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Classical Alto Mouthpieces

10K views 29 replies 17 participants last post by  GHawk 
#1 ·
Hey all, I'm currently a high school player that will be switching to alto for concert band (previously played only tenor for both concert and jazz), and I'm in the whole process of getting the horn, and when I get it I'm gonna need a mouthpiece that will give me more of a darker tone, but say I had a solo, would still be able to project while getting a smooth, legit feel. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated, and thanks!
 
#4 ·
If you hear the sound of those Selmer pieces and want to go even darker, check out a Sigurd Rascher mouthpiece. I am very biased as I perform on them but they offer a different sound entirely from standard classical alto pieces mentioned above. The pieces above may be a better fit for what you're looking for but perhaps you'd like to know about these so that you know that those are not all that are out there.

This video from Harry Kinross White's album Spectrum Saxonfonis, Vol. 2 is an example of what these sound like at the highest level of performance, you should be able to get a feel for how it sounds through out the entire dynamic range. They don't "project" in the same way that a jazz mouthpiece does but rather "resonate". It will feel very different from what you're used to but I found mine to be a wonderful learning experience and the sound to be a gorgeous reward.



He plays on a Buescher mouthpiece which is what the Raschers are exact copies of, but his has a much closer facing. Rascher mouthpieces come with a facing that likes 3 strength reeds like Vandorens or D'Addario Reserves and they're open enough so that you can put air through them. Weiner music carries them and a few other music outlets as well, you can also order them through this website:
http://www.raschermouthpieces.com/message.html

Hope this helps!
 
#5 ·
I personally recommend the Vandoren Optimum AL3. It fills all of the criteria you mentioned. I haven't tried the AL4 yet but I'm sure it's a great mouthpiece as well.

I've also heard good things about the Selmer S80 although I haven't tried it either. If you're looking to buy used, maybe consider an older Selmer Soloist - those are usually good.

Just avoid a mouthpiece with a large tip opening. Generally, keep the tip opening on the smaller side for a classical mouthpiece. This can mean pairing it with a harder reed.

This topic has been discussed many times before, so search the forum for some information. Here's a start:

https://forum.saxontheweb.net/showt...l-alto-piece-!&highlight=classical+mouthpiece

https://forum.saxontheweb.net/showt...cal-alto-piece&highlight=classical+mouthpiece

https://forum.saxontheweb.net/showt...Alto-out-there&highlight=classical+mouthpiece
 
#6 ·
Raschers and Caravans give great, dark sounds but I think that's more of a specific niche in playing than is found in an American high school band. Selmer C*s have been for decades a go-to mouthpiece for that genre. However, I used one for a long time but it eventually seemed too bright.

The modern mouthpiece that allowed me the most benefits was in the middle of those two, and that was a Rousseau NC4.

(Probably too expensive and hard to find, but a superb choice, would be a good pre-Soloist Selmer. I believe they're around late 1960s model.)





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#9 ·
What are you using for classical tenor? The alto version of that is probably a good start.
 
#10 ·
I used to always recommend the Rousseau NC/RC pieces...but now I can only recommend them if you can try a bunch of them. They are very well-designed, but the facing and finishing work has been really, really bad on them lately. I have an NC4 bari that is so uneven that people who don't play the saxophone can see it. If you can get one and get it refinished, they're my personal favorite.

If you don't want to go that far, the Vandoren AL3 is very good out of the box, as is the Selmer Concept.

I don't recommend Rascher or Caravan because the ones I've seen lately have similar issues as the Rousseau pieces, plus they are not something you should attempt without a Rascher-style teacher. The other big issue is that if you walk into a college audition with one of those, you'll immediately be pigeonholed.

I have some Selmer S80s for sale in the marketplace if you want something cheap to dip your toes in.
 
#13 ·
As others have pointed out, this subject is a perennial. You can easily spend hours reading about it in many threads here.

I've stated my views and preferences many times in the past, but here, I'd like to observe that you have listed two specific goals: a smooth, dark tone, and enough projection for a good solo. Just keep in mind that with the standard French and quasi-French style classical mouthpieces, these two objectives are partly in opposition. That is, although you should be able to find a good compromise mouthpiece, the darker mouthpieces will tend to offer less projection, while the more projecting pieces will tend to have a brighter tone.

For example, the square-chambered Selmer S80 (typically a C* or C**) is rather powerful for a classical mouthpiece, but also somewhat bright compared to other options. To a lesser extent, this is also true of the Selmer S90. The round-chambered Selmer Larry Teal (LT) is a bit darker and a bit less projecting. The Selmer Concept offers a very good blend of tone quality and projection, but it's (i) available in only one facing, and (ii) quite expensive for a classical piece, so take those factors into consideration.

