Best soprano mouthpiece for classical playing...

**Cannonball24** · 11-25-2011, 11:47 AM

Just curious to what people thought as their personal choice for classical soprano playing......

**Metalflake** · 11-25-2011, 12:22 PM

I use a Vandoren V5 S25 for my classical playing. It has a certain warmth and roundness to the sound that I haven't found in any other mouthpiece, and that lets me use the same piece for other styles of music as well.

That said, it probably isn't the ideal piece for purely legit playing - there are other more focused pieces out there, with greater tonal clarity, that would fit the bill better (Selmer S80, Vandoren V5 S15, Selmer Metal Classic).

**Joe Giardullo** · 11-25-2011, 01:17 PM

The Dutch saxophonist Raaf Hekkema uses a Vandoren V5 S27 that has been rebalanced. He plays on a modern Yanagisawa horn, I believe.

Karina Rascher uses a vintage Martin large chamber on her vintage Buescher.
Others who have that same aesthetic also use vintage Martin and King large chambered pieces on their vintage Buescher horns.

**Angel** · 11-25-2011, 04:16 PM

Many of my favorite players use the Selmer S90 170 or Vandoren V5 S15 on soprano; however there are still a number of masters using the S80 series in various facings.

Joe, did you do the work on Raaf's mouthpiece?

**Joe Giardullo** · 11-25-2011, 04:26 PM

Originally Posted by Angel

Joe, did you do the work on Raaf's mouthpiece?

Yes. It was intriguing work because Raaf's ideas about the sound were very specific and, of course, hard to describe.

But in one of our correspondences, he used the word "hollow" in reference to a comparable alto sound and that one word gave me the clue I needed to move toward the actual sound he wanted.

It was very gratifying for me to successfully realize that piece for him.

**Angel** · 11-25-2011, 08:03 PM

Raaf happens to be one of my favorite performers, and I have a spare S27 in my drawer... Hmmm.....

**bruce bailey** · 11-25-2011, 08:27 PM

I still like the Yamaha 4C plastic best or the Vandoren S15.

**BPSAX** · 11-26-2011, 07:35 AM

Cannonball, you're just going to need to try quite a few!

My favourites are still the S80s, or S90s.
I haven't enjoyed any Vandorens that I have tried, including the Optimum mouthpieces.
Funny, I would describe the qualities of the Vandoren pieces as hollow, but not totally in a bad way! Raaf is one of my favourite players, but it's not the sound I'm going for on sop.

Just enjoy trying a HEAP of mouthpieces!!!