mouthpiece help


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Mouthpieces are probably the most critical part of the mix in achieving you and your instrument's true potential.
Basically, the mouthpiece and reed are assembled to create a gap between the 2 at the tip. This gap is lessened by the strength of the player's embouchure so that when air is blown across the gap, the reed vibrates and makes sound. Both mouthpiece tip opening and reed strength work together and must match the player's embouchure strength.

Beginners or players who do not play much will want to use smaller tip openings and softer reeds. As strength is developed, harder reeds can be used to keep the system in balance. Experienced and players with strong embouchures will tend to use wider mouthpiece tip openings.
Selections of mouthpiece style, tip opening and reed style and strength are very personal choices and the ideal set up will vary from player to player.
DO NOT BUY reeds or mouthpieces based in others' recommendations without being sure that the recommendation takes into account the various variables each individual player brings to the table. See the questions we ask BEFORE we will make a recommendation below.
A good mouthpiece should meet several criteria:

it should be accurately made, especially in matching the tip profile of the reed... it should momentarily hold a vaccuum when air is withdrawn from it with a wetted reed in place and your palm sealing the round exit

it should be easy to play (blow's easily) throughout the range of the instrument and at all dynamic levels

it should produce the tone you want

it should respond consistently in tone and required effort throughout the range of the instrument

it should have a ligature which holds the reed securely to the body

Truths about mouthpieces....
The right mouthpiece for you, may not be what the other person is playing. Why? Because your individual geometry (dimensions of your mouth, throat, sinuses etc.) are not the same as the other person's.
A players' individual sound is as individual as their voice. Forget trying to sound like so-and-so. Develop your best sound.
Many mouthpieces on the market today are defective. Defective? Yes. It's shocking, but true. This is especially true for certain makers and far less true for others. Even some venerable names are no longer what they were. (e.g. Berg Larsen and Otto Link are great examples of companies no longer owned by their original owners and no longer making the quality they used to. Berg Larsen is shockingly bad today. Otto Link and Meyer are very mediocre today.)

saxƒorte only offers mouthpieces from manufacturers that have control of their quality and in only designs that work throughout the range of the instrument. Too many mouthpiece designs play one part of the range well, only to compromise another to the point of making notes difficult to play.
Mouthpieces wear out eventually... especially hard rubber and plastic ones.. it's the argument for metal mouthpieces.
For experienced players, I genreally recommend bigger tip openings and softer reeds. I prefer the bendability of notes with bigger tip openings. You can always adjust with a softer reed. More than anything, the set up you play with should be comfortable. Find a mouthpiece you can reliably and easily blow without strain.
Want a recommendation? Please follow these steps...
1) PLEASE COPY THESE QUESTIONS INTO AN E-MAIL AND PROVIDE COMPLETE ANSWERS TO ALL QUESTIONS. A GOOD RECOMMENDATION DEPENDS ON COMPLETE DATA FROM YOU. WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION IF WE DO NOT RECEIVE COMPLETE INFORMATION.
2) PLEASE BE SURE YOUR SAXOPHONE HAS BEEN CHECKED RECENTLY BY A COMPETENT TECHNICIAN AND IS SEALING WELL BEFORE WRITING TO US. A POORLY FUNCTIONING SAXOPHONE WILL CAUSE MANY PLAYING PROBLEMS SIMILAR TO MANY MOUTHPIECE SET-UP PROBLEMS AND WILL MAKE ACCURATE MOUTHPIECE DIAGNOSIS IMPOSSIBLE. WE WILL ASSUME YOUR SAXOPHONE IS FUNCTIONING CORRECTLY WHEN MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS.
Please provide the following information by e-mail:
1)Which saxophone do you play now?
- voice (alto, tenor, etc.) ?
- make?
- model?
2) What kind of sound are you looking for.. dark, centered or bright?
Read this page for more detail on the meaning of these words.
3) What setup do you play with now? Only list your favorite / best set-up, NOT everything you've tried. Please list the following...
- brand of mouthpiece?
- model of mouthpiece?
- mouthpiece tip opening code (e.g. C*, 6, 8*, T55, or other marking)?
- Reed brand (e.g. Rico, VanDoren etc.)?
- Reed model (e.g. Royal, Java etc.)?
- Reed strength #?
4) Any issues or shortcomings with the set-up you use now?
Please be specific and descriptive.
5) How would you like to change your sound compared to what you have now?
Louder? Warmer? Brighter?
6) How would you like to change the playing characteristics compared to what you have now?
Easier to Blow? etc?
7) How long can you play without your embouchure getting tired with this set-up?
8) Does playing high notes or trying to play loudly cause the reed to collapse and the sound to stop?
Or does the note sound but not at the expected pitch or does it sound thin?
9) Can you play low notes (C, B, Bb) relatively softly? or do you have to play loudly to get them to sound at all?
10) Would you like to be able to bend notes better for rock? (typically for jazz or blues) ? or is excellent stable intonation your priority (typically for classical)?
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