Jazz mouthpieces

[gsaxhands]

I am interested in playing jazz so I want a jazz mouthpiece. I was told to go with Meyer. Does anyone have any other opinions?

[J.Max]

Go to this thread:

http://www.saxontheweb.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=44750

Read #2 on the list.

[SaxyAcoustician]

Go to this thread:

http://www.saxontheweb.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=44750

Read #2 on the list.
lol~

To answer his question, the hard rubber Meyer is the de facto standard jazz mouthpiece for alto saxophone. I'm guessing that roughly 99.999% of alto players at least own this mouthpiece. I for one play on a Beechler metal but I own two Meyers. I played a Meyer for a few years and absolutely loved it.

[MrMiyagi]

lol~

I'm guessing that roughly 99.999% of alto players at least own this mouthpiece.


I'm part of that 00.001% that does NOT own one, and probably never will... I play on a Jody Jazz DV, but before that I was using a Claude Lakey 6*3 for Jazz...

[Merlin]

I'm part of that number (non-Meyer owners) as well.

There are a lot of good pieces out there. Look for something in hard rubber, no step baffle, with a tip opening between .075~.085".

[Swingin' Cat]

Hard rubber Berg Larsen, 85/0/M.

[J.Max]

I've never owned a Meyer, either. And I probably never will...

[CountSpatula]

Haha, me either. Started on a beechler and ended on an RPC...Maybe it should be 99.998%? :P

[rogerb40uk]

99.997?
Lamberson 6M :)

[fballatore]

I have 5 Meyers. Does that bump it back up to 99.999? :D

[Dave Dolson]

I have four Meyers for alto . . . and play one as my main alto piece. Bump those percentages up a bit (if that is possible). DAVE

[senior]

8-) I play a Yani Alto with Meyer 7* MPC and Alexander Superial 2 1/2 reeds. For me, this is the perfect Jazz combination.8-)

[mwhaa]

Jazz Mouthpiece? In my eyes there is no such thing.

I've heard alto players with killer jazz sounds playing Selmer C*s

and I've also heard players with a great classical sound playing on Meyer 6ms

Go Figure.

You want a jazz sound? Find a mouthpiece that you really like and makes your playing easier. Then listen and play along with tons of Jazz records and form a sound concept. Thats what it basically comes down to, a sound concept. I personally get generally the same sound(very very slight differences) whether im playing on a meyer 6m, JodyJazz HR* 6m, or a miami Dukoff D7*

-mwhaa

[Dave Dolson]

Mwhaa: I totally agree with your comment about so-called "jazz" mouthpieces. I just didn't bring it up AGAIN fearing folks may tire of my incessant squawking about it. DAVE

[J.Max]

Jazz Mouthpiece? In my eyes there is no such thing.

I've heard alto players with killer jazz sounds playing Selmer C*s

and I've also heard players with a great classical sound playing on Meyer 6ms

Go Figure.

You want a jazz sound? Find a mouthpiece that you really like and makes your playing easier. Then listen and play along with tons of Jazz records and form a sound concept. Thats what it basically comes down to, a sound concept. I personally get generally the same sound(very very slight differences) whether im playing on a meyer 6m, JodyJazz HR* 6m, or a miami Dukoff D7*

-mwhaa


There may not be such a thing as a jazz mouthpiece, but there is such a thing as a classical mouthpiece. I find Dukoffs very easy to play, but I wouldn't want to play the Ibert on one.

MEYERS ARE NOT GOOD MOUTHPIECES FOR CLASSICAL MUSIC. Period.

[drakesaxprof]

MEYERS ARE NOT GOOD MOUTHPIECES FOR CLASSICAL MUSIC. Period. Well, I certainly don't use one, but found this discussion by Delangle very interesting:
http://sax-delangle.com/en/material.html
Scroll down to Choosing a Mouthpiece. He talks about his use of the Vandoren A5, a mouthpiece modeled after the Meyer design. Not to say, by any means, that it would work for everyone, but the notion has certainly interested Delangle.

Oh, and to answer the original question, a Meyer is a very reasonable starting point, but may or may not be where you end up. Another quite similar option is, in fact, the Vandoren V16 mentioned above, in a A5 or A6 facing, medium chamber.

[J.Max]

Yeah, two things about his comments:

1. He says this:

"In a way, there is a kind of struggle between my basic conception and the potential of this mouthpiece. This is why it is good for me. It sets limits to my excesses and helps me explore other horizons. I will probably change again soon but I do not recommend it for my students. In fact, it requires perfect mastery and a precise idea of the colours one is looking for. It is not much of a guide and can produce disasters!"

I interpret this as "I'm using this for now to challenge myself, but I wouldn't recommend it to my students." Sure, you might be able to get away with a Meyer (or even perform on one if your name is Claude Delangle) but it's a whole lot easier with a more appropriate piece.

2. He switches mouthpieces A LOT. It's funny, because I thought he was the design consultant on the A27. I'd be curious to know what his idea of a perfect mouthpiece would be.

[drakesaxprof]

it's a whole lot easier with a more appropriate piece.


Agreed. Just found the Delangle conversation interesting in light of this thread.

[Steve J.]

drakesaxprof you have admirable restraint and politeness. The Delangle conversation is enlightening and forward thinking not merely interesting.

