The Sax
- Nuvo, the company behind popular plastic woodwind instruments including the Clarineo and jFlute, have recently added to their range in the form of the new jSax! The jSax is a “stripped down” version of a traditional saxophone, which utilises simplified sax fingering patterns (similar to recorder fingerings).
- Pitched in the key of C, the instrument is fully chromatic from C4 to G5, and has been designed to be playable alongside the rest of the Nuvo range of instruments (which are also all pitched in C).
- Due to its simplicity and small size, the jSax is ideal for even the youngest of students, preparing them for when they are ready/big enough for a traditional saxophone! with a hard carry case, 2x Nuvo Plastic Reeds, a fingering chart, and some joint grease you have everything you need to start playing.
- The jSax is also supplied with removable key plugs, which help to initially seal the tone holes to assist players with little fingers! If you prefer a traditional cane reed rather than the supplied plastic reeds, then an Eb clarinet reed will fit the jSax perfectly.
- Being made from a durable plastic, the jSax is a great choice for whole class tuition as well as personal use. The plastic body is 100% waterproof so the instrument is playable in a variety of situations (and weather conditions!), and can be fully cleaned in warm soapy water!
- It is also very lightweight, making it portable and suitable for all ages, and the plastic body makes it pretty durable against accidental knocks and bangs.
The Test-Play
- Having been sent a sample jSax, as a sax player I of course wanted to try it out to see what the instrument had to offer.
- On first playing it, the jSax seemed like a lot of fun to play with as a small plastic instrument. But as it was tried out more and passed around the office the merits of the jSax became clearer.
- Our instrument technician pointed out that it sounded remarkably like a soprano sax, and I have to say I agree with this comment. It is not an exact imitation of the sound of a traditional soprano sax, but it is a mellow sound that will give young children in particular an insight into the sound and style of a saxophone.
- The mouthpiece provided with the jSax has a snap-close ligature, which was easy to use and will help children to line up the reed correctly. As a user of traditional cane reeds, I was slightly dubious of how the plastic reeds provided would feel in comparison. Again I was pleasantly surprised with how easy it was to produce a sound from the reed, and how similar it was to a cane reed.
- Of course if you would prefer to use a traditional reed with the jSax you can do, as Eb clarinet reeds will fit the mouthpiece. I didn’t really notice much difference in the sound produced when swapping between the two types of reed, but I feel that the plastic reed would be much sturdier option for children, who can sometimes be a little clumsy with their instruments!
- Overall I feel that the jSax is a good instrument for young children who are very keen on learning the saxophone but are too small to start on a traditional alto/soprano sax, or for anyone who wants a fun, very portable woodwind instrument to take with them to festivals etc.
If you would like any more information about the jSax then please call our sales team on 01283 535333 (option 1) or email us at sales@normans.co.uk.
