I’ve played sax professionally in the Seattle area for 50+ years. I came up through public school bands. I wish I’d had a band director as cool as you. 😂 I love the fact that you are reviewing low priced instruments. I’ve thought about getting a low priced curved soprano so if you ever want to review on of those, that would be cool. 😂 Keep on doing what you’re doing, Your band kids are lucky to have such an enthusiastic teacher.
@@SeattleJohn2009 lol, I was hoping to find a sick deal on a soprano when I heard the tenor is also discounted, but no luck :/ Thanks for the kind words 😊
Brother we need more teachers like you in our public schools. If you are anything like your videos with the kids you teach you are on the right track. Good teachers are underappreciated! Thank you for what you do for society!
Tech here. This level of horn usually comes out of the box ok. When everything seals, they play well enough in tune and with a decent mouthpiece a good player could sit in a section with it without getting a side eye. …Until something breaks. The cases are usually styrofoam with some fabric glued to the outside. The metal the keys are made out of is very soft, and prone to going out of adjustment. The solder joints often do not have enough solder underneath. So if you knock the thing around, it’s going to break more easily. And while a willing tech could replace a few palm key pads no problem, if you actually need to replace a screw or a key on this horn your tech is not going to be able to order the part. Many techs will refuse to work on these horns for all the above reasons. Given all this, the best way to use this horn is to get a good mouthpiece to go with it, play it until something breaks, and upgrade instead of repairing it. Wouldn’t recommend this for a student because I think a student needs something more repairable. But it could be ok for a doubler who just needs a cheap way to get through a few gigs.
I wonder how feasible it would be to collect all these broken Mendini saxes, scrap them for parts, and fix all the broken Mendini saxes that people have using those parts. Considering how widespread they seem to be, I feel like this could be a viable business endeavour.
As a alto sax player whos been playing on a $200 "Glory" amazon alto for the past 5 or so years, these things will last you as long as you dont toss them around and swab them. I currently use vandoren reeds with a vandoren mouthpiece. I'm also auditioning for my states allstate band and am planning on upgrading cause the sax is starting to show its price-age value.
I also have Glory alto saxophone, im enjoying my sax, but, sometimes i feel if I buy a better sax (more expensive) i will enjor more, but, im really falling in love with my Glory saxophone!!
I’m a freshman music Ed major with a percussion focus. I just found your channel through this video and am always here for a cheap instrument. Loved the video and am excited to check out more of them.
I am a retired elementary band teacher. The main problem I have found with cheap instruments is that they are difficult if not impossible to repair. If a part comes off, the cheap metal does not want to braze (weld) back together. As well as many other problems.
thank you for being a inspiration for alot of people. ive been watching you for a long time now and I just want to say that youve helped push me to want to be a music teacher. so thank you
I actually didn't know that different colour saxophones existed, as an elementary 5th grade band kid playing saxophone, this is AMAZING. I subscribed already
I’m not a band person, and I can almost guarantee that I couldn’t get a note out of any woodwind instrument, but I am a music producer, and given your room acoustics, I honestly think they both sound fine! Great video, thanks a lot!
Thanks for the comments! My room is definitely not set up for perfect acoustics, I've had to do a lot of work to get the mics etc. to cooperate. It's still a work in progress but getting better!
@@MadMusicBand In my opinion, you’re definitely good enough for youtube! Seems to me the next priority is to stop sound from leaking OUT, to stop those weird text messages in the middle of recording :-) I’d love to see some videos on ridiculously cheap percussion instruments, in part because of a disease I have which makes me want to buy every single shaker on the planet, but also to get to hear you on your main instruments! Thanks!
I am a 72 year old Jazz Guitarist. I am still grateful to my High School Band director Mr Joe Miller for getting me started playing in a band and doing parades and stage gigs.
I took beginning band in middle school. I’m a drummer so I wanted to do percussion, but because of my having autism, that wasn’t an option for me. So I went with saxophone. I loved it, but I wish I played percussion. I hope to see some percussion instrument reviews from you. So you got yourself a subscriber.
I havent played since high school and im coming up on 30 now, seeing you open that box of reeds with your teeth gave me a pretty vivid flashback to highschool band practice.
Hey dude, i just stumbled on your video. I gave up music (Bari Sax, Electric Bass, DAW) for close to a decade because tons of life stuff (scammers and scummers, music degree drama, "the real world of work") made me feel like playing was pointless. I appreciate your enthusiasm on the topic and in a way it actually makes me want to pick music back up. Thanks!
11:42 the tune korobeiniki is on the public domain. however, "individual performances" (the versions of the tetris themes used in the games) are still protected under copyright law.
@@MadMusicBand you know, I wish I could say it's just a coincidence, but the modern Tetris community is basically my only form of human connection at this point.
I've never understood why band directors are so against middle schoolers playing these cheap instruments. Most middle schoolers won't go beyond middle school band. Why do they need an $1,800+ Yamaha YTS-26? Throw a Yamaha 4C mouthpiece on that bad boy, and you're good to go. Tell parents to save the $50 a month they would spend on a rental to put towards an intermediate/used professional instrument for high school.
You're right that they dont need a $2000 yamaha, the value really isnt there. As for the cheap chinese instruments, more often than not the keywork is extremely soft, so the pivot points wear out rapidly, and keys bend easily, making it difficult to keep them in adjustment. All of the band directors in my area are having difficulties with this. I also have several of these instruments that I use to demonstrate how you can bend the keys just by playing the instrument shaped object.
To me the cheapest could be harder to play and sound bad. So I would go middle price instruments. When I taught guitar people would come in with cheap guitars and I would tell them to not even bother with them. I would let them borrow mine until they could afford a better one.
Because if it’s not easy to play than your child will likely quit. Do not let this be the determining factor in your child’s music education. I was one of the only students in my high school with a nice Yamaha horn, I am the only one still playing saxophone 20 years later. Instrument quality is important. If your child is interested in music, get them the best instrument you can afford. You can always sell it, quality instruments will always hold their value.
@Christopharoah Many parents can't afford that. I started out on a Chinese made clarinet in the early 2000s (the quality of metal has only improved since then) and was first chair playing it. I didn't get a nicer instrument until my senior year of high school. Now I'm the only one of my friends still playing. Working in a music store that rented only Yamaha and Giardinelli showed me that both had issues pretty equally. In fact, post pandemic Yamaha trumpets and euphoniums had some of the worst valve issues I've ever seen
Because they either read online or heard from another band director who read online that they're not worth getting. I have a student who got this exact sax and once you swap out the mouthpiece and reed, it plays pretty well. There are some intonation issues that you have to compensate for as well as really weak springs that make the action feel less snappy, but as long as you take good care of it, it's a perfectly serviceable instrument. I wouldn't recommend students buying them simply because of how easily they break (the number of bent keys I've seen from Mendini instruments is absurd), but if that's the instrument they have, I'm not going to tell them not to play it.
You sound like someone that would annoy me at first but then become my favourite teacher after a few classes. That or you'd already be my favourite from day one.
My biggest issue with them was always that the metal was too soft and the solder too weak. You give that to a kid and it will deteriorate in record time. I saw that a lot with Mendini instruments across the board.
20:40 B is the Amazon one and A is the Jupiter; Jupiter is much softer toned and has a slightly lower formant, whilst the other is sharper and a slighter sharpness and "squelchyness" than the Jupiter.
I play alto saxophone for my highschool band and I only started playing last year on the all brass edition of that exact brand and model of alto sax. I learned on it and, while all these people bash Mendini and amazon instruments in general, it did its job. as far as the playability, it was amazing to play because of it's springs, buttons, pads, and my particular favorite which was the mouthpiece. Man I loved that cheap sax. Unfortunately it had to be sent in for major repair by my band director because the poorly built soft case broke and indirectly damaged the D# key. Im on an old Armstrong right now but my go to when i can afford it will be that sax. Only change would be a high quality hard case WITH CLASPS
The only thing I bash on Mendini instruments for is their fragility. They play decently enough and sound good enough for a beginner, but the ease in which they are damaged is just crazy. Unless you really baby the instrument, it is very likely to get a bent key, rod, or major dent eventually.
Thanks for making music more accessible through these videos. I ordered the tenor version of this instrument based on your review. It was on sale in a rockin' black and gold for $84.99!! Even with a new mouthpiece (Yamaha 5C) and a box of reeds I'm all in for under $150, which would get me 2 months at the local rental shop.
@jeroenneve5807 I'll let you know once it's delivered. But also, I'm an adult beginner with no idea what I'm doing. Sounds like this channel will be doing a tenor sax video soon, watch that one!
@orangeiguanaduck - I am a 66 year old non music trained beginner who wanted to make sounds like Gene Ammons, Coleman Hawkins and all the other "Tenor Titans", (listen to Pandora 'Dinner Jazz' channel for beaucoup examples). So a coupla months ago I sprung about $275 of a gift card for my birthday to get the all gold-colored Mendini Tenor sax, taking the chance that if I couldn't make a sound with it, I could just hang it on the wall😛😂 My boxes arrived pre-opened and crapply, dusty taped😮😢 but the sax and acoutrements looked perfect and un-played / un-opened. Note that the 'throwaway' reed was a great example for me, as I hadn't a clue how to put the reed and ligature on the mouthpiece properly. And yes, the throwaway (11th?) reed was probably defective, and squeaked like a banshee, so I immediately put a new reed on. But still squeaked😧, so I thought I got a 'lemon' sax. Then with perseverance, I learned "The art of the Emboucher" and blatted some super-satisfying sounds out the thing very early in the game. The only problem was the leather seal on the thumb octave blowhole was slow to seal, so I compensated by puffing and tongueing the higher notes and I learned to transition from higher octave notes to the lower notes with breathing control. I believe the 'bad press' the Mendini is getting could be from people who want to sell expensive saxes, because I am a total noob, and even I can get great sounds out of the thing. (It is loud, though)😄I just need to learn the notes and fingering. The biggest and best byproduct of trying to learn the sax is how much greater my appreciation is of listening to advanced players and the "Titans" when they "show off", because I now have an idea of how difficult it is to make "some of those sounds."🎷🎶👌 PS - I wish I had gotten it "on sale", but cest la vie🤷 Edit :PPS- DO NOT BOTHER WITH THE NECKSTRAP THAT COMES WITH THE TENOR. Order a proper shoulder sling before you even get the horn. I am cheap and tried to get away with the included strap and that was a mistake. I ordered a $20 padded double shoulder sling and that transformed the experience.
OMG!!! YOU MADE MY DAY!!! I did not believe you would post this. Thank youuu so much. I am new to the saxaphone so just wanted to know the cheapest. As again thank you so so much. Ur definitely my favourite youtuber👍👍👍❤
as a saxophonist, you were flat on the open c# and said you needed to tighten up. i think you’re actually fine because open c# has a tendency to be flat especially on horns that are cheap and have worse intonation. also the weird low notes is a leaking, obechure or reed issue.
One of my students had one of these saxes. Look out for if the lacquer starts to flake off in small pieces. The tiny pieces of lacquer would get on the pads on the sax and I remember I had to put some new pads on his sax because the little pieces of lacquer ruined some of the pads. He only had the sax for about a year when the lacquer started to flake off. He actually got a warm sound on this cheap sax. I recommend to take a look at the Jean Baptiste saxophone for the best sax at the cheapest price. I've seen professional musicians use the Jean Baptiste saxes. The Jean Baptiste costs much more than this cheap sax, but it's still a great deal for what you get with a much better saxophone.
