7* Vs. 5 Mouthpieces

[Birdman]

I have a problem. Since I've had my new mouthpiece (Millenium) I love playing it but, when I switch back to the 5 (tone edge) it feels stuffy and I sort of get a head ache, also I tend to squeak more if switch to the tone edge but before I liked my sound with it. Should I buy a more open mouthpiece or is there a way lessen the problems?

-Birdman

[Heise]

As a player of open mouthpieces, I say go for a more open mouthpiece.

When I first picked up tenor sax in marching band (bass clarinet is my primary wind instrument), I had a heck of a time controlling the instrument. I thought that it was simply my lack of experience on the instrument (which, no doubt, was part of it, but I digress). One day, I didn't have the university issued mouthpiece with me, so I had to borrow a friend's --- a Vandoren T75. Instantly, I was able to do the things I wanted to do with the horn. A week later I bought the piece from him for $25.

Fast forward..... Since then, I've had a chance to experiment with a number of different mouthpieces, and invariably, I feel restricted -- even incompetent -- when I try to blow a closed mouthpiece. Much like you, it feels stuffy, I can't achieve the same range of dynamics, and sometimes I sound like a 6th grader who can't play at all!!

I think it's sort of a Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde effect.... the more open you go, the more you like it, and the less able you are to go back.

Now, I don't specialize in classical music -- but I have good enough control to play whatever I need.

I'm sure there are those who will disagree with me, and many fine teachers who will insist that a medium to closed mouthpiece is the best way to go. All I can say is that **I** have had much more success going the other direction. It sounds like you might, too.

-DH

[TruMusique]

Before going out to buy bunch of pieces
try a harder reed on the smaller opening.

I felt like you when I played on my buescher mpc (really small vintage opening) compared to my rosseau 4R. It felt stuffy and extremely resistant. However, when I slapped on a 4 reed (I usually play 3 1/2 or 3) it sounded awsome. Although I had to work on it a bit, once you get used to it, you wouldn't want to sacrifice that sweet sound for anything.
(getting used to smaller opening + harder reed combo doesn't happen in a second so give it some time)

[Graftonsax]

Before going out to buy bunch of pieces
try a harder reed on the smaller opening.

I felt like you when I played on my buescher mpc (really small vintage opening) compared to my rosseau 4R. It felt stuffy and extremely resistant. However, when I slapped on a 4 reed (I usually play 3 1/2 or 3) it sounded awsome. Although I had to work on it a bit, once you get used to it, you wouldn't want to sacrifice that sweet sound for anything.
(getting used to smaller opening + harder reed combo doesn't happen in a second so give it some time)

I don't get why people would use a harder reed for smaller openings. How the heck can you control a 'classical' piece aka smaller opening with a 4 reed? If you can why would you want to work harder? That being said, I don't see a vintage Buescher in the same category as say a Selmer C* but more like the Otto Link HR, yea the tip is smaller but the chamber is similar. I don't see anyone who is usually on a 3 going to a closed tip mouthpiece and having much luck with a 4, in most cases anyway.

[Graftonsax]

Oh yea, why are you going back to your HR piece anyway? You said you loved your new millennium.

[zxcvbnm]

I don't get why people would use a harder reed for smaller openings. How the heck can you control a 'classical' piece aka smaller opening with a 4 reed? If you can why would you want to work harder? That being said, I don't see a vintage Buescher in the same category as say a Selmer C* but more like the Otto Link HR, yea the tip is smaller but the chamber is similar. I don't see anyone who is usually on a 3 going to a closed tip mouthpiece and having much luck with a 4, in most cases anyway.

These pieces have much larger chambers than a link. These pieces are ridiculously small, like 0.048ish. It's just weird playing these with say a 3 reed, and they blow very easily with 4-5 strength reeds.

[Birdman]

I was going back to the old first because I like the sound it gives me, completely different than the millenium (Getz like), and second because my teacher I should play both so I can switch from rubber to metal and be diverse. That's why buying a new piece was in the picture otherwise I would just stay with the metal. Also I use RSJ 3S or 3M on the rubber

-Birdman

[Dr G]

I use a .090" Morgan "C" and switch to a .120" Lamberson J8.

Treat them as you would a horn double - invest practice time into each and switch mindset as you switch mouthpieces. Give them each their own set of reeds and ligatures. If you ignore the fact they are different, you will pay with squeaks and poor performance.

[Emiel]

Don't know if you're doing it, but don't use the same reed on the Tone Edge that you also use on the Millenium. Different mouthpieces tend to wear the reed down on different places. When using the same reed on your Tone Edge it could leak air.

Also what I've noticed, when I switch from a metal Link to a HR I need to take in more mpc to get more edge.


Greetings, Emiel

[Birdman]

I'm not using the same reed but I'll take more mouthpiece and see what it does.

-Birdman

[tenorskateboard]

I can agree with the "hard reed with closed tip" combination, because I play a #5 Selmer Metal on my Alto, and it took me forever realizing that if I changed from a 2 1/2 to a 4 V16, I could control it better, reduce the squeaking, and especially when I tried this concept with my tenor, my low D and lower notes were much easier to avoid distortion and give more support to the bottom end.

I'm thinking about purchasing a Link #5 for my tenor, so I'm hoping I can successfully pull off the same concept with my alto set up, even though we all know that altos and tenors are hardly ever that close to being similar it set ups(mouthpiece+reed combinations, etc.)

I am also hoping that I don't get too closed of a tip for the Metal Link, since I do want to make sure to achieve good volume, but yet be able to be not so loud when necessary.

Of course, that's why I'm hoping to get a hard rubber mouthpiece of the same brand for my tenor as well. I don't have any actual hard rubber mouthpieces for my tenor so I'm hoping that it would be a good addition. :)

[jazzsax86]

I agree with the harder reed concept. if you think about it, the bigger the tip opening, the farther the reed has to flex to meet the rails. Obviously, a softer reed is more flexible, so it makes open pieces easier to play. The same seems to go in reverse. If you play a small tip opening piece with a soft reed, it could feel like you can't get any air through the mouthpiece, because you could be cutting off the opening even more, limiting the air molecules you can move through the tip. So yeah, harder reed, otherwise I'd try a more open HR. You can still get a dark sound on something that is more open.