Saxophone Outlet

Questions and Answers

Question:

Saxophone Mouthpiece?
I'm just wondering what kind of mouthpiece for saxophone uses the upside down ligature??? the upside down ligature with the twisty things pointing to the right, because you can turn it around and get them to face the left on a normal mouthpiece, but not the right. thanks in advance,

Answer:

You can get many different types of ligatures to fit on a given mouthpiece. I've found the guys at Rovner have been able to give good advice and find me a good ligature match for mouthpieces I already own. I think the "upside down" ones you're referring to are more commonly called "reverse" ligatures. If you're looking for a mouthpiece that comes specifically with a reverse ligature, check out JodyJazz.

Question:

saxophone mouthpiece?
I've been playing saxophone for a long year now.. I want to buy a new mouthpiece... Can you recommand a good muthpiece for me?

Answer:

Mouthpieces are a very personal thing, and they need to be chosen by playing them. Its difficult for other people to recommend something. It would also be helpful if we knew what kind of sound you are trying to get to.. All that being said.. for a beginner, looking to move onto a more advanced mouthpiece, there are two basic good choices.. 1. For a classical/concert band type sound, the Selmer C* is a great choice. 2. For a more modern/pop or Jazz sound, I recommend a Meyer 5 or 6. Neither of these pieces will break the bank, and will get any person on the right track.

Question:

What would be a good tenor saxophone mouthpiece for marching band?
I play tenor saxophone on the field, and i was gonna switch to baritone but decided i would miss saxophone to much. So i went to play my tenor the other day...and bam! my mouthpiece wasnt in my case. so i decided that it was time i bought myself a new one. which one would be the best? i have been playing for 5 years now, and im the lead tenor in jazz band. i also am the section leader of the saxophones. if that helps any.

Answer:

There are plenty of good mouthpieces out there. Brands like Meyer, Otto Link, and Vandoren are great ones to try, but don't be afraid to try others. Whatever you do, make sure you try out different brands and different facings. Go to a local store with good selection, try a few using different styles of playing like staccato and legato. Listen for: tone, ease of attack, evenness, ease of altissimo, etc. Pick whichever one is best in the most categories.

Question:

Really good tenor saxophone mouthpiece? Tenor sax embouchure?
Well I bought a tenor saxophone. I play bass clarinet and clarinet so I know all about reeds and stuff. The mouthpiece that came with the instrument sucks and makes the instrument play high when it plays low. At least, I think its the mouthpiece...It may be my embouchure because I'm so used to the clarinet embouchure which is similar to the sax. Does anyone know a good tenor saxophone mouthpiece and the proper saxophone embouchure?

Answer:

Well the reed has to be more moist than your clarinet reed when you play. You have to experiment w/ you air cause its gonna be waaaaaaay different than either of those clarinets. Good embouchure: tuck your bottom lip over your teeth, your incisors bite down on the top and the corners have to be tight cause if they're not you'll squeak like crazy. The best reed I can think of of the top of my head is a Rico Royal. But use the tips first cause it might just be you.