As a 51 year old man who always wanted to play an instrument but being poor I was only able to play sports I think it's great that the cheap stuff is out there for poor kids
My old flute was like 400-450 but it broke in a lot of ways and I got that same exact flute had it for a month it’s fantastic and comes with stuff a professional has.I recommend it your first 4 years but get another later on,forget to mention it’s open holed.
I’m a Clarinet main but I also play Tenor sax and my brother plays Alto and I’ve learned that it definitely can be the instrument that effects your playing, because on my tenor the part that the octave key lifts up sometimes goes to the side and gets stuck so then I squeak if I play lower notes because it’s lifted up and my brother’s sax got dropped and he had to send it to the music shop to get it repaired and they sent him a loner sax but this loner sax is like falling apart so he’s having difficulty playing (he’s a beginner too so it doesn’t help him) I’ve also had an experience with my Clarinet where I couldn’t get a sound out and we thought it was the mouthpiece and I got a new mouthpiece and I still couldn’t play, eventually I figured out that I had needed 3 reeds instead of the 2 1/2 reeds because my embouchure had developed very fast, so yes your instrument can effect your playing just as much as you can yourself
Back when I was in band 20 plus years ago, the cool kids always had the zip up cases. I always wanted one so bad...but you had to special order them from the music store back then. Now, the cheapo insturments have ruined them for me. But you can still get nice soft cases like that. I'm relearning playing the clarinet as an adult, after not playing since I was in high school, 18 years ago. The cheapo insturment thing was only starting to be a thing back then, but many of us didn't even know about Amazon.
It’s super refreshing that you aren’t judgmental toward students with cheap and/or colorful instruments. I had a middle school band director who LOUDLY preached how garbage they were. Yeah, they aren’t gonna be professional quality, but if the purple sax is in the parents’ budget and makes the kid feel special and love music, then who cares.
I started in 5th grade on a leaky student horn. When I finally got my chops on a Yamaha Professional ($3K-$4K range) that was adjusted well, getting a good sound through it was sooo much easier that I decided it was worth spending the big bucks and never wanted to go back. Since then I went all the way and got a really expensive classic Mark VI. Still... now that I've tried a variety of horns, I've realized that no matter how much you spend, pads don't last forever and any horn can spring a leak. A $100 student horn will play better than a $5,000 sax with leaks.
Before watching this video, I knew nothing about saxophones, now I have learnt that if you suck on a small wood your instrument will change its sound and cheaper does not mean worse, because the sound of the purple one, was in my opinion marginally better :)
Working at a music store and knowing the price of a brand new student level sax is terrifying. The Mendini also was quieter with the mechanisms. Could easily hear the movement of the mechanisms with the Jupiter. Very interesting video though!
I picked up one of these in black because that was the color that was $140 at the time. It also plays pretty well. I will say, it's a little harder to blow than my Yamaha, just takes a bit more effort, even with the same reed and mouthpiece. Picked it up as a spare / horn I could play places I wouldn't want to risk the Yamaha. Would recommend a different mouthpiece, a Yamaha 4C isn't that much and is way better than what it comes with. I put a Rico Graftonite on it, and it's kinda a screamer, makes a nice cheap jazz setup.
@@MadMusicBandJust such a huge amount of effort has clearly been put into the production of this video, I will enjoy taking my time looking back through your catalogue. I am a fan of all things creative, but music especially. Your students almost certainly do not know how lucky they are. 😂 I subsequently fell down into a Handpan and Kalimba rabbit hole. And bought a recommended Kalimba. 🥳 Woo hoo!
Oh man... Mendini That brings me back like a decade ago when I was wanting to buy cheapo instruments because I wanted to try stuff other than trombone.
I bought my son one 10 years ago. It was blue and gold. It was pretty to me, and he liked it when he was in 6th grade. He ended up in honor band and played it for 5 years. He never had an issue, and he swore it sounded better than his friends, which cost over a thousand, according to him. He still has it to this day, but he doesn't play it anymore. He then became a really good guitarist, and now he's trying his hand at music production doing mixing, remixes, and recording. Pretty good investment. Too bad he became a starving artist lol
Chrismc - I'm very glad to hear that some players leave the reed on the mouthpiece, as I, a rank 66 year old beginner, does. Saves time futzing with the reed every time I pick the horn up. Also, I found the ritual of moistening the reed first seemed to not make any difference in the quality of my (beginner) playing. I simply adjust my Emboucher as the reed starts to absorb my saliva. I did notice that wetting the reed first, got the reed too mushy earlier. And even as a beginner I can hear my reed start to hit the "sweet spot" as I practice, the deteriorate as it gets too wet. Also, I keep my sax in a moldy basement, and haven't had mold problems yet on my reed after two months of ownership😝💦
So I dont know why UA-cam recommended this video, but I enjoy brass instruments. But also I didn't know Andy Dwyer had a youtube channel. lol you earned a sub
I played alto from 7th grade till junior year in high school had to skip senior year for scheduling conflicts but still practiced then did my first year in college on alto before mine started falling apart. This saxophone sounds very similar to my old vito maybe a little brighter sounding but very close.
True, but I don't personally like putting loose sheet music in anything as it'll get wrinkled etc. You could maybe fit a folder in there if it's really tiny to protect the music.
I'd love a video on a Mendini clarinet! I have a really cheap Bb clarinet from them (bright blue) and I play it when I volunteer for elementary school band camp. It plays surprisingly well, and I'd love to see what you think of that brand's clarinets!
Whoa I just saw you have a "cheapest clarinet" video--my dreams have come true!! to echo what others say, please never stop making videos, your content is amazing!!
Alto is my main and it sounds good besides the chromatic and the multiphonic which is an issue I have on high G and high G# but I think it sounds great!
My band director plays clarinet and there were two times I remember him playing a piece, once was the national anthem and the other was (would you believe it) careless whisperer. I forgot to mention he played them on saxophone
As a long time saxophonist and former band director myself, I knew immediately which was which. The Jupiter's higher quality brass and construction just have a fuller and rounder tone, and I wouldn't even consider Jupiter a top tier saxophone manufacturer. That's not to say that a brand new student will be able to take advantage of that, but even at semester you'll be able to tell a difference. As a standalone instrument, the Mendini and clones are not horrific items, but they do have multiple problems in my experience. Many of their woodwinds, particularly as the instrument gets smaller, have poor intonation and tone quality at the ends of their ranges. They use lower quality springs, corks, and pads, and these wear faster and thus need replacing / maintenance sooner. Many repair shops won't even work on them if anything major happens, and you wouldn't want them to, because the cost to replace is just lower than the labor to repair. Also, while they might cost half or even a third as much as a beginner instrument from a "reputable" manufacturer, that cost is unsalvageable. You will never be able to get any of the value of the instrument back if your kid decides to quit, or if they decide to stay and want to graduate to a higher quality instrument. You're just out the cost of the Mendini/clone, whereas if you buy a used Jupiter/Yamaha/X, you can quite easily get much/most of the cost back because there is a large used instrument market in most areas where school band is offered. I wouldn't recommend one to a student unless it was literally the only option for them to be able to participate, because that's the most important thing of all, but I would do everything in my power to find them another option, be it used, rental, or school-owned.
I feel like the low notes may not have been the reed. You kinda gotta just drop your jaw. And maybe it was the reed but I had the same problem, but after practicing my low notes after about a month they are way better. Source: I play sax
I've played alto for a while as well, but I don't have that problem with my Jupiter. It worked so much better with the new reed that I know it was definitely that at first. Everything that happened after the reed switch can probably be attributed to me lol, it works great now.
Let me know what you all want to see in the future, I'm planning a tenor sax video now! :)
The black and gold colour is now only 99$!
@@zahaanhasham4426 that would probably be my choice... it's pretty
@@zahaanhasham4426 Just purchased the black and gold! Still $99! Thanks for the heads up
@@MadMusicBand I love the vid and I wanna get a case for my alto like the one in the vid
Piccolo :3
I’ve played sax professionally in the Seattle area for 50+ years. I came up through public school bands. I wish I’d had a band director as cool as you. 😂 I love the fact that you are reviewing low priced instruments. I’ve thought about getting a low priced curved soprano so if you ever want to review on of those, that would be cool. 😂 Keep on doing what you’re doing, Your band kids are lucky to have such an enthusiastic teacher.
@@SeattleJohn2009 lol, I was hoping to find a sick deal on a soprano when I heard the tenor is also discounted, but no luck :/
Thanks for the kind words 😊
I second that entire comment... (But I only spent 15 years playing in Seattle, lol).
Songs he played
1. Careless whispers
2. Epic Sax Guy
3. Hedwig’s theme
4. Uptown funk
5. ???
@@pandapugstudios 3 was happy birthday
I have the curved soprano version. It shreds! I genuinely love it for fiddling around on at home
Purple and gold actually looks amazing.
It must be someone's school colours
Actually true it works well on sax as well but if it wears of it could be bad
You are GREAT! As a professional saxophonist, and former band director, you are doing everything right! Keep it up, you will succeed!!
Thanks! :)
That One Band Kid With The Amazon sax
real
That would be me
My band has a guy with an amazon trumpet, even tho the school gives out free ones for the year and everyone is hating on him bc he cant play
The best, is when that kid with the Amazon horn is first chair ;)
@@MadMusicBand that’s crazier
Brother we need more teachers like you in our public schools. If you are anything like your videos with the kids you teach you are on the right track. Good teachers are underappreciated! Thank you for what you do for society!
Thanks, that means a lot :)
Tech here. This level of horn usually comes out of the box ok. When everything seals, they play well enough in tune and with a decent mouthpiece a good player could sit in a section with it without getting a side eye.
…Until something breaks. The cases are usually styrofoam with some fabric glued to the outside. The metal the keys are made out of is very soft, and prone to going out of adjustment. The solder joints often do not have enough solder underneath. So if you knock the thing around, it’s going to break more easily. And while a willing tech could replace a few palm key pads no problem, if you actually need to replace a screw or a key on this horn your tech is not going to be able to order the part. Many techs will refuse to work on these horns for all the above reasons.
Given all this, the best way to use this horn is to get a good mouthpiece to go with it, play it until something breaks, and upgrade instead of repairing it. Wouldn’t recommend this for a student because I think a student needs something more repairable. But it could be ok for a doubler who just needs a cheap way to get through a few gigs.
I wonder how feasible it would be to collect all these broken Mendini saxes, scrap them for parts, and fix all the broken Mendini saxes that people have using those parts. Considering how widespread they seem to be, I feel like this could be a viable business endeavour.
As a alto sax player whos been playing on a $200 "Glory" amazon alto for the past 5 or so years, these things will last you as long as you dont toss them around and swab them. I currently use vandoren reeds with a vandoren mouthpiece. I'm also auditioning for my states allstate band and am planning on upgrading cause the sax is starting to show its price-age value.
Nice, good luck on your audition! What horn are you planning to update to?
I also have Glory alto saxophone, im enjoying my sax, but, sometimes i feel if I buy a better sax (more expensive) i will enjor more, but, im really falling in love with my Glory saxophone!!
@@victorhugobatresgamez2584 Mouthpiece matters more.
@@MadMusicBandprobably something selmer, i was looking at a beautiful buffet Senzo too lol. Im not to sure though.
I also have glory
I had a broken duck call once; every time I blew into it, all the saxophone players came out of the bushes.
😂
😂 damn. That’s cruel, but very funny
Dude you super funny and you keep getting better every single video don't stop uploading
Thanks! I'm doing my best to get better each time :)
I’m a freshman music Ed major with a percussion focus. I just found your channel through this video and am always here for a cheap instrument. Loved the video and am excited to check out more of them.
