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Forum » Jazz Saxophone » help with good alto jazz mouthpiece by OklahomanSax (18 posts) 19 years ago help with good alto jazz mouthpiece hi everyone, I just found out that i'm going to have to play my alto in my high schools jazz band. and i need some help finding a good jazz mouthpiece. I'm looking at an otto link but i dont' know what size to get. any advice would be appreciated. Reply To Post [Report Abuse] Report Abuse Web Address * Your Name Your Email Address Comment
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by johnny_hodges (15 posts) 19 years ago Re: help with good alto jazz mouthpiece I'm sure someone has already mentioned this, but Meyer mouthpieces are the best for Alto Saxes in Jazz. I use a Meyer G with a "5" facing (along with Vandoren ZZ's). I think that it's much easier to play with than metal Otto Links, and they help you with playing a lot. Reply To Post by saxman0317 (53 posts) 19 years ago Re: help with good alto jazz mouthpiece NY model, some where between a 3 and 6* for alto, depends on perosnal choice Reply To Post AIM by sax_maniac (984 posts) 19 years ago Re: help with good alto jazz mouthpiece A 5 or 6 facing on a Link should be manageable for a first jazz mouthpiece. Links have a nice stable tone, too. Some jazz mouthpieces require lots of getting used to. You should have no troublewith a 5 or 6 link. Get the Super Tone Master, though. Reply To Post by OklahomanSax (18 posts) 19 years ago Re: help with good alto jazz mouthpiece thanks, its not my first jazz piece, i have a berg 95/2 on tenor, and it seems just a bit to closed for me, but it gets the job done. I can take my time on finding a mouthpiece, I don't need it til second semester anyway. thanks agian Reply To Post Yahoo! AIM ICQ by Spike (248 posts) 19 years ago Re: help with good alto jazz mouthpiece i'd have to say i'm impressed you can use the 95/2! that's a difficult peice to control, especially on tenor. I myself use a 90/1M, but then again, i'm in colllege for it. I belive Meyers were mentioned, and i'll agree with that suggestion. The meyer 6 is easy to control and produces a warm, round tone. Try an Olegature with it. good luck! Reply To Post by golferguy675 (600 posts) 19 years ago Re: help with good alto jazz mouthpiece I like bergs. My rubber piece is a 95/1, but I haven't used it in a while, I've been playing Morgan pieces lately. Reply To Post by OklahomanSax (18 posts) 19 years ago Re: help with good alto jazz mouthpiece my berg 95/2 is pretty good, i play it w/a olegature and a vandoren zzjazz 3. it plays everything pretty good except the hi g and g#, but i think thats me or my horn, it happens w/my c* too. well I had to spend all my dang money on a soprano mouthpiece this week for my church.......they want me to play some stuff on it, I "borwed" the schools but it dosen't have one so i'm startin over w/the money......... Reply To Post Yahoo! AIM ICQ by golferguy675 (600 posts) 19 years ago Re: help with good alto jazz mouthpiece G and G#...altissimo or above the staff? G and G# tend to be a little troublesome on some tenors(I don't know if that's what you play or not), and if you're talking altissimo, those are the hardest altissimo notes to get. Not so mcuh G#, but G is by far the most difficult. Reply To Post by tenor562 (297 posts) 19 years ago Re: help with good alto jazz mouthpiece yea, G and G# are a little tough on tenor sometimes, as with D. It's because when you put out the G, sometimes the octave key bounces up, and you get a squeakk, or sometimes end up with an altissimo. lately, I've been getting those on my d's and e's, but it's mainly the pads, they don't close correctly. (it s an old yamaha student horn.) You have to put the fingers on before the thumb, if that makes sense. maybe that helps... Reply To Post by OklahomanSax (18 posts) 19 years ago Re: help with good alto jazz mouthpiece I'm not sure what it is. when I come from certain notes it overtones to a hi d. above the staff not alitisimo. I'm only a freshmen in hs and i can't hit much altisimo, I could go to like an a I believe on my old bundy special, but i got a mkVII and can't get above the dad gum F#. I'll try the fingers before the thumb thing. thanks Reply To Post Yahoo! AIM ICQ by selmerfan (67 posts) 19 years ago Re: help with good alto jazz mouthpiece If you go with the Otto Link, try the hard rubber instead of metal. I found the metal harder to control on alto than on tenor or bari, but the hard rubber in alto produces a focused, big sound, great for lead alto playing, and if you push it, it will just keep on cutting through. I play a 7* Link, another good option to look into is the Rousseau Studio Jazz series, not as edgy as the JDX and plenty of projection. Reply To Post by Kitch22 (98 posts) 19 years ago Re: help with good alto jazz mouthpiece Meyer is known for making alto mpcs. That's all I've ever played for jazz, is a Meyer (rubber) 6m, and it has yet to let me down or unimpress me. Haven't played that much on an Otto Link. They are good mpcs, but I think that Meyer is a step ahead of eveyrone else in alto mouthpieces. Reply To Post by Goldref18 (145 posts) 19 years ago Re: help with good alto jazz mouthpiece Yeah i love my alto mpc. It's a vintage meyer i bought it for less than the price of my tenor lig and it's a size 4 that was opened up into a 5. Plays amazing on my Mark VII Alto. I also can use just a stock lig to get my desired sound which is nice because i hate shopping around for new ligs. However i prefer a modern link and Francois Louis lig on my tenor. Reply To Post Yahoo! AIM by golferguy675 (600 posts) 19 years ago Re: help with good alto jazz mouthpiece MkVII? Do constanly change what sax you play? Just the other day you were ripping on it, saying it wa subpar. Oooohhh...opened up to a 5 huh? Big blowin...especially for a tenor...heh ; ) Reply To Post by Goldref18 (145 posts) 19 years ago Re: help with good alto jazz mouthpiece Vintage Meyer hard rubbers on alto are really really good. I would look for something and remember to always try out many many mpcs. Also you should try looking at some new ligs (I reccommend Francois-Louis) Reply To Post Yahoo! AIM by golferguy675 (600 posts) 19 years ago Re: help with good alto jazz mouthpiece If a 95/2 is a little too closed, go with a 6* Otto Link. The * is like a half size. A 5 would sound to classical. Also, if you aren't getting enough air through a jazz piece, it may not be because of the chamber; you have to blow through them different. You need to focus your air at the very end of the straight part of the neck, and imagine it going straight forward. I'm not a big fan of Meyers, except that the new G series played pretty well when I tried it. I played a 7, the seemed a little to bright. Reply To Post by OