Mouthpiece advice requested for beginning alto

[64sax]

I’m currently on the hunt for my first alto, and have also been giving some thought to mouthpieces.

AFAICS, the most popular recommendations are: Selmer S80 C*/C**, Otto Link 5/5*, and Yamaha 4C/5C.

I am intending to mainly follow The New Rock Method, and was leaning towards an Otto Link 5*, but I have a used Meyer 5ML (.071" tip opening, medium facing, large chamber), and am wondering if there’s anything about it that might make it unsuitable for a beginning (predominantly pop/rock) altoist?

Thanks in advance. (Other recommendations also welcome.)

[Martinman]

Stupid question, have you played sax before? ( the "first alto" part made me wonder) If you are coming from another horn, the Link would be your best choice for a pop/rock sound, although other pieces not mentioned would be better (Rousseau JDX, RPC, etc). If you have never played before, the Yamaha is your best bet until you get some chops built up.

Good luck.

[woodwindproshoppe]

1

[64sax]

Does anyone Know Sean Prather? He Worked for Washington Music Center In Wheaton, Md. He Moved to Montgomery, Al to work for Art's Music!

:?

[64sax]

> "have you played sax before?"

I have just started playing sop as my first wind instrument: Jupiter sop with Yanagisawa HR #4 and #5 mpcs and Plasticover #2 reeds.

> "the Link would be your best choice for a pop/rock sound"

That's what I was leaning towards.

> "other pieces not mentioned would be better (Rousseau JDX, RPC, etc)"

Please feel free to elaborate.

> "If you have never played before, the Yamaha is your best bet until you get some chops built up."

I was of the understanding that the mouthpieces I’d listed were suitable for absolute beginners through to pros. And if the Meyer 5ML I have turned out to be unsuitable, as I suspected, I was hoping to possibly trade it for another HR piece. If I am doing myself a disservice in bypassing the plastic Yamahas that would be good to know.

I am also intending to stick with Plasticovers for the time being at least, as I live in a highly variable and humid climate, with summer just around the corner.

[J.Max]

There are better mouthpieces for rock playing, but you need to have a solid foundation first. You can't just get a horn, slap on a good mouthpiece, and expect to sound like Lenny Pickett! (Or Junior Walker, or Grover, or whoever). It isn't like guitar where you can get up and playing decently in a year...you need to build up the muscles in your face before you'll be able to produce that kind of sound, so you need to start with a smaller tip.

It also kind of depends on what horn you buy. I know you were asking about HarlemJazz's Martin in the other section, and you need a different piece with that than you would with, say, a Yamaha.

You need a mouthpiece that is going to be easy to play on at first, and that's going to exclude most wide tip opening rock type mouthpieces at this point.