I am a retired elementary band teacher. The main problem I have found with cheap instruments is that they are difficult if not impossible to repair. If a part comes off, the cheap metal does not want to braze (weld) back together. As well as many other problems.
thank you for being a inspiration for alot of people. ive been watching you for a long time now and I just want to say that youve helped push me to want to be a music teacher. so thank you
That's so awesome, thanks for reaching out and sharing that :) I wish you luck in becoming a teacher!
I actually didn't know that different colour saxophones existed, as an elementary 5th grade band kid playing saxophone, this is AMAZING. I subscribed already
I’m not a band person, and I can almost guarantee that I couldn’t get a note out of any woodwind instrument, but I am a music producer, and given your room acoustics, I honestly think they both sound fine!
Great video, thanks a lot!
Thanks for the comments! My room is definitely not set up for perfect acoustics, I've had to do a lot of work to get the mics etc. to cooperate. It's still a work in progress but getting better!
@@MadMusicBand In my opinion, you’re definitely good enough for youtube! Seems to me the next priority is to stop sound from leaking OUT, to stop those weird text messages in the middle of recording :-) I’d love to see some videos on ridiculously cheap percussion instruments, in part because of a disease I have which makes me want to buy every single shaker on the planet, but also to get to hear you on your main instruments! Thanks!
As a horn player, I would like to see a Amazon horn review.
Me too! I hope to get one eventually, but they're pretty expensive :/
Sameeee
Gormany
I just looked up how much a baritone would be!
I am a 72 year old Jazz Guitarist.
I am still grateful to my High School Band director Mr Joe Miller for getting me started playing in a band and doing parades and stage gigs.
I took beginning band in middle school. I’m a drummer so I wanted to do percussion, but because of my having autism, that wasn’t an option for me. So I went with saxophone. I loved it, but I wish I played percussion. I hope to see some percussion instrument reviews from you. So you got yourself a subscriber.
I'll get some percussion stuff eventually, I just have so much already that I haven't need to buy any for school yet :p
I havent played since high school and im coming up on 30 now, seeing you open that box of reeds with your teeth gave me a pretty vivid flashback to highschool band practice.
Hey dude, i just stumbled on your video. I gave up music (Bari Sax, Electric Bass, DAW) for close to a decade because tons of life stuff (scammers and scummers, music degree drama, "the real world of work") made me feel like playing was pointless. I appreciate your enthusiasm on the topic and in a way it actually makes me want to pick music back up. Thanks!
This comment made my night, thanks so much for the kind words :)
11:42
the tune korobeiniki is on the public domain. however, "individual performances" (the versions of the tetris themes used in the games) are still protected under copyright law.
Username checks out 😉
@@MadMusicBand you know, I wish I could say it's just a coincidence, but the modern Tetris community is basically my only form of human connection at this point.
more tetris enthusiasts...... hehehshehhdwyhxhwhcnwhdj
Man if I had a teacher like you I’ve never given up clarinet,keep up the amazing work.
Love this guy's demeanor and attitude, very wholesome. Definitely earned a sub. 👍
I've never understood why band directors are so against middle schoolers playing these cheap instruments. Most middle schoolers won't go beyond middle school band. Why do they need an $1,800+ Yamaha YTS-26? Throw a Yamaha 4C mouthpiece on that bad boy, and you're good to go. Tell parents to save the $50 a month they would spend on a rental to put towards an intermediate/used professional instrument for high school.
You're right that they dont need a $2000 yamaha, the value really isnt there. As for the cheap chinese instruments, more often than not the keywork is extremely soft, so the pivot points wear out rapidly, and keys bend easily, making it difficult to keep them in adjustment. All of the band directors in my area are having difficulties with this. I also have several of these instruments that I use to demonstrate how you can bend the keys just by playing the instrument shaped object.
To me the cheapest could be harder to play and sound bad. So I would go middle price instruments. When I taught guitar people would come in with cheap guitars and I would tell them to not even bother with them. I would let them borrow mine until they could afford a better one.
Because if it’s not easy to play than your child will likely quit. Do not let this be the determining factor in your child’s music education. I was one of the only students in my high school with a nice Yamaha horn, I am the only one still playing saxophone 20 years later. Instrument quality is important. If your child is interested in music, get them the best instrument you can afford. You can always sell it, quality instruments will always hold their value.
@Christopharoah Many parents can't afford that. I started out on a Chinese made clarinet in the early 2000s (the quality of metal has only improved since then) and was first chair playing it. I didn't get a nicer instrument until my senior year of high school. Now I'm the only one of my friends still playing. Working in a music store that rented only Yamaha and Giardinelli showed me that both had issues pretty equally. In fact, post pandemic Yamaha trumpets and euphoniums had some of the worst valve issues I've ever seen
Because they either read online or heard from another band director who read online that they're not worth getting. I have a student who got this exact sax and once you swap out the mouthpiece and reed, it plays pretty well. There are some intonation issues that you have to compensate for as well as really weak springs that make the action feel less snappy, but as long as you take good care of it, it's a perfectly serviceable instrument. I wouldn't recommend students buying them simply because of how easily they break (the number of bent keys I've seen from Mendini instruments is absurd), but if that's the instrument they have, I'm not going to tell them not to play it.
This is the video I’ve been waiting for, and as a saxophonist, I must say this seemed much better than I expected.
It's surprisingly ok!
i love your videos! i watch them a lot. never stop uploading!!
You sound like someone that would annoy me at first but then become my favourite teacher after a few classes.
That or you'd already be my favourite from day one.
...thanks? lol
18:50 “analysis like this is why they pay me those big teacher bucks” 😂💀 fr
😂 Truth
As a former repair guy, these things sound fine but are an absolute nightmare to do any kind of work on beyond replacing pads.
