose function - no? My AE-10 does and I LIVE by it!!! I play all my instruments in MY favorite key(s)... I am too whimpy to learn all the scales... OK let me restate that - I "know" all the scales, but I am too whimpy to be "smooth" at all the scales...
@@vmontijo the 30 has a handy transpose knob. It's very useful when I'm doing a cover of a song which I need to transpose to better fit the range of my alto. The transpose lets me practice along to the original recording using the actual fingering I'll be using on my sax.
you're liking the motion sensors? I've been debating between the 30 and the 20 cause i'm not sure if I'd like the motion sensors
@@orifox1629 I find the motion controls absolutely essential for my kind of music making. They're great fun to use!
I'm into synthetic sounds rather than "realistic" sounds. On a regular synth I tweak controls while I play. That's not possible with a regular wind synth but the extra features on the AE-30 enable me to achieve the same things while I play.
I don't have any videos on my channel yet of me using the motion with internal sounds (I'm _supposed_ to be editing a video on that right this moment 🙄) but I have posted videos using the motion sensors to control the cutoff frequency and resonance on my Behringer Neutron. I also like the thumb pad - it's pressure sensitive which gives me a third control and the S1 and S2 are really useful for switching things in and out such as effects. So far I've only just scratched the surface of the possibilities of these controls.
If I lost my AE-30, I'd immediately buy another.
Jay, your video sold me on this, lol. Excellent!
The MT Stacked 4ths sound is a direct link to the EWI on Michael Brecker's 'Original Rays'. Incredible!
just got my AE20 today and love it, had tried the AE10 but the loud key clicks put me off and I got an ewi solo still love it. this new AE20 is whisper quiet with the key clicks, think the voices sound better too than the AE10... so far I can't fault the AE20... well done Roland for sorting out the loud key clicks... sax voices are OK, nice clarinet voice.
Can you bend the pitch of a note down and up with normal saxophone technique on this synth?
Hi Jay,
I have the Ewi 5000. I am not super impressed. My friend is recommending the Ewi 4000. Do you prefer the Roland over Ewi?
I generally play middle C# with the vented fingering (octave and g keys.) Does this synth recognize this fingering and other alternate fingerings?
Yep love the rotate ones that you liked before I saw you liked them.
I got mine a few weeks ago from Matt at Patchman Music. He helped developed this and set me up. Highly recommended.
En tant qu'ancien saxophoniste, j'ai acheté l'AE-20 pour me dégourdir les doigts sans déranger les voisins et j'en suis pleinement satisfait. Je n'utilise que rarement les sons internes -l'un de mes préférés est l'Erhu- car je le branche à mon interface audio et mon ordinateur pour déclencher de luxueux instruments VST de riche, en tous cas je crois bien que je l'étais avant de les acheter. Cela fonctionne parfaitement bien pour moi. Merci l'AE-20.
hula bula jeg fatter ik æ brik
SMOOTH 🔥🔥🔥
Every demo video plays lounge jazz music. i'd like to use this in an orchestral settings, is it suited for such?
Can we download any sounds directly in the aerophone found on internet or is it only through roland's cloud ?
Hey ! I love your videos ! thx for your work :) Could you please make a video about the Nexus saxophones ? (Chad LB's brand) I would love to know what you think on them :p
this thing is so sick im soLd thank you for jammin it
Can anyone recommend a good tenor sax mouthpiece for marching band ? And maybe a symphonic band setting?
I would love a review of the AE-05 with SWAM Saxophone audio modeling. Just might be the best all around wind synth saxophone sound and value.
I have an AE-20 Aerophone . Can you give me an idea on how to develop a vocoder patch ? Unlike the AE-10 Aerophone it does have the vocoder patch.
Concur on the sounds. What did you feel about the fingering on the 20 and 30, the same? Really glad I listened to your Yamaha review.
Just waiting for mine to arrive. Paid for it the other day. Hopefully will boost my practice. 😀 Love the emojis 😂
Hey Jay, great video, great information.....I'm not sure about this instrument.
I saw a guy playing this at an Open Mic in San Diego yesterday, and it was very cool!!!!
Hello, I want to learn to play a sax-like instrument, but I don't care about learning to play the acoustic one: do you think the aerophone is a good pick? I really like the saturation sound & glissando on classical saxes, I wonder if I can do that with this one.
Thanks so much, now i know, what kind of that it's have)
Another great video - Jay... and thank you for playing the emulated "acoustic instruments" , because as I said in a message below, I actually use the Roland to perform in a cover band, and I am not about to learn to play a "real" flute, French Horn, harmonica, trumpet, muted trumpet, violin, etc.
I hang my head low to you and your typical audience members and admit I am too much of a whimp to even play a "real" sax (for the reasons I mention below (inadequate embouchure, dry reeds = squeaks and shrieks!)... so I just do the best I can with the on-board sax sounds (admittedly not very good)... but I am hoping that - like so many things - these wind synths will continue to improve with time...
How difficult is it to play the riffs you played throughout this video? I will get one if the riffs you just played are easy because I want to jam out just like you in this video. Maybe I can play for my family also.
