PPT mouthpieces
PPT mouthpieces

Ligatures Anyone tried 3D printed custom mouthpieces?

Pas mal! As we'd say in french. But honestly it's much better than that.

I'm curious about your Syos mouthpiece. How is it describes in Syos terms? You know, like such, x Bright, y Power...

You sound good on it. How does it feel compared with the others? I know you said you fell most confortable with your initial Seller Prologue, but I guess that's normal especially if you started with a good quality mouthpiece.

I started with a BG2 and it feels like wearing old shoes when it pick it up...
 
Thank, guys. I included an image of how Syos described the bright and power settings above. I pushed the brightness down to get better low end and the power up to make it easy to blow. That may have been a mistake long term, if there is a long term, because as I get more experience, I'll probably want to have a more open mouthpiece.

It's very hard for me to compare mouthpieces by recording. I never play anything the same twice, even if I played the same phrase exactly. I just don't have the control yet to be perfectly even.
 
6441 said:
It's very hard for me to compare mouthpieces by recording. I never play anything the same twice, even if I played the same phrase exactly. I just don't have the control yet to be perfectly even.
Click to expand...

Besides the mouthpiece, there are so many variables, like reeds, embouchure and our ability to control them. Changing mouthpiece is appealing but not necessarily the answer. I tend to loose myself in mouthpiece experiments and although it can be fun it had not made me progress much.

Now I'm trying to settle on one that I feel comfortable with and I'll focus on making it sound as good as I can.
 
It's probably worth realizing that it isn't how fast you play or how creative your lines are, as much as it is the ability to control the sound and make any particular note sound the way you want it. The power to reproduce a note as if you were playing in an orchestra may be the most significant achievement on any instrument. I would bet that even the best, the likes of a Sonny Rollins, are constantly hoping to get better. I think he even said something like this in an interview.
 
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6441 said:
I decided to try to practice with the Syos and a Vandoren 3 reed. This is a recent take on a Bob Mintzer exercise, "Easy Groove".
I can immediately hear a few problems, but I promise to get better in the coming year!
https://soundcloud.com/randulo%2Feasy-groove-syos
Click to expand...

"A few problems"... yes of course, I hear what you mean. Totally. I mean they're obvious. Right? 😵

Back to the saxophone mines for me. If you can do this, so must I. Either that, or die trying!

And once I can do that, I'll treat myself to a vivid pink Syos MP 😎
 
The "problems" are a couple of very weak note endings, obvious to me on the end of the first phrase. This is endemic to early playing IMO. Coming from the guitar, an instrument that has to resort to feedback and effects to get sustained notes, the notes of the saxophone must be even when you want them to be. Every other day I think I can play, and the odd days I think I shouldn't quit my day job. Since I'm retired, I keep going either way.
 
6441 said:
Every other day I think I can play, and the odd days I think I shouldn't quit my day job. Since I'm retired, I keep going either way.
Click to expand...
I used to play golf as a kid, until I discovered Rock'n'Roll and the devils horn.
Over the last few days I did some Googling. If you're the Randy that I think you are then:
Just you keep on blowing down that long and curly tube young lad.
Yer sounding good :clapping:
Tongue in cheek - Gruss spike
 
6441 said:
It's probably worth realizing that it isn't how fast you play or how creative your lines are, as much as it is the ability to control the sound and make any particular note sound ther way you want it. The power to reproduce a note as if you were playing in an orchestra may be the most significant achievement on any instrument. I would bet that even the best, the likes of a Sonny Rollins, are constantly hoping to get better. I think he even said something like this in an interview.
Click to expand...

You wouldn't have a bridge near you to go practice by any chance? :sax:

Man, you rock ! Keep going like this and you will get close* to what you want. I could spend twice the amount of time you do and never get the same results. 😵

* Guys like you probably never get exactly where they aim. Keeps you trying to improve and stay on top of your game.
 
I really lucked out when we moved, the neighbors here either can't hear the sax or don't care. One said she liked it. So, motivation+time+musical experience are good resources to have. I just hope the muscles hold out. The breath is still sufficient.
I practice 2 to 4 hours a day. Some days I feel like a lot of progress is made. Then the next, disillusionment. The secret I think is "What do you expect to be able to do, exactly?" I don't have the time or discipline to be a great jazz player. I'm also hoping to find a few people to play with, because that's the next obvious step.
 
Hello,
reccently bought 2 mouthpieces from SYOS. Started out using the form on the page and had a leghty chat conversation with one of their engineers. I would like there to ber some more examples of the sound spectrum on the site. But other than that it worked out pretty well. Got my first piece and though they were a bit plasticky compared to my other pieces of hard rubber. Did some play testing found I could play it with more ease and hit more notes than with my other older mp. Still found it a bit too bright ( I was a bit too careful when doing the first order) so I filled in the satisfaction form on their page and had a little chat with the same engineer again. Got another MP sent out and I think its perfect now. Really gotten over the plastic feel because of the playability.