My biggest issue with them was always that the metal was too soft and the solder too weak. You give that to a kid and it will deteriorate in record time. I saw that a lot with Mendini instruments across the board.
20:40
B is the Amazon one and A is the Jupiter; Jupiter is much softer toned and has a slightly lower formant, whilst the other is sharper and a slighter sharpness and "squelchyness" than the Jupiter.
I play alto saxophone for my highschool band and I only started playing last year on the all brass edition of that exact brand and model of alto sax. I learned on it and, while all these people bash Mendini and amazon instruments in general, it did its job. as far as the playability, it was amazing to play because of it's springs, buttons, pads, and my particular favorite which was the mouthpiece. Man I loved that cheap sax. Unfortunately it had to be sent in for major repair by my band director because the poorly built soft case broke and indirectly damaged the D# key. Im on an old Armstrong right now but my go to when i can afford it will be that sax. Only change would be a high quality hard case WITH CLASPS
I will agree that the cases are definitely not the best... Probably a huge cost savings for them.
The only thing I bash on Mendini instruments for is their fragility. They play decently enough and sound good enough for a beginner, but the ease in which they are damaged is just crazy. Unless you really baby the instrument, it is very likely to get a bent key, rod, or major dent eventually.
as a previous alto saxophonist (now tenor) i can say that this saxophone does not sound that bad
I just finished your cheap Trumpet vid lol, perfect timing before my gig
WOOHOO new video! As a band kid, this series is pretty entertaining yet informative, thank you!!
Thanks, they're fun to make too :)
Thanks for making music more accessible through these videos. I ordered the tenor version of this instrument based on your review. It was on sale in a rockin' black and gold for $84.99!! Even with a new mouthpiece (Yamaha 5C) and a box of reeds I'm all in for under $150, which would get me 2 months at the local rental shop.
yes, but how does it play? should I get one as a backup?
@jeroenneve5807 I'll let you know once it's delivered. But also, I'm an adult beginner with no idea what I'm doing. Sounds like this channel will be doing a tenor sax video soon, watch that one!
I ordered that tenor too, I'm pumped to get it :)
@orangeiguanaduck - I am a 66 year old non music trained beginner who wanted to make sounds like Gene Ammons, Coleman Hawkins and all the other "Tenor Titans", (listen to Pandora 'Dinner Jazz' channel for beaucoup examples). So a coupla months ago I sprung about $275 of a gift card for my birthday to get the all gold-colored Mendini Tenor sax, taking the chance that if I couldn't make a sound with it, I could just hang it on the wall😛😂 My boxes arrived pre-opened and crapply, dusty taped😮😢 but the sax and acoutrements looked perfect and un-played / un-opened. Note that the 'throwaway' reed was a great example for me, as I hadn't a clue how to put the reed and ligature on the mouthpiece properly. And yes, the throwaway (11th?) reed was probably defective, and squeaked like a banshee, so I immediately put a new reed on. But still squeaked😧, so I thought I got a 'lemon' sax. Then with perseverance, I learned "The art of the Emboucher" and blatted some super-satisfying sounds out the thing very early in the game. The only problem was the leather seal on the thumb octave blowhole was slow to seal, so I compensated by puffing and tongueing the higher notes and I learned to transition from higher octave notes to the lower notes with breathing control. I believe the 'bad press' the Mendini is getting could be from people who want to sell expensive saxes, because I am a total noob, and even I can get great sounds out of the thing. (It is loud, though)😄I just need to learn the notes and fingering. The biggest and best byproduct of trying to learn the sax is how much greater my appreciation is of listening to advanced players and the "Titans" when they "show off", because I now have an idea of how difficult it is to make "some of those sounds."🎷🎶👌 PS - I wish I had gotten it "on sale", but cest la vie🤷 Edit :PPS- DO NOT BOTHER WITH THE NECKSTRAP THAT COMES WITH THE TENOR. Order a proper shoulder sling before you even get the horn. I am cheap and tried to get away with the included strap and that was a mistake. I ordered a $20 padded double shoulder sling and that transformed the experience.
Thanks for the tips!! I'm just a Middle school alto sax player, this helped me get better!
I LOVE UR VIDS!! I PLAY ALTO SAX AND I WAS WAITING FOR U TO FINALLY GET ONEE!! UR MY FAVORITEEE
OMG!!! YOU MADE MY DAY!!! I did not believe you would post this. Thank youuu so much. I am new to the saxaphone so just wanted to know the cheapest. As again thank you so so much. Ur definitely my favourite youtuber👍👍👍❤
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks so much 😊
@@MadMusicBandhey, I have a question.. What saxaphone should I get for beginners? Thanks👍
@@theonlyonegirl the first thing to figure out is your budget, the answer is very different depending on what you can afford.
Hmmm, about under 800 pounds@@MadMusicBand
Oh God!!! Everytime you switch to that purple horn, my ears scream! It's like chalk on a board! 😂😂😂😂
as a saxophonist, you were flat on the open c# and said you needed to tighten up. i think you’re actually fine because open c# has a tendency to be flat especially on horns that are cheap and have worse intonation. also the weird low notes is a leaking, obechure or reed issue.
One of my students had one of these saxes. Look out for if the lacquer starts to flake off in small pieces. The tiny pieces of lacquer would get on the pads on the sax and I remember I had to put some new pads on his sax because the little pieces of lacquer ruined some of the pads. He only had the sax for about a year when the lacquer started to flake off. He actually got a warm sound on this cheap sax. I recommend to take a look at the Jean Baptiste saxophone for the best sax at the cheapest price. I've seen professional musicians use the Jean Baptiste saxes. The Jean Baptiste costs much more than this cheap sax, but it's still a great deal for what you get with a much better saxophone.
as a bassoon player, I was not expecting you to mention it.
