malumovis
Member
- Messages
- 41
- Locality
- Wales
Hey.
I'm in the process of switching my main allegiance from tenor to alto (and sorta from clarinet to sax, but that's a whole other thread which I have no intention of starting). I'm having embouchure/mouthpiece/jaw issues though ...
I have a lovely new sax (a Conn Selmer PAS-380V) and a selection of mouthpieces, acquired over the years. Unfortunately, I don't like any of the mouthpieces. They are:
Brilhart Special Ebolin - I gather these are pretty basic student models with a 'medium' tip opening. No idea where this came from (I didn't buy it, it just appeared in my case. No, that's not code for 'I stole it'). This is pretty free-blowing, but has a characterless sound. No like.
Selmer S80 C* - the first 'proper' mouthpiece I bought, which served me well during my school years - functional, nice tone, but nowt special. I need more from my mouthpiece, and this is a bit too safe for me. 0.067" tip opening?
Selmer S80 C** - Much more oomph than the C* (mainly in volume), but still quite run-of-the-mill. Is this due to the wider tip? 0.071"?
Otto Link Tone Edge 7 - purchased at the same time as the sax, because I thought I liked it at the time. I don't. Well, I do a bit - it has a darkness that teases me into keeping on playing it, but this is a relationship doomed for failure I feel. It's hard work - not particularly responsive, the tone isn't as flexible as I'd like it to be (I'm not sure what I mean by that either), and it cost a fair bit, so I'm somewhat irked that the relationship hasn't blossomed. Tip opening 0.075" - wider than the C**, so what effect should this have?
Now, here's the shocker:
Sharkbite 6 - This is the best of the lot for me ... I've had to load it up with mouthpiece patches as the metal feels especially weird, but it's free-blowing, has a nicely dark and sassy tone, speaks clearly throughout the range (and with pretty good intonation). I can find no information on tip openings or any other measurements, but it appears to have a short facing and narrow opening. And it only cost me £20 from eBay.
I've recently become alerted to the existence of TMD (Temporomandibular disorder), which I appear to have. It's not been fully properly diagnosed, but it appears that I have a textbook case (I thought it was just lack of consistent practise! Or too much talking), so I'm wondering whether that's playing a part in mouthpiece preference too - I prefer the metal one as it's much narrower?
On the tenor, I have a Meyer 7M and an Otto Link Super Tone Master 7*, both of which I like just fine. Should I just get the same mouthpieces for alto? Or, do I need to start from scratch and start trying every mouthpiece in existence until I can find a mate for life? Or, shall I just get a Jody Jazz DV NY 6 and be done with it.
Help me. Please ...
I'm in the process of switching my main allegiance from tenor to alto (and sorta from clarinet to sax, but that's a whole other thread which I have no intention of starting). I'm having embouchure/mouthpiece/jaw issues though ...
I have a lovely new sax (a Conn Selmer PAS-380V) and a selection of mouthpieces, acquired over the years. Unfortunately, I don't like any of the mouthpieces. They are:
Brilhart Special Ebolin - I gather these are pretty basic student models with a 'medium' tip opening. No idea where this came from (I didn't buy it, it just appeared in my case. No, that's not code for 'I stole it'). This is pretty free-blowing, but has a characterless sound. No like.
Selmer S80 C* - the first 'proper' mouthpiece I bought, which served me well during my school years - functional, nice tone, but nowt special. I need more from my mouthpiece, and this is a bit too safe for me. 0.067" tip opening?
Selmer S80 C** - Much more oomph than the C* (mainly in volume), but still quite run-of-the-mill. Is this due to the wider tip? 0.071"?
Otto Link Tone Edge 7 - purchased at the same time as the sax, because I thought I liked it at the time. I don't. Well, I do a bit - it has a darkness that teases me into keeping on playing it, but this is a relationship doomed for failure I feel. It's hard work - not particularly responsive, the tone isn't as flexible as I'd like it to be (I'm not sure what I mean by that either), and it cost a fair bit, so I'm somewhat irked that the relationship hasn't blossomed. Tip opening 0.075" - wider than the C**, so what effect should this have?
Now, here's the shocker:
Sharkbite 6 - This is the best of the lot for me ... I've had to load it up with mouthpiece patches as the metal feels especially weird, but it's free-blowing, has a nicely dark and sassy tone, speaks clearly throughout the range (and with pretty good intonation). I can find no information on tip openings or any other measurements, but it appears to have a short facing and narrow opening. And it only cost me £20 from eBay.
I've recently become alerted to the existence of TMD (Temporomandibular disorder), which I appear to have. It's not been fully properly diagnosed, but it appears that I have a textbook case (I thought it was just lack of consistent practise! Or too much talking), so I'm wondering whether that's playing a part in mouthpiece preference too - I prefer the metal one as it's much narrower?
On the tenor, I have a Meyer 7M and an Otto Link Super Tone Master 7*, both of which I like just fine. Should I just get the same mouthpieces for alto? Or, do I need to start from scratch and start trying every mouthpiece in existence until I can find a mate for life? Or, shall I just get a Jody Jazz DV NY 6 and be done with it.
Help me. Please ...
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