So I really like them. Got a custom feel and great service.
 
I had a lesson Friday and asked my teacher about Syos, because at the store they told me he bought one. He loves it, and he's a great player. Coincidentally, I got a mailing from Syos that fell into my spam folder. I just found it, but if anyone is interested they're running a 25% off St. Patrick's Day promo until midnight tonight. If you want a green mouthpiece, now's the time!

Get a 25% discount on any Syos mouthpiece purchase, signature or custom, ordered in Green color. Use the code GREENMOUTHPIECE to get the discount.

I think midnight is Paris time, so it ends 11PM UK, 6PM EDT, 3PM PDT.
 
The SYOS mouthpieces were available to try and buy at the Liverpool Sax Day a few weeks ago (when I bought my sop and a Morgan Fry mpc). Curly Woodwind in Liverpool now have a stock of them. People seem to be quite impressed with them so far. I'm planning to take my sax in for a service, so I might test them.
 
My teacher suggested I prioritize the Syos on the alto, which I didn't expect at all. What I do know is that it makes a huge difference on the soprano.
 
I wasn't too tempted by these until the alto player in my band got one, he sounds amazing on it. He wanted something punchier than the link he was playing on and it's definitely delivered that. It's not just the volume though, the tone is really nice too.

Payday on Wednesday...
 
It's the old Marmite thing, people seem to either love these or hate them. I think you'd have to try one before hating it, though, unless put off by the colors.
 
I became aware of SYOS a few months ago when Tivon Pennicott (one of my favourite modern tenor players and keen instagram buddy started using them) - if you haven't heard Tivon, check him out! After a little research, I hooked up with SYOS and they sent me a Tivon Pennicott Artist model to try out. It was the same design he used and same tip opening - a 9.
Now I already own a variety of very nice mouthpieces (modern and vintage), and play about 3 of them regularly; a Morgan Fry "Reso" in a 7*, a 10mfan Merlot in 8* and a LeBayle LRIII in 8. They're all in the same "ball park" in terms of sound concept (warm, dark but with some power and projection). I was pretty sure the Tivon Pennicott would be in the same arena - listening to him play for several years, I had a good idea of his sound concept.
Sure enough it arrived and I played it immediately - it played pretty good straight away - the 9 tip opening didn't feel big or any extra effort. After trying a couple of different reeds (Rigotti, D'Addario ...) I found Vandoren JAVA 3s worked best. After a week or so and playing a variety of different gigs, I came to some conclusions. This was a completely different concept to any other of my mouthpieces and indeed to any of the 1000s of mouthpieces I've played/ sold over the years. The actual product is pretty valueless, not a exquisite, lovingly handcrafted piece of german quality rubber, or beautifully plated meticulously made metal mouthpiece - it's a lump of plastic! However, the value is in the technology and design, this was the first mouthpiece I had ever played that was completely even (tone, texture, ease) across the whole range of the instrument! Absolutely effortless (in a brilliant way).
I decided that I would put the SYOS technology and design to the test. I contacted Pauline again and said I loved the mouthpiece but could they make it "a tad darker and a little bigger on the very low notes - at very loud volumes the bottom end was prone to splitting a little". I was intrigued as to how they would interpret such a vague description of what changes I wanted. One week later I met SYOS at Liverpool Sax Day and they had brought my new "signature" piece. As soon as I played it, I immediately noticed it was a little darker and the bottom notes popped out perfectly with plenty of power! But it was even more, the mouthpiece played spectacularly well - even more presence and evenness than the Tivon Pennicott model. I played between them for a good while and the difference was perfect! I had enough confidence to use the new piece on a workshop I was teaching in front of 80 sax players - after 30 mins of playing!
I'm totally sold! I even got a Dayna Stephens model which has a beautifully dark haunting sound in a 10 tip opening - which again doesn't feel big or hard work - now I only have to decide which piece to play on the gig!
This is a radical design concept and is going to have lots of lovers and haters - same thing is still raging about synthetic reeds. I personally haven't yet found a synthetic reed I like but am always willing to try out something new - you never know!
Bottom line is that SYOS back up their product with a 30 day refund if you're not totally delighted!

* I’m now waiting on a couple of other custom models to arrive, based on the Dayna Stephens model - I’ve simply asked for a little more warmth and volume - will report back when I’ve played them ...
 

Similar threads... or are they? Maybe not but they could be worth reading anyway 😀

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