As a 51 year old man who always wanted to play an instrument but being poor I was only able to play sports I think it's great that the cheap stuff is out there for poor kids
Poor kids can't even afford that 😢
@willyswagon57 bullshit sports are pretty much free. I'm guessing you're just thatperson who has speak on something you know nothing about
My band directors weren't sax people either. You are not alone. Thanks for the entertaining vid.
Finally! The day ive been waiting for
I bought a LADE alto on Amazon. Red. Worked great.
My old flute was like 400-450 but it broke in a lot of ways and I got that same exact flute had it for a month it’s fantastic and comes with stuff a professional has.I recommend it your first 4 years but get another later on,forget to mention it’s open holed.
I learned on one of these and when I got a new sax, the change in my playing ability was almost instant
I’m a Clarinet main but I also play Tenor sax and my brother plays Alto and I’ve learned that it definitely can be the instrument that effects your playing, because on my tenor the part that the octave key lifts up sometimes goes to the side and gets stuck so then I squeak if I play lower notes because it’s lifted up and my brother’s sax got dropped and he had to send it to the music shop to get it repaired and they sent him a loner sax but this loner sax is like falling apart so he’s having difficulty playing (he’s a beginner too so it doesn’t help him) I’ve also had an experience with my Clarinet where I couldn’t get a sound out and we thought it was the mouthpiece and I got a new mouthpiece and I still couldn’t play, eventually I figured out that I had needed 3 reeds instead of the 2 1/2 reeds because my embouchure had developed very fast, so yes your instrument can effect your playing just as much as you can yourself
I think the purple with the gold looks pretty damn good!
My kiddo and i love your instrument reviews! She wants to learn a new instrument in band next year and requests you do an Amazon cheap Bassoon review.
That's awesome! I'll have to keep saving to afford a bassoon, but I'd love to do one eventually! :)
Back when I was in band 20 plus years ago, the cool kids always had the zip up cases. I always wanted one so bad...but you had to special order them from the music store back then. Now, the cheapo insturments have ruined them for me. But you can still get nice soft cases like that. I'm relearning playing the clarinet as an adult, after not playing since I was in high school, 18 years ago. The cheapo insturment thing was only starting to be a thing back then, but many of us didn't even know about Amazon.
It’s super refreshing that you aren’t judgmental toward students with cheap and/or colorful instruments. I had a middle school band director who LOUDLY preached how garbage they were. Yeah, they aren’t gonna be professional quality, but if the purple sax is in the parents’ budget and makes the kid feel special and love music, then who cares.
Absolutely agree. Anything beats nothing
I started in 5th grade on a leaky student horn. When I finally got my chops on a Yamaha Professional ($3K-$4K range) that was adjusted well, getting a good sound through it was sooo much easier that I decided it was worth spending the big bucks and never wanted to go back. Since then I went all the way and got a really expensive classic Mark VI. Still... now that I've tried a variety of horns, I've realized that no matter how much you spend, pads don't last forever and any horn can spring a leak. A $100 student horn will play better than a $5,000 sax with leaks.
Bros like GOAT band teacher 🐐
I loved your girl from ipanema reference
Great tune :)
I have a trombone from the same brand I got it for 300ish dollars. It works so well and worth the price! Just take care of it❤
I have yet to get a cheap brass trombone, it's definitely on the list :)
Before watching this video, I knew nothing about saxophones, now I have learnt that if you suck on a small wood your instrument will change its sound and cheaper does not mean worse, because the sound of the purple one, was in my opinion marginally better :)
16:26 - He doesn't realize the saxophone had a High F# tone hole or key lol.
Working at a music store and knowing the price of a brand new student level sax is terrifying. The Mendini also was quieter with the mechanisms. Could easily hear the movement of the mechanisms with the Jupiter. Very interesting video though!
9:46 laughed so hard I got a bloody nose
I picked up one of these in black because that was the color that was $140 at the time. It also plays pretty well. I will say, it's a little harder to blow than my Yamaha, just takes a bit more effort, even with the same reed and mouthpiece. Picked it up as a spare / horn I could play places I wouldn't want to risk the Yamaha. Would recommend a different mouthpiece, a Yamaha 4C isn't that much and is way better than what it comes with. I put a Rico Graftonite on it, and it's kinda a screamer, makes a nice cheap jazz setup.
That's awesome. I agree these make great 2nd/backup horns.
1. Careless Whisperer
2.Epic Sax Guy
3.Happy Birthday
4.Uptown Funk
5. (I'm not sure) I'm Blue
YAY MORE VIDEOS FROM MY FAVORITE INSTRUMENT CHANNEL YAAAAAAAAAY!
🎉🎉🎉🎉
I so would have paid extra for a purple sax when I was a kid (before purple was invented). Too cool.
Mr.Jamison what we doing for class tomorrow??
The purple and gold on the sax reminds me of Malos from Xenoblade 2. Looks like something he’d play!
Much respect to your work my brother
This guy is a national treasure!
I have no interest in the saxophone, but I watched the whole video because you are exceptional. Bravo!
Wow, thank you! 😊
@@MadMusicBandJust such a huge amount of effort has clearly been put into the production of this video, I will enjoy taking my time looking back through your catalogue. I am a fan of all things creative, but music especially. Your students almost certainly do not know how lucky they are. 😂 I subsequently fell down into a Handpan and Kalimba rabbit hole. And bought a recommended Kalimba. 🥳 Woo hoo!
Sax is my main instrument. They sound exactly the same to me. And you play sax a lot better than I play percussion. 🙂
Ha, thanks! I've gotten a lot better over the past 5 or so years of putsing around with them.
Oh man... Mendini
That brings me back like a decade ago when I was wanting to buy cheapo instruments because I wanted to try stuff other than trombone.
I bought my son one 10 years ago. It was blue and gold. It was pretty to me, and he liked it when he was in 6th grade. He ended up in honor band and played it for 5 years. He never had an issue, and he swore it sounded better than his friends, which cost over a thousand, according to him.
