[SuperActionZ]

Hey Sax on the Web!

I've been in marching band for several years. During these years, my private teacher has told me not to march my hard rubber Selmer C* mouthpiece because it warps the mouthpiece. Instead, I've had to suffer through on a plastic B5 educator mouthpiece during the season.

Is this information true?

Also, I have recently acquired a gold plated jazz mouthpiece. How would this stand up to the extreme heat and weathering of marching band?

If I cannot march on either, I will just have to suffer on the B5 educator because I do not have the money to buy another mouthpiece.

Thanks for your help.

SuperActionZ

 

[Joeywhat]

How will it warp? I don't follow the logic. It doesn't get THAT hot outside...it'll probably get hotter being left in the car for a couple hours on a hot, sunny day.

I wouldn't march with a metal mouthpiece purely for the sake of my teeth, and leaving them in my mouth. Not that a hard rubber or plastic piece won't do some damage if you inadvertently smash yourself in the face, but metal ain't gonna feel good.

 

[1953SBAALTO]

It won't warp it anymore than everyday playing, which is not at all. What is going on different in your mouth marching than when you sit and play?

 

[Dr G]

What do professional orchestra woodwind players use for outdoor concerts? I cannot imaging that they all use plastic mouthpieces (in fact, I know they don't).

If the heat is such an issue, the band should not be marching. Try that on your director. :twisted:

 

[paradimensional]

Your teacher doesn't know what he's talking about, you can march with the C*. Mine has endured 4 years of marching band in Texas. Works fine.

 

[Enviroguy]

My hard rubber Selmer S80 made it through four years of marching band and thirty subsequent years without warping. Except for turning brown, it's still pretty much perfect.

But the metal jazz piece should help you project more. To me, I believe the best possible marching bank mouthpiece is the Rico Metalite. It's very low-cost, hard plastic and really increases projection. Of course, your band teacher may not care for an over-projecting sax. But that's a different discussion. :bluewink:

 

[Chris D]

I marched a selmer c* for 4 years from 40degree football games up to 90degree 4th of July parades and I still occasionally play that same piece today 22 years later. If you like the piece, play it!

 

[AcidRa1n]

I marched with a Yamaha 4C the one that came with my student sax at the time. It was good. Then I took my C* out one day to see how it was ganna do.. got a big old chip from my friends shoe and asphalt.

 

[Homely Saxman]

If it's hot enough outside to warp the mouthpiece significantly, then it's hot enough to warp you, and you shouldn't be marching.

 

[AcidRa1n]

Marching was a bad experience for me. It really destroyed all sense of tone/technique I ever had. Ontop of being very exhausted from hours of marching and blowing lots of air honking the crap out of the horn, I wasn't aware my playing was suffering. I wouldn't recommend it to people who like playing soft sweet sounding melodies in there spare time.

 

[bandmommy]

What is your teacher smoking?
Your C* will not warp from marching band.
I wonder if he drives his car in the summer. His tires might melt...

 

[MEGAOHMER]

Now come on, what would the directors reaction be if he said " those sotw folks want to know what youre smoking.

Be respectful. the teacher may have an ulterior motive like not wanting to have a 230 dollar mouthpiece damaged. So its just an excuse likely.

then get away with what you can to sound good. I doubt they look that hard when youre marching. I would say it doesnt matter to the mouthpiece. you could look up the hard rubber CTE if you wanted to, smaller is less dimensional changes.

 

[bandmommy]

My asking what the teacher is smoking is disrespectful but someone elses' comment that the same teacher doesn't know what they're talking about is not?
If the student owns the mouthpiece the PRIVATE teacher (as stated in the original post) has no business telling them what they can or can not use for marching band. That decision is for the student and his/her parents to make.

 

[mfry]

Being in the sun a lot might make a hard rubber piece discolor some but it shouldn't warp. But of the three it's the last one I would use. maybe the jazz piece because it's louder, maybe the plastic piece because it's cheap in case something happens.

 

[Pete Thomas]

My asking what the teacher is smoking is disrespectful but someone elses' comment that the same teacher doesn't know what they're talking about is not?

Both are fine comments, especially given that the OP has already brought theband director's comments into question "Is this information true?"

No the information is not true. The teacher is either ignorant or as MEGAOHMER says, it is an "excuse", ie an intentional untruth or "distortion" of the truth. Marching band may will be a low common denominator in the musical world, but it's still where many people shape their concept of making a sound and to be forced to "suffer through" an inferiror mouthpiece is not conducive to finding either enjoyment or advancement through music performance.

Having said all that, I always hesitate to question or contradict teachers' advice or methods but in this case I don't see how it is anything other than just plain wrong.

Also, as mfry says, the mouth[iece will discolour in the sun, and also probably get a bit of a sulphourous smell and biter taste, but that is what happens with HR, we all get used to it - it is not an indicator of damage.

In reagrd to the metal mouthpiece question, it will also stand up fine to the extreme weather. Just as well as the HR and probably better than the people marching.

 

[Bozman]

Now come on, what would the directors reaction be if he said " those sotw folks want to know what youre smoking.

Be respectful. the teacher may have an ulterior motive like not wanting to have a 230 dollar mouthpiece damaged. So its just an excuse likely.

then get away with what you can to sound good. I doubt they look that hard when youre marching. I would say it doesnt matter to the mouthpiece. you could look up the hard rubber CTE if you wanted to, smaller is less dimensional changes.

Who pays $230 for an HR Selmer mouthpiece?

 

[SAXISMYAXE]

Ask your teacher if he thinks the many outstanding military marching bands are relegated to using cheap plastic mouthpieces as they travel the world performing in every conceivable environment, often outdoors? Of course not.

 

[1953SBAALTO]

Back to the OP, your biggest risk is damaging the mouthpiece from a crash, impact, or drop. If you're careful you'll be fine, but you never know when someone is going to lose their place and wander into you or you'll trip over a divot in the football field or slip in mud.
I have a 16 year old C* that I marched for most of 4 years of high school (there was some bari in there) and used for 2 years of pep band in college.

 

[MojoBari]

We were forced to use a C* marching sax in college in the 70 's. The big 10 logic was that if each section used the same mouthpiece, our frequency spectrum would be the same and we would sound louder as a section. Clarinet and sax players had to use the same brass mouthpiece too. Annoying and it did not take into the account the role of the player. But we and the mouthpieces survived.

Today, I would lean toward using a Graftonite or Metalite mouthpiece on marching band. They can take a hit like no other mouthpiece.

 

[MEGAOHMER]

Who pays $230 for an HR Selmer mouthpiece?

I was thinking of Bari. thats about what they run about that. i suppose this could be alto.
http://www.wwbw.com/Selmer-Paris-S80-Series-Baritone-Saxophone-Mouthpiece-463102-i1144166.wwbw

Rather than a brighter mouthpiece like a metalite. why not just a little more opn but still aclassical sound mputhpiece like a C,D, or E tip opening? The woodwinds always seem overpowered by the brass in marching. except that you might stand out amongst the woodwinds, more volume seems like a good idea.