The Vandoren Optimum AL3 produces a lovely, dark tone, but its very narrow tip opening makes it rather constricted. Frankly, it's probably not the piece you want for large-ensemble solos unless you are a seasoned classical player who can really blow through it. I prefer the AL5, which sounds almost the same but is more powerful, and thus a better-balanced mouthpiece, IMO. The AL4 uses a different facing curve from the AL3 and AL5, and as a result is significantly brighter, more like an S80, although it still has a round chamber.

FYI, my standard classical mouthpieces are the SL3, AL5, and TL5. I have also gotten good results on alto from the Concept and the Larry Teal. Nowadays I don't ever play the S80 for classical or concert band work; rather, I treat it as more of an all-around mouthpiece that can work for jazz/pop styles as well as light classical.
 
#14 ·
Since you seem pretty well informed, how would a Concept compare to the Optimum TL3 I own now, it's supposedly a smaller opening, so correct me if I'm wrong but wouldn't that give me a little less resistance? Also have you ever tried the E. Rousseau pieces? And if so what do you have to say about those? Thanks!
 
#16 ·
Just FWIW, the statement above that he thinks a Rousseau NC might be brighter than he prefers, this shows the difference both in taste and in semantics. I don't know how darker oldConn prefers but, while I prefer a typical French tone on an alto-legit sound, I prefer it on the darker side of that, and that's why I prefer the NC4. In other words, not too bright for me.

I had an excellent player in one of my bands who sounded absolutely great on his Optimum mouthpiece.

And BTW, I don't use the same color concept for tenor as I use on alto.
 
#19 ·
I absolutely agree with your first sentence about the S80 (I said something similar above), and also believe that your second sentence is true more often than not. A couple of years ago, I had a play a combination concert band/sax quartet gig. The quartet program included some jazz-based material, including a version of "The Pink Panther" with what's supposed to be a rather edgy alto solo. I was playing the AL3 at the time, and I just couldn't rev it up enough to get the sound I wanted for the more aggressive playing. So I switched to an S80 -- a C** in my case -- for that day. It was just right.

BUT I find that on the whole, I have more frequent need in concert band playing to produce a round, dark, classical sound than to produce something that's beyond the capability of the Optimum, and that's why the AL5 is my regular piece. Loud enough for marches or even the occasional rock medley, but quiet enough for a work like "O Magnum Mysterium."
 
#22 ·
As a performer, band director and studio teacher, it makes sense to me for you to consider the AL3 since the TL3 works well for you on tenor. Vandoren mouthpieces have good quality control, are top shelf professional mouthpieces and are a very good value. If you choose to pursue music in college, your professor will have ideas/thoughts/opinions about your equipment that you can explore. For now, I highly recommend the AL3.
 
#24 ·
I have an AL4 for alto right now, and to be honest, it doesn't work too well for me. The sound is beautiful, but compared to what I'm used to - Full disclosure, I'm almost exclusively a jazz, funk, rock, pop, crossover guy - it takes air in a strange way. By that, I mean, it takes all the air I want to put through it, but the ratio of air to sound output is heavily biased toward the air. It's not a very efficient mouthpiece, sonically speaking. I've tried the AL3 as well, and the ratio of air to sound is better, but the tip opening is so small that it's difficult to project at all without a super-hard reed. From what I've heard, the V5 series Vandorens are much better in this regard.

Mind you, both the AL3 and the AL4 have gorgeous sounds to them. So, if you think that it's worth the effort, or if you like to blow in a similar way that you would in a rock n' roll gig in a classical setting and have the volume and tone still be appropriate for the style, then these pieces might be for you.

I can certainly vouch for the E. Rousseau mouthpieces, though. The air issue is just not there at all on those pieces and the sound is also beautiful, just different. I'm partial to the 4R and 5R, myself, but the NC4 and NC5 are also great.
 
#25 ·
I have an AL4 for alto right now, and to be honest, it doesn't work too well for me. The sound is beautiful, but compared to what I'm used to - Full disclosure, I'm almost exclusively a jazz, funk, rock, pop, crossover guy - it takes air in a strange way. By that, I mean, it takes all the air I want to put, but the ratio of air to sound output is heavily biased toward the air. It's not a very efficient mouthpiece, sonically speaking. I've tried the AL3 as well, and the ratio of air to sound is better, but the tip opening is so small that it's difficult to project at all without a super-hard reed.
The AL5 fixes both those problems. Your complaint about the AL3 is exactly why the AL5 exists.
 
#27 ·
I don't think that anyone has mentioned it but the Selmer LT (Larry Teal) is an excellent alto mouthpiece for classical. It has a very rich lush sound.
 
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