He still has it to this day, but he doesn't play it anymore. He then became a really good guitarist, and now he's trying his hand at music production doing mixing, remixes, and recording.
Pretty good investment. Too bad he became a starving artist lol
One of us! 😉😂
actually, a lot of professional/advanced players leave the reed on. they say it makes the seal better. not my thing but some people swear by it.
Chrismc - I'm very glad to hear that some players leave the reed on the mouthpiece, as I, a rank 66 year old beginner, does. Saves time futzing with the reed every time I pick the horn up. Also, I found the ritual of moistening the reed first seemed to not make any difference in the quality of my (beginner) playing. I simply adjust my Emboucher as the reed starts to absorb my saliva. I did notice that wetting the reed first, got the reed too mushy earlier. And even as a beginner I can hear my reed start to hit the "sweet spot" as I practice, the deteriorate as it gets too wet. Also, I keep my sax in a moldy basement, and haven't had mold problems yet on my reed after two months of ownership😝💦
So I dont know why UA-cam recommended this video, but I enjoy brass instruments. But also I didn't know Andy Dwyer had a youtube channel. lol you earned a sub
😂
I have been waiting for this
👏
I forgot to say I play the alto Saxophone
LOVE THE VIDEO KEEP UP THE HARD WORK MAN!!
Thanks :)
I played alto from 7th grade till junior year in high school had to skip senior year for scheduling conflicts but still practiced then did my first year in college on alto before mine started falling apart. This saxophone sounds very similar to my old vito maybe a little brighter sounding but very close.
Impressive, the vid is up for 5 minutes and already a dozen likes!
You have such personality & style, you're awesome
The front pouch can be used to put sheet music in
True, but I don't personally like putting loose sheet music in anything as it'll get wrinkled etc. You could maybe fit a folder in there if it's really tiny to protect the music.
Do a review of the Mendini Baritone Horn! I play 3 instruments and I intend on making baritone my 4th and I’m looking for a good one.
Hoping to get to baritone eventually!
i love the colors its so pretty i NEED THAT!!!
I'd love a video on a Mendini clarinet! I have a really cheap Bb clarinet from them (bright blue) and I play it when I volunteer for elementary school band camp. It plays surprisingly well, and I'd love to see what you think of that brand's clarinets!
Whoa I just saw you have a "cheapest clarinet" video--my dreams have come true!! to echo what others say, please never stop making videos, your content is amazing!!
new suggestion: BASS CLAR!
hope to some day!
Dunno why I got recommended this, but it was super enjoyable. You're very Chris Pratt-like (I mean that in a good way)
Call me up Marvel, I'm available ;)
The issue is getting parts for them.But a beautiful horn! And it is so fun to watch yot❤️👍🏼
Yup, parts can be an issue for some of these horns, so you should kind of take that into consideration when purchasing. Glad you liked it 😊
Amazon instruments come with the white gloves so the metal doesn't melt with the oil at your fingertips (don't fact check that)
I feel like "don't fact check that" could be my channels slogan 😂
Letsss gooo I’ve been waiting
Alto is my main and it sounds good besides the chromatic and the multiphonic which is an issue I have on high G and high G# but I think it sounds great!
I would like to see a video about the cheapest oboe or the cheapest piccolo.
I'm hoping to get those eventually!
Congrats on 10k dude
I'm always rooting for cheap instruments to be good, and this alto sax might just be the most insane value of all the gear you've showed thus far!!
Yup, it's crazy. One of the few instruments I've tried that "just worked". (granted...don't use their reeds).
"will it play careless whisper?"
i have found the right channel
you should do baritone/euphonium next! day 1 of asking
uh oh lol. I'll hopefully get to one eventually, but I've got a few more instruments chilling in boxes in my basement I need to get through first ;)
@@MadMusicBand alright :)
My band director plays clarinet and there were two times I remember him playing a piece, once was the national anthem and the other was (would you believe it) careless whisperer. I forgot to mention he played them on saxophone
As a long time saxophonist and former band director myself, I knew immediately which was which. The Jupiter's higher quality brass and construction just have a fuller and rounder tone, and I wouldn't even consider Jupiter a top tier saxophone manufacturer. That's not to say that a brand new student will be able to take advantage of that, but even at semester you'll be able to tell a difference. As a standalone instrument, the Mendini and clones are not horrific items, but they do have multiple problems in my experience. Many of their woodwinds, particularly as the instrument gets smaller, have poor intonation and tone quality at the ends of their ranges. They use lower quality springs, corks, and pads, and these wear faster and thus need replacing / maintenance sooner. Many repair shops won't even work on them if anything major happens, and you wouldn't want them to, because the cost to replace is just lower than the labor to repair.
Also, while they might cost half or even a third as much as a beginner instrument from a "reputable" manufacturer, that cost is unsalvageable. You will never be able to get any of the value of the instrument back if your kid decides to quit, or if they decide to stay and want to graduate to a higher quality instrument. You're just out the cost of the Mendini/clone, whereas if you buy a used Jupiter/Yamaha/X, you can quite easily get much/most of the cost back because there is a large used instrument market in most areas where school band is offered.
I wouldn't recommend one to a student unless it was literally the only option for them to be able to participate, because that's the most important thing of all, but I would do everything in my power to find them another option, be it used, rental, or school-owned.
I saw the Yamaha Venova in the background and I recently got one of those myself
13:14 this is where he starts playing
I feel like the low notes may not have been the reed. You kinda gotta just drop your jaw. And maybe it was the reed but I had the same problem, but after practicing my low notes after about a month they are way better. Source: I play sax
I've played alto for a while as well, but I don't have that problem with my Jupiter. It worked so much better with the new reed that I know it was definitely that at first. Everything that happened after the reed switch can probably be attributed to me lol, it works great now.