When Spain's Ramon Mañas moved to Berlin to study music, he started learning the saxophone. But as the sax is a loud instrument, he couldn't do so when and where he liked. This led to the development of the small and light Travel Sax, which could be played in silence. Now the Travel Sax 2 has been launched.
Back in March 2019, Mañas' Barcelona-based Odisei Music launched a Kickstarter for what it called the world's smallest electronic saxophone. It offered a familiar key layout for seasoned players, a lightweight, backpack-friendly practice tool for musicians on the move, and a convenient learning tool for those new to the sax universe. And possibly best of all for folks sharing a home with Travel Sax blowers, it could be played without disturbing anyone.
The instrument has been redesigned and improved for the second generation, and launched on Indiegogo to raise production funds. Rather than plugging headphones into a paired smartphone running the companion app, ear candy can now be plugged straight into the Travel Sax 2 for zero-latency silent practice. And it now comes with an internal speaker and a built-in synthesizer with more than 70 sounds available.
It's a bit longer than the original at 23 cm (9 in) instead of 22 cm, and tips the scales at 450 g (16 oz) as opposed to 330 g, but it's still a much lighter prospect than having to lug around a full-size sax. The Travel Sax 2 has been made more durable too, rocking a new stainless steel key mechanism. And keys can now be replaced if damaged or worn.
Airflow can be adjusted on the body, and there's a saliva drain help prevent build up. The 1,200-mAh integrated battery is reckoned good for up to eight hours of continuous play per charge (up from six). The Travel Sax 2 can also be used as a MIDI controller, and is compatible with music production software such as Ableton Live, Logic Pro X, Pro Tools and Reaper.
Should you want your sax to wear something other than black attire, both the color of the body and the keys can be chosen from nine options. And there are optional accessories available, such as a special mouthpiece for more airflow control, and neck extensions to put more distance between you and the instrument.
The companion app has also been improved, and in addition to managing sounds, saving favorites, dialing in effects, and tweaking parameters, users will be able to set practice reminders, edit fingerings, dive into practice stats, and more
Indiegogo pledges start at €455 (about US$535), and if all goes to plan, shipping is estimated to start in March 2022. The video below has more.
Source: Odisei Music