Saxophone Mouthpieces

THE MOUTHPIECE

Choosing a Mouthpiece

It takes me about 2 weeks to really know if a mouthpiece is right or not and so it is not always a good idea to make that decision in a shop, however most retailers let you try out a mouthpiece at home, as long as you use a mouthpiece patch. This is usually a sale on approval with the option to return rather than a loan. They need a credit card number or payment which you agree with them can be refunded within a certain time provided the mouthpiece is not worn or damaged.

However a useful strategy can be to try out a large number of mouthpieces in a shop - spend a whole afternoon or a day and narrow the choice down to a few and ask for a home trial on just those ones. Make sure you have several different reed makes and/or strengths to try them with.

After the player, the mouthpiece is the most important part of shaping the saxophone sound. More so than the saxophone itself - getting a new mouthpiece will have a much larger impact on your sound than getting a new saxophone. Most saxophone players I know have a drawer full of mouthpieces.

Recommendations

For beginners, I recommend a Yamaha or Vandoren mouthpiece. Yamahas are quite cheap and usually far superior to the mouthpieces that come with student model saxophones. The entire range of Vandoren mouthpiececs are very high quaility and consistent. They are good enough to last well beyond the early stages into intermediate level and for advanced professional work.

Some players after a while want to get something a bit more personalised. There are many makers of custom mouthpiececs out there. I recommend RPC custom Saxophone Mouthpieces. I use these on alto and tenor. The manufacturer, Ron Coelho, will take time to discuss your particular needs on the phone to find out exactly what you want before making your mouthpiece. I like these mouthpieces as they have a tremendous dynamic range. The baffle (see below) alllows you to play very loud and bright, but unlike most mouthpieces with fairly high baffles, you can also play quietly and with a warm dark tone. They are the most versatile mouthpieces I have found, they allow the player to develop his/her own sound rather than imposing the sound which I find many modern mouthpieces can do. I sold my Dave Guardala Studio model two days after trying the RPC tenor 125.

Naming the Parts

Table

This is the part that the reed is clamped onto by the ligature. The table must be extremely flat or the reed will distort and cause squeaks etc.

Chamber

The cavity inside the main body of the mouthpiece. The size and shape of the chamber can have an important effect on the sound. More modern mouthpiececs often have a smaller chamber which can achieve a brighter tone.

Rails

The sides of the mouthpiece along the vibrating part of the reed. The thickness of the rails has an effect on the sound. They should be symmetrical.

Tip

The tip of the mouthpiece. This should line up with the tip of the reed when looking at the reed side of the mouthpiece.

Lay (AKA facing Curve)

The curved part of the mouthpiece. This curve allows the reed to vibrate.

Shank

The part that joins onto the neck of the saxophone. There must be an airtight seal between the inside of the shank and the neck cork

Baffle

A relatively modern innovation. Some mouthpieces have a wedge shape built up inside which causes the airstream to flow faster, resulting in a brighter, more cutting sound.

Ligature

This clamps the reed to the mouthpieces. Some people consider that the type of ligature affects the sound - I’ve never noticed this, however it is very important that the ligature is not distorted or the tone will definiteley suffer. For this reason the more flexible textile based ligatures may sound better if compared to a damaged metal one. Do not overtighten the screws, they should be tight enough to just stop the reed from slipping.

Dimensions

The length of lay and width of tip opening are usually the most important considerations for the player when choosong Saxophone Mouthpieces. Wider tip openings can be harder to play, though it is the combination of lay length and tip opening that really determines this. A long lay can make a wide tip opening easier, and a short lay can make a narrower tip opening harder to play. Generally the wider the tip opening, the softer the reeds required. I like to use a fairly wide tip and medium soft reeds (Rico Jazz Select, Vandoren or Alexander).

Material

Saxophone Mouthpieces are usually metal or hard rubber. The material does not seem to make as much difference to the sound as many people think, the main differences in sound are due to the dimensions and shape of the mouthpiece.