Hi jay I love your channel
Thanks
Check out Eric Alexander's Bebop 101-2 lick at about 8:20.
How do you do the glide effect?
Wait are those sounds linked up with what you are playing because they sound different for my aerophone?
Thanks, Jay. The mini, the 10 or the 20? Is the 30 THAT much more expressive for the money? Seems play faster on the mini if good on recorder. Need one for live use. Have 4 saxes, flute so don't care about fake saxes.
walk in jams prob. stand alone but also have laptop with VSTs. Also, breath controller thru usb to Kurzweil; pc361. Care less about wireless You like Akai keywork better. Anyone? Costs are all over the map. Update.... I bought the 30. It's only money.
Unbelievable... I love all those sounds... more, more...
I'm no IT guy, but what backing tracks do you use through your phone? I tried some through the computer but I really need to be able to use headphones.
Fantastic video and I wholeheartedly agree with your assessment of all of the sounds but as a brass player who was considering one of these, I think the un muted trumpets and trombones unfortunately deserve the same ratings as the saxes. The muted sounds are awesome and I think the euphonium sound is actually the best of the brass sounds but the trombone is not so great 😂
how ae-05 compare to this one play wise ? (looking for cheap way to get one )
Very interesting instrument! Would love to see your review about yds-150
Coming very soon
I’m with you on those woodwinds sounds. But I’ve discovered that this sw package called swam get pretty damn close using an aerophone go. That currently my practice setup. That ae20 and ae30 is too expensive. I’d rather send that on sugal tenor mpc.
Having an AE-30 for a few months now, I feel like this doesn’t do the instrument justice. For instance the Huge patch sounds waaaay better down in the lower octaves, as do many of these patches. Can’t think of it as ‘just a sax substitute’, it’s more of a full synth with wind control and a sax key bed instead of a piano key bed. For me, that makes the synth sounds and patches much more accessible, since I’m primarily a sax player who dabbles in piano.
The key differences between 20 and 30 are well documented, but for most players they’re going to be on the same playing field. As a recording engineer, I see the benefits to MIDI din connectors, and extra controls like motion to trigger other synths and FX.
What stand is that at 0:5x ?
The Saws Lead Dly sound was one of the few that didn’t sound wonky pitch wise. I use an EWI 4000s and I can only use sounds which are clean an crisp. It just messes with my ear not being able to hold a steady tone.
Any “wonky”pitch problem is not the patch, it is that he doesn’t have his bite sensor set up right.
Pretty great stamp of approval - "I'm keeping it!" Ba ha ha!
Good video Jay. I have had the AE10 for a couple of years and I have found it a great quiet practice instrument. A few too many onboard sounds IMO. I am also fortunate to have secured a YDS150 which is a superior instrument in all respects and hard to put down. I also have a Tenor and Alto acoustic sax. A lot of critics of these instruments seem to think that they are alternative saxes. They are not. They are electronic wind instruments that are ergonomically based upon saxaphones and should never be compared so criticallly with an acoustic sax. The development of these instruments is a godsend for the ever growing apartment population that would like to enjoy the delights of playing sax but are unable to for fear of annoying the neighbours. My wife is a great fan of these quiet or if preferred, silent, instruments.
Hw can I get my own in Nigeria
I am a sax player and picked this one for a try. Loved the fact that it opens up to so many sounds (I am a bad keyboard player) Synth sounds are fun and opens up to a lot of new ways of playing imho. I agree Sax sounds are terrible, I loved the muted trumpet or pan flute! Any reed instrument cannot really compete when you know how to play them. This is not a synth sax it is a synth for sax players! Love it I need to buy one soon!
I was also disappointed with the sax sounds for the AE-20. I way preferred the sax in the app for the AE-05. You may have discovered this by now but the AEZ003 Sound Pack has some great sax options. That's become my go-to when I'm needing the sax.
I NEED ONE
It is clear that each person will have their preferences and some are more successful than others.
But each sound must be chosen according to the context and must be practiced according to the way it was programmed.
For example you don't seem to like "Sentimental Ld" too much but listen to the sound that served as a reference and how it was used by Michael Brecker in his EWI interpretation of "In A Sentimental Mood" on the "Magnetic" disc.
Long vids are back!!!
Still love the traditional Sax 🎷. Ok for a song to add some spice!
What model of stand is that, Sir? I've been having a hard time finding a stand for my AE-30...
Patchman Music has them.
Do you ever post sheets for the music you play? That's a nice little diddy. I'd love to learn it.
Agreed. Stellar licks, I'd pay money.
you have to experiment with other vst sounds like Omnisphere or Serum find your sound that's the key like Michael Brecker did 🙌🎷
Jay, Patchman music has the Brecker patches for this. I had the EWI 1000 and got really good on it. I have to buy one of these
I’ve got those. Wish they could be loaded inside the instrument though.
The M Brecker 1 and 2 are not right. Those sounds are supposed to be huge rotating Brecker type chord sounds. Multi notes. Something is out of sync in this video.
