Popular Saxophone Mouthpieces | Beginners and Intermediate Players
Ah yes...one of the most popular questions I get from students and parents is, "Do I need a better mouthpiece and does it make a difference?" The short answer, yes. Most of the sound being produced on saxophone is coming from the mouthpiece and neck area. This means that the mouthpiece, ligature (the gadget that holds the reed to the mouthpiece), and the reed are vital to the saxophone sounding good. One of the best and most cost effective investments you can make in your or your child's saxophone playing experience is a quality mouthpiece and ligature.
Prices range from around $100-200 for a solid intermediate alto saxophone mouthpiece and $100-250 for a tenor mouthpiece (although you can spend upwards of $500 for pro models). Mouthpieces are measured by the tip opening. This is the distance between the reed and tip of the mouthpiece, or in other words the size of the hole you are blowing into. The larger the tip opening (or higher the number), the harder it is to play but the bigger and more open sounding you will produce. Let's start with alto saxophone mouthpieces.
The Vandoren AL4 and AL5 are great mouthpieces for beginning and intermediate players. This mouthpiece is made from quality ebonite hard rubber and features a free blowing, balanced sound good for all styles of music. For beginners, I would start with the smaller size of AL4. It pairs well with the Vandoren M/O and Rovner Light ligatures.
Buy on Amazon:
The Meyer Hard Rubber in Size 5M or 6M are great versatile mouthpieces, especially for jazz styles. Meyer mouthpieces have been around for a long time. Many professional alto players still play vintage mouthpieces from the 1970s. In my opinion, a Meyer is one of the best best bang-for-the-buck alto saxophone mouthpieces. If you are on a budget, go for this. Although it is used primarily as a jazz mouthpiece, the sound is versatile enough that it can be used in classical situations as well. Typical sizes for this mouthpiece are 5M and 6M. If you are unsure about which size is more appropriate, order both and send one back! 6M is more open and harder to play, but like I mentioned earlier you will get a bigger sound. It pairs well with the Rovner Light, the Vandoren Optimum, and the Ultimate Ligature.
Buy on Amazon:
Jody Jazz Mouthpieces are also a good bet and one of my favorites for advancing students. Though slightly more expensive, many students (and professionals) really enjoy playing this mouthpiece. The sound is brighter and more open than Meyer MR-502, which may be better for the student that wishes to play Jazz and Classical music. Once again, the typical sizes here are 5M and 6M. It pairs well with Rovner Light and the Ultimate Ligature.
Buy on Amazon:
Jody Jazz HR 5M
For tenor saxophone, the Vandoren TL4 and TL5 are great for advancing students the want a step-up mouthpiece for all styles of music. Typically, I recommend the TL5 as the larger size works better for students that have been playing for a few months or longer, but the TL4 would be better for absolute beginners. It pairs well with the Vandoren M/O and Rovner Light ligatures.
Buy on Amazon:
Vandoren also makes great jazz mouthpieces and for tenor I recommend the V16 in size T7 or T8 for intermediate students. This mouthpiece runs about a size smaller than the Jody Jazz and has a nice full and bright sound. It pairs well with the Vandoren M/O, Rovner Light, and the Ultimate Ligature.
Buy on Amazon:
My "go to" mouthpiece for advancing students is the same model as the alto mouthpiece, Jody Jazz HR for tenor. I have found that the 7* (.105 tip) size works best for my students and should work well for you as well. It's middle of the road as far as openness and many different sizes of reeds work well. This mouthpiece has a well balanced and warm sound, perfect for all styles of music! It pairs well with the Rovner Light, and the Ultimate Ligature. Below is a video about Jody Jazz Mouthpieces. Below is a video featuring Jody talking about his company and the mouthpieces.
Buy on Amazon:
For those seeking a brighter and more edgy sound, the Ottolink metal mouthpiece is a good option. The same sizes of either 7 or 7* should be appropriate for most students. Keep in mind, this mouthpiece is geared more towards Jazz and Contemporary music and would not be the best fit for classical music. It comes with it’s own ligature, but I have found the Ultimate Ligature (metal tenor size) to work wonders with this mouthpiece!
Buy on Amazon:
Ottolink Super Tone Master Tenor 7
Ottolink Super Tone Master Tenor 7*
Be sure to check out my recent blog post on reeds, as having the right reeds (and ligature) is essential to getting the best sound possible. Please message me with any questions for comments. Until next time!