J. Max: "MEYERS ARE NOT GOOD MOUTHPIECES FOR CLASSICAL MUSIC. Period." and "I've never owned a Meyer, either. And I probably never will..." questions your credibility. You don't learn the meyer attributes in a mere test drive.

My current classical alto set up is a Jon Von Wie reworked Meyer 5. Prefered over a C*, C**, round chambers and square chambers. - So I guess its a bit personal (lol)

I believe Marshall Taylor plays a reworked Link and his control and tone colors define his musicality.

The thread has changed direction. Meyer is a fine choice for jazz alto. It is very versatile. You can make a more classically oriented mouthpiece play with more edge or bite with changes in the airstream and body. You can also control a more jazz tending piece with changes in the airstream and body. I do agree an intrermediate classical player should steer clear of the jazz piece for classical............... until the exploratory bug infects.

[J.Max]

I don't have anything against Meyers BTW...I just don't use one. (I'm also not much of a jazz player.) The reason I wrote that in great big letters is because there are a lot of school band directors who tell people that Meyers are classical pieces and then wonder why their saxophone section is so loud.

If you can play (and have a good sound on) a Meyer for classical music, great. But you're the exception that proves the rule. Out of curiosity, what did JVW do to your mouthpiece? I have seen people play them when they have been reworked and they actually turn out like a Selmer Air-Flow.

[SaxyAcoustician]

Jazz Mouthpiece? In my eyes there is no such thing.

I've heard alto players with killer jazz sounds playing Selmer C*s

and I've also heard players with a great classical sound playing on Meyer 6ms

Go Figure.

You want a jazz sound? Find a mouthpiece that you really like and makes your playing easier. Then listen and play along with tons of Jazz records and form a sound concept. Thats what it basically comes down to, a sound concept.
Such wise words.:salute:

I'll be frank here. :bom: I feel sorry for those who feel that their equipment dictates what sound and style they can achieve. I feel more sorry for those who don't know any better and heed the "advice" of those who feel they are at the mercy of their equipment.

[SaxyAcoustician]

I interpret this as "I'm using this for now to challenge myself, but I wouldn't recommend it to my students." Sure, you might be able to get away with a Meyer (or even perform on one if your name is Claude Delangle) but it's a whole lot easier with a more appropriate piece.
I think you missed his real point, J.Max.

"...but I do not recommend it for my students. In fact, it requires perfect mastery and a precise idea of the colours one is looking for. It is not much of a guide and can produce disasters!"

Read again: "It requires perfect mastery and a precise idea of the colours one is looking for."

I interpret that as:

1) You MUST have a concept in mind.
2) A master can do anything with anything.

[MojoBari]

I own a JVW Meyer. He put a facing on it between a 5 and 6. Very thin tip rail. A client sent me an original 1960 Meyer Bros 4M this week. I would say Jon was inspired by this type of piece and duplicated its facing and rail features in his reworks.

[J.Max]

I think you missed his real point, J.Max.

"...but I do not recommend it for my students. In fact, it requires perfect mastery and a precise idea of the colours one is looking for. It is not much of a guide and can produce disasters!"

Read again: "It requires perfect mastery and a precise idea of the colours one is looking for."

I interpret that as:

1) You MUST have a concept in mind.
2) A master can do anything with anything.

Exactly. How many of us are Claude Delangle?

Students, and especially high school age students, need to use a classical mouthpiece for classical studies.

[fballatore]

I'll be frank here.
Sorry, I've got that covered. :D But I do agree with you.

Frank

[renaissance_man]

SaxyAcoustician and mwhaa, kudos to you both for your sensible and mature perceptions on this topic. I agree with both of you. Also, I'm yet another altoist who neither plays nor has ever even owned a Meyer. I typically play my H. Couf metal for everything except classical for a powerful yet still distinctively "alto" tone.

Personally, I don't see the reason for all of the hype about Meyers. I do realize that my opinion is not entirely secure in its validity in that I have never played one, but I've heard plenty. Up close. Some are really good, but I've just never had that "oh-my-god-i-have-to-get-one-right-now-or-i-can-never-play-alto-again" feeling about a Meyer. Now, that's not to say that I would hate one if I did try it, but I for one just don't like the idea of a standard reference. One size does not fit all, it never has, and it never will. Just because Cannonball, George Coleman, and Phil Woods all play (or played) a Meyer alto mouthpiece doesn't mean that it's the ultimate alto mouthpiece. It simply means that it was the tool they chose in order to realize the tonal concept they had in their heads. Besides, I pity the person who thinks that playing a Meyer was any famous altoist's claim to fame, or that it could be theirs. Playing a Meyer wasn't what made Cannonball great - it was what he did with it.

Unfortunately, however, it seems that too often we are tricked into thinking that we will also be great if we play what other great musicians played and therefore strive to emulate others instead of trying to find our own voice on the instrument. (I can guarantee you that no other professional jazz saxophonist was playing an acrylic alto when Charlie Parker came around...) Trying to sound exactly like someone else on the saxophone is like trying to talk exactly like them. You can't because you're a different person.

I'll end this post with a saying that I live by: "Don't be different for the sake of being different; be different for the sake of being you."