There at least a couple of buttons on the instrument, S1 and S2, that the player has to be careful about pressing by accident. These can control whether or not the harmonies sound or not along with other sound features. There are quite a few variables with the AE-20 and AE-30 that can change greatly how a selected patch scene sounds.
I bought the AE 10 at the beginning of the pandemic. Besides being a college professor I am also a church musician. During the pandemic I was not allowed to use my clarinet or flute because of the air spread of particulates. The AE 10 solved that problem, and I placed a towel on the floor to catch the condensation drips from the bottom. I use approximately 40 of the sounds in addition to SWAM flute sounds from my Ipad. Yes the keys are clunky, and certain fingerings capable on the real instruments cannot be used on the Aerophone because it lacks mechanical couplings.
Aerophones have the best built in sounds, but samplemodeling and audiomodeleing (SWAM) is far better than anything else.
You should have put a paper mask on the end of your clarinet and told them to pound sand. Stop letting mentally retarded Karens run your life.
So which digital sax has the best sax sound patch then? Almost every sax player on yt says all these digital sax has bad sax sounds. I breaks my heart, really want to have on of these instrument that sounds great sax though...
Like all the sounds
i haven't heard many digital saxes, what a lovely introduction!
generally had the same thoughts as you when it comes to the synths, though my goodness did some of those sound amazing! i can only imagine what kind of stuff you could pull at a gig with all that variety at your fingertips
i can imagine a 80s jazz fusion band using this
I took my Roland Go with me on a recent trip overseas. It gave me something to do during the 17 hour flight. Though I had to explain what it was when going through security. But it was easy to carry around with me and so handy to have a practice tool when I can't be near my saxophone.
At home I use the EMEO for my 'silent practice' and I love it. There are some very funky sounds on that device too. I hope you eventually review it Jay. I use The EMEO when practicing early in the morning before everyone wakes up. I just put my headphones on and can play to my hearts content.
Both very handy instruments to have available when it's not convenient to play the real thing.
I have the AE 10 and I'm happy with it, but I want a more professional sound, so I'll but the AE 20, for the AE 30 is too professional for me. I am not a big fan of the Syntheziser Sounds, but I love the "real" instruments like sax or trumpet, flugelhorn etc
I have always thought Mo Better Blues would be a cool assignment in the Bettersax Studio one month, just not on an Aerophone!
Good idea
One more question, what is the point of pushing the instrument away from you between played segments? Coolness?
he's looking and changes patches
Have the sax sounds improved over the past year?
instant love from me
Every sax player out here going “ yep, sax sounds suck”… even my wx-5/vl70m can’t do a passable sax sound. I still love my AE-20 for the wind synth sounds.
as a non wind instrument player you're probably coming down a bit hard on the SAX patches as you're real sax player..
i think in context of a recorded mix the AE-20 sax sounds would work pretty good.
Taking lead!❤
Does it have a lip pressure sensor?
Yes of course.
Based on your recommendation and your review of other products, such as EMEO and the Yamaha, I’m going to give this a try. My dog gives me such a hard time when I practice. I have to put in the garage. So let’s see what kind of deal Sweetwater can give.
Sweetwater had a pretty good deal for a slightly used AE-30 that was selling at only a $120 difference of the AE-20 price. So that's what I opted for.
I think it is a good idea to keep that one cause I can't get one. They have hyped it so much that they can't keep up with the demand. Very frustrating. You sound great.
Patchman Music has them.
It just sounds like a 🎹 what’s so great about this that I missing that I couldn’t do with a keyboard an toms of plugins
But how is the register key? How playable is it? That is the question….. 🤔
There are 4 of them…
Thanks for the demo.....but the sounds are not really of much use live. It's lack of emotional expression that is the issue. I prefer my saxophones any day. It's like most keyboards. My Yamaha has 2k sounds but I only really use about 5.....
I bought one of these at a yard sale at the fire department for $20 and I think I got a pretty smoking deal. I'm a long time guitar/piano player so horns/winds aren't for me which means I'll be selling this
Cheers from Canada July 2/22
What a great opportunity to have fun with such a nice wind controller 😉
how its compare to a real sax? it looks like it needs more air than when you play on bare metal instrument.
Is this in concert pitch?
You can set it however you want!
Per the inset that is displaying the name of the patch, it appears he is playing in B flat. There are multiple ways that transposition can be applied though.
When you can play that well they all sound good.
Ufo synth one was the best sound, close to flute sound
Agree. I'd like to hear more of it.
..... WOO !! ......
2:16 Sounds Like Dorenian Beshinquel
Nice thumbnail
🔥🔥🔥👍🏿
I would love to try one out, but I couldn’t see myself being that interested in actually playing this. It seems a lot of the sounds could just be done on any synth keyboard, and an ordinary saxophone just feels more soulful, I guess.
A keyboard synth would lack the breath control. It's too easy to play "impossible" solos on a keyboard/
Oh - yet another reason why I love my wind synth is because I can play ANY song in MY favorite key! Just hit the magic "Transpose" button and I can play everything in the easy-to finger keys! Woo-Who... (yes - I know I am a whimp!)... : )
Alistair Parnell is awesome too!