A mouthpiece?

[David Edwards]

I've been teaching myself alto for fun / catharsis for a few months without a tutor and enjoying it hugely. I've been playing mainly blues / jazz -like melodies using Aebersold etc. Would it be worth my while buying a mouthpiece to replace the standard plastic one or is it too early?

[stitch]

Only if you're really not happy with the one you're using now. Are you perhaps suffering the onset of GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome)? :D
If you have the urge to spend money on sax-related items, I'd suggest having a couple of lessons - it sounds like you're doing well on your own, but it would be best to nip any bad habits in the bud sooner rather than later ...

[Billy The Fish]

I am still a newcomer myself, but one of the first things my teacher made me do (about one month into my playing career) was toss out the Yamaha 4C plastic mouthpiece that came with my student sax, and try a decent ebonite mouthpiece. I bought a Selmer S80 C* (still pretty much a beginner's mouthpiece with not too open a tip) and the immediate difference it made was enormous. One of the best purchases I made, BUT (and this is where stitch has hit the nail on the head) it was the start of the development of my own personal GAS syndrome, already well developed in the area of guitars and keyboards.

Is there a GAS cure ? There is a Selmer Reference 36 I am eyeing up, and I am not even good enough to appreciate the benefit such an instrument would bring :dazed: !

Billy The Fish

[saxtub]

The Selmer S80C is not a "beginner's" piece. It's great for classical music more so than jazz. What you need is a "medium" type mouthpiece that you'll be able to play different styles of music with. As you gain experience through time, you'll be able to change reed size and moved to larger mouthpieces that a geared toward the jazz sound.

[David Edwards]

Thanks all. Stitch has really got my number: I'm definitely a GAS sufferer. I have found myself hanging around in shops looking moodily at tenors.. I think I'll take your advice and go for a couple of lessons. Can anyone give me an idea of what a better mouthpiece actually /does/ for your playing?

[Billy The Fish]

The Selmer S80C is not a "beginner's" piece. It's great for classical music more so than jazz.

I should perhaps be more careful in my choice of language. You are right, it is not a "beginner's" piece, but it is suitable for "beginners" as it is not too open to early in a player's development to be difficult to play before one really has the technique to play a more challenging piece. I do think however that the Selmer C* is more versatile than some of the generalisations about jazz/classical pieces would indicate. Suggesting that it is not appropriate for jazz always puzzles me. I play mostly jazz, and it sounds great, yet is easy to play. As my breathe control and embouchure develops I will move to a more open mouthpiece, but in the meantime it does not mean I can't play different styles of music, and sound good whilst doing so :P

My advice to David is to take the advice I got i.e. to ask for opinions of mouthpieces to try rather than mouthpieces to buy. Then go and try them :D . That is what I did, so I could make up my own mind about how the mouthpiece felt and sounded to me, the only person that really counts in the process. Everyone has a different view, but the advice on what makes are worth trying is extremely valuable. I tried Otto Links, VanDorens, Selmers, metal vs ebonite, etc etc, and for me, right now, at this moment in my development, the C* just felt right. For you, one of the ones that did not feel right for me, would probably feel right for you. And if they don't at this stage, or you don't really notice an improvement compared with your plastic piece, just stick with what you have for a while.

Good luck :D

Billy The Fish

[saxtub]

Billy The Fish, When I stated that the S80C mouthpiece is more of a classical piece, I meant that it is used by more legit players than jazz cats. Of course you can play jazz with it. You can play jazz with just about any piece, including cheap plastic ones, if your good enough. But the consensus here is for more jazzier(?) pieces. All you have to do is look at the mouthpiece forums here and see which type of piece players perfer or talk about most. The S80C is a great begginer piece and is often used as such, hence many players refer to it as a student piece, which is not the case. I use the 80C myself for some of my gigs. I also have several(GAS?) other mpcs that I use right up to a HR Berg Larsen 120/3. The Selmer S80C is one of the most popular mouthpieces used and well crafted .

[Billy The Fish]

Agree with you totally saxtub :D

I am still resisting the GAS urge to go and find myself a jazzy mouthpiece with a wider opening just yet - but the time will come. I don't need one.....I don't need one......I don't need one........I need one.........I need one..............I need one (doh the GAS coming out again !).

Someone tear up my credit card !

Billy The Fish

[guitarbob]

Only if you're really not happy with the one you're using now. Are you perhaps suffering the onset of GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome)? :D


Trust me, Sax GAS is nothing like Guitar GAS. Most sax players have a few horns and a few mouthpieces. Right now I have 12 guitar, 4 amps, about 20 different effect units, a whole garage full of PA equipment and a partridge in a pear tree.

But I agree with Billy, get some lessons, you don't want to be developing bad habits and your teacher can help you select the right mouthpiece when the time comes that you need it.

[Gandalfe]

My instructor had me try five mouthpieces for a tenor I picked up. I hit on a solid mouthpiece right away and the horn played much better. If gave me the impetus to work out some tonal problems and my practice time that much more enjoyable. I buddy of my who sells used instruments sez he always throws in a trash mouthpiece with the horns 'cuz the serious guys already have their mouthpiece favs and wouldn't use the one that came with a horn anyway.

[Billy The Fish]

Trust me, Sax GAS is nothing like Guitar GAS. Most sax players have a few horns and a few mouthpieces. Right now I have 12 guitar, 4 amps, about 20 different effect units, a whole garage full of PA equipment and a partridge in a pear tree.


Don't get me started....................... :dazed:

(7 guitars, 1 bass guitar, 6 synthesisers, 1 piano, 1 hardware sampler, 3 drum machines, 1 set of drums, 5 amps, 2 saxophones, 4 microphones, effects units coming out of my ears..............and let's not even start to exploire my collection of soft synths and effects plug-ins !)

Billy The Fish

[Greyduster]

As far as GAS goes I think you guys are amateurs. I suffer GAS in one of it's more chronic forms. I've only taken up the sax in the last three years. This has now added to Photography, kite flying, Fly fishing (absolutely the BEST ((or worst)) for a GAS sufferer 12 rods, 4 pairs of waders and counting), computers, house renovation ( have you seen how many tools there are out there), archery (thank god I only shoot longbow). I could go on.

As an avid reader I have also found a variation of GAS. This is the strongly held belief that buying books on sax, that is books about the sax, Real books, tutorial books etc makes me a better sax player.

It's true I tell you, it's true.....
exit left in a deranged sort of lope laughing maniacally.

Lucky for me I live stuck out on the west coast away from major centres of temptation.

[MattC]

Try buying a sailboat... Especially one that "just needs a little tlc..."

Within three months you won't remember whose face is on the one dollar bill...

[RatBatBlues]

Someone once said: "To see if you are suited to owning a boat, you should stand in a cold shower every weekend for a year and shove money into the drain. If you do this for a year, and would be willing to do the same the following year, you are ready to own a boat." :lol: