Mouthpieces How do you know if you need a new mouthpiece?

[freddysilk]

I've been playing alto sax for about a year and started off with a student piece #3. I moved up to a #5 and after about 6 months I felt like it was too closed for me so I moved up to a Meyer #6. The problem now is that when I play soft the Meyer has a nice tone but if I want to play loud or add a little extra volume, the reed closes shut or squeaks.

I'm wondering if I need a open mouthpiece (maybe a #7) or should I move up from a 2 1/2 to a harder reed?

Any suggestions will be appreciated.

 

[jambo]

My advice wuld be that before Splashing Out on a new mouthpiece, it might be sensible to get some harder reeds and try them first. Thats what I have done in the past when my set-up seemed too soft. And who knows, you may love the set-up and not need a new mp after all 🙂

 

[Pete Thomas]

How do you know if you need a new mouthpiece?

Easy:

You always need a new mouthpiece.

 

[mfox]

pete is spot on..you always need a new one..
general rule though is wider tip softer reed.. this gives you a harder set up to control, but a more versitile set up..
remember that with good players its not the volume but the tone that cuts through.

 

[Linky Lee]

So possibly deriving from that a generic 'good' tone is one that is rich in the higher harmonics and projected well? What I would describe as 'full' or 'rounded'

I think you should try some harder reeds, and get down to a sax shop and try some new mouthpieces.

Just be aware that change isn't necessarily better. Nor is difference.
I've got a few mouthpieces, S80 C*, Ottolink ToneEdge 6 and a STM 6 (metal).

I got them all for different reasons and each time I got a new one I thought it was better than the last and would suit me better, hopefully therefore making it easier to play 'better'

I keep on coming back to that S80 C* no matter what though. Ok it doesn't do the sleazy sub-tone that the STM does, but it has a much nicer sound overall and is easier to play even though they have a very similar resistance.

I can't recommend the S80 enough actually, I love them on all my saxes. Maybe try a larger facing. I'm using an 'E' on the tenor.

 

[jonf]

Pete Thomas wrote:
How do you know if you need a new mouthpiece?

Easy:

You always need a new mouthpiece.

I did a count up the other day. Rather shameful total of 11 tenor mouthpieces, 3 soprano ones, 2 alto and 2 bari.

No real sense of searching for a 'holy grail' mouthpiece either. I just like the different tones from different pieces.

 

[Bobby G]

I can't match that Jon; only 2 tenor mpc's, I must need another one. 2 soprano mpc's, I must need another one. 7 for the alto, I clearly need another one.

Like Linky, though, I seem to keep coming back to the same one - the Selmer Soloist F on alto, the Selmer S80 on soprano, and the Selmer Soloist C* on tenor, although I've been using the Jumbo Java T75 recently for the bigger tip opening. Maybe I need a Soloist E or F for the tenor...

Then again, on alto, I like the sound of the Meyer 5 HR, but it's a bit closed, so maybe a 6 or 7 would be better. And the Link piece is nice too, again maybe a bit closed, so maybe....

Oh, for crying out loud, it's never-ending :S Just shutup and blow yer horn BG 😛

Cheers, Bob

 

[tengu01]

I think I read somewhere that you should find a mouthpiece/reed combo which works reasonably well for you and then practice yo a s s off. You'd be surprised. If the mouthpiece keeps closing up on you, get a harder reed by .5 of a grade i.e. from 2.5 to 3 and see what happens. There will never be the "perfect" mouthpiece, but

(wise words from a guy who just got a Morgan Excalibur 8E delivered after a 4.5 month wait and is very, very excited by his new purchase. It's awesome.)

At the moment, my mouthpiece GAS tally is as follows

1 x Trevor James own brand tenor mouthpiece
1 x Selmer C* Tenor
1 x Jumbo Java Vandoren T55
1 x Lawton 8*B Brass Tenor
1 x Lawton 7* Stainless Steel Tenor
1 x Morgan Excalibur 8E Tenor
1 x Otto Link STM 6* Tenor
1 x Otto Link STM 5* Alto
1 x Otto Link Tone Edge 8* Alto
1 x Meyer 6M Alto
1 x Bill Lewington own brand alto.

Alto favourite: Meyer 6M alto
Tenor favourite: Varies depending on what I'm trying to do - smash windows (Jumbo Java), Be the loudest & funkiest on the bandstand (Lawton 8*B), play lush lush and smokey (STM 6*), Only got to grips with the Morgan today, but it is really, really good.

Unfortunately, none of these mouthpieces has made me into the living reincarnation of John Coltrane or Dexter Gordon, so I guess I'll have to cut back on my practice time and hunt for more mouthpieces
😉

 

[Bobby G]

You're not wrong about the ability of a Jumbo Java (mine's a T75) to smash windows 😉 but you can get it to play quite sweet too. Nice.

I think I tend to agree about sticking to one mouthpiece, or at least sticking to one for a while, like a few weeks or months, before going on to another one, kind of rotating your stock. As has been mentioned, it's probably better to move up or down 0.5 in reed strength if you need to.

Cheers, Bob

 

[Rogerb]

Pete Thomas wrote:
How do you know if you need a new mouthpiece?

Easy:

You always need a new mouthpiece.

It's very akin, IMO, to a golfer who *always* needs a new putter.

I have 2 (legal) putters and only one mouthpiece 😛

I just sell 'em off when I 'tire' of them!

 

[Jules]

I've just succeeded in exorcising my mouthpiece tinkering demon. Found my flat was full of mouthpiece, got rid of virtually all of 'em and have fallen in love with a Berg Larsen Bronze Duckbill 115/2- as close to a do everything metal mouthpiece as I've found (except a Yanagisawa) and a great huge, reto-ish tone to it too (a perfect piece for my early R&B/swing-ish tootlings).....
for now, at least!

 

[Bobby G]

I too have had a bit of a clear-out of my sax cases, relegating all but one tenor and one alto mouthpiece, respectively the Jumbo Java and Selmer Soloist, to the oblivion that is the drawer of my bedside cupboard. A la nachoman, for now, at least....

This is following the advice of various people, and should hopefully allow me to concentrate on getting more and better sounds out of mouthpieces that have admittedly got core tones that I love anyway.

Cheers, Bob

 

[jonf]

nachoman wrote:
I've just succeeded in exorcising my mouthpiece tinkering demon. Found my flat was full of mouthpiece, got rid of virtually all of 'em and have fallen in love with a Berg Larsen Bronze Duckbill 115/2- as close to a do everything metal mouthpiece as I've found (except a Yanagisawa) and a great huge, reto-ish tone to it too (a perfect piece for my early R&B/swing-ish tootlings).....
for now, at least!

I know I've got a ridiculous number of tenor mouthpieces in particular, but I really like playing most of them. Now, what's it to be tonight? Big fat Otto Link New York, Lawton or Berg Duckbill 120/0? Or maybe a Dukoff or a bronze Berg. Mmmm, decisions, decisions. Back to that old school rhyme. Ip dip dog ****, you are not it. And so on.

Or maybe just the Duckbill