[hallkat]

What mpcs would you Alto players suggest fir a darker sound...and what tip opening
Thanks

 

[J-Moen]

I used to crave the darker side of things. I played a JJ DV NY 5, loved it, but too reserved. I suggest at least a 6 tip, probably 7 for well versed alto players.

Other good options I've played - Tone Edge 7, E. Rousseau NC 5, Vandoren Optimum AL5, and V16L in a 7

 

[Reet McVouty]

What mpcs would you Alto players suggest fir a darker sound...and what tip opening
Thanks

The mouthpiece is only part of the equation. Most commonly you would look for a large chamber and a rollover or flat baffle, tip opening is what works best for you, brand is unimportant. However, you need to have the sound you want in your head and work toward it. Listen to your favorite players that have the sound you want, and try and sound like them.

 

[Jazzoetry]

What Reet said...also a nice round open throat sound with round chamber.

 

[milandro]

What mpcs would you Alto players suggest fir a darker sound...and what tip opening
Thanks

There are really many thread on this and none, of course, offers a definitive, one mouthpiece fits all , answer.

As some people have suggested, the sound doesn't come from the mouthpiece or saxophone , it comes from the mind ( and then the embouchure) of the player. The mouthpiece is only a " facilitator" of that action which starts with the sound concept.

So, I will quote you several (not all because they are really too many) threads. The constant throughout will be that you find almost all the brands mentioned and the longer the thread the more brands

https://forum.saxontheweb.net/showthread.php?135100-Dark-Alto-Mouthpiece
https://forum.saxontheweb.net/showthread.php?83451-Darkest-sounding-mouthpiece
https://forum.saxontheweb.net/showthread.php?96259-A-good-ol-dark-mouthpiece-for-alto
https://forum.saxontheweb.net/showthread.php?119782-Dark-Jazz-Mpc-for-Alto

there are more

Find yourself a number of players that you enjoy and try to play with a sound close to theirs , at first try with what you have got already and then try to expand from there

 

[Pete Thomas]

Tip opening is less relevant, esepcially as any effect there relies on the combination of tip opening and facing curve length or type. Although it's fair to say that mouthpieces with a highish baffle aregenerally lbrighter on lesser tip openings, as the baffle is closer to the reed.

But if aiming for darkness (depending on how you define darkness) it may be best to get a very low beffle (or effectively no baffle) large chambered mouthpiece anyway. Personally I prefer to work on my tone/sound so that I can get a mouthpiece to play dark if I want to as opposed to all the time.

In other words aim to use my technique to get a versatile sound to express the sound I want to at any given time or context.

Rather than relying on the equipment to do the work instead. Which, granted, can be useful if you are going for extremes that are outside your technical ability.

 

[milandro]

Indeed Pete, it may be argued that the most versatile thing is to have a mouthpiece with a " bright" natural sound and darken it with technique so that you then have two extremes and all the sounds in between.

Quoting a video that I've quoted hundreds of times in different context.... ( pay attention to his " Stan Gets" sound)

 

[Pete Thomas]

Indeed Pete, it may be argued that the most versatile thing is to have a mouthpiece with a " bright" natural sound and darken it with technique so that you then have two extremes and all the sounds in between.

yes, one of the first things any sound engineer learns about "EQ" is that it's much easy to remove or attenuate high frequences to make something sound warmer, than it is to raise high frequencies to brighten something if those frequencies are very low. Even more of a problem if they are non-existent. Saxophone sound and tone generation is the same principal.

 

[MojoBari]

Some players go for a dark mouthpiece and learn how to brighten it with technique. But that is a lot harder IMO. Brecker was blowing his brains (throat) out when he was using a Link.

 

[Pete Thomas]

Some players go for a dark mouthpiece and learn how to brighten it with technique. But that is a lot harder IMO. Brecker was blowing his brains (throat) out when he was using a Link.

Well, you can brighten any mouthpiece (even a stuffy old one) by shoving more of it in your mouth, but then you open yourself up to other issues if you use that as a base for a regular embouchure. It's fine if you use it part of a flexible embouchure/tone routine.

 

[swperry1]

There might be answers in the last thread you started on the same topic:

https://forum.saxontheweb.net/showthread.php?368386-Dark-tone-Alto

 

[hallkat]

There might be answers in the last thread you started on the same topic:

https://forum.saxontheweb.net/showthread.php?368386-Dark-tone-Alto

That's what happens when you get old...thanks for the heads up. Lol I really would like to find some clips of Alto players using a Tone Edge...where I live I have no access to try mpcs ...so yes I was looking for a starting point...

 

[saxyjare01]

I’d work on the sound in your head for a while before looking for a darker mouthpiece. Some darker mouthpieces have a decent amount of baffle in them.

Putting in more mouthpiece can make you sound brighter but a lot of players end up losing control of the bottom end of the horn.

I play on dark mouthpieces with a nice baffle like the Navarro Bop Boy. Yet, I sound bright on it. My VI is also dark sounding - same effect. I can go much, much darker if I wanted to but it takes time to build up that much flexibility in one piece.

 

[bakkiemetkoekie]

Often you can get a darker sound by using a thicker reed.