[battleken]

Hello,

I am a beginner of playing alto sax...I would like to buy a mouthpiece....

Therefore, I would like to know the difference between Yamaha 4C and its 5c..

Everyone would give me some answer and advise which is better for beginner??

Thank you in advance!

 

[Dave Dolson]

Battleken: Welcome to SOTW. The 5C merely has a larger tip-opening (the distance between the tip of the reed and the place where the reed-tip would touch the mouthpiece tip).

Generally, a larger tip-opening gives the player a little bigger sound, but it depends on the player's embouchure and experience, plus the reed one chooses as to how successful mouthpiece variations can be.

Are you able to find a store with a good inventory of mouthpieces? It may help you to test a bunch beyond Yamaha's offerings, although as a beginner, you should probably wait awhile until you develop beyond beginner-status (or take an experienced player or your teacher with you). DAVE

 

[A Greene]

I like the 4C for beginners on Alto. On tenor and Bari the 5C seems to get better results (at least at the Middle School Level)

These seem suited for concert band type playing.

 

[battleken]

Thank you all of you!! ^^

 

[battleken]

To dave:

What is differences of the tone, sound, skills of embourchure and others between using 4c and 5c mouthpiece???

 

[benjamin1979]

u cant really feel the difference. If u really wanna find out larger and smaller tips. get a 4C and 6 C. then u can feel that 6 C sounds larger but require more air. i think is ok to start from a 6C or 5C..

 

[battleken]

it means that using more air to blow 5c than 4c???

 

[Dave Dolson]

I've always been able to detect a significant difference when increasing tip openings by one up over the other (meaning a C* vs. a D; a Link 7* vs. an 8*, etc.) although I have no experience with anything other than a 4C for soprano. I'm guessing, though that I'd feel a difference if I came upon a 5C and compared it to my 4C.

It isn't a matter of needing to put more air through the horn, in my view. It is merely the tone that comes from a bigger opening, assuming the reed is an appropriate strength. DAVE

 

[battleken]

yamaha 5c mothpiece + Rico Reed 2 1/2 ...matched??

 

[Dave Dolson]

Battleken: THAT is up to the player. No one here can say objectively that any mouthpiece/reed combo will work for you (although they will try to say that). Everyone is different, hence what works for me may not work for you.

Having said that, I use harder reeds with such a mouthpiece (meaning, I like to play open pieces with soft reeds . . . the Yamaha 4C is SO tight for me that the only reed that works FOR ME on that mouthpiece is a Firbacell synthetic SOFT - much stronger than cane).

No harm in experimenting yourself, though. Who knows . . . that combo might work - and it might not. So, either go up or down in reed strength with a NUMBER of similar reeds 'til you find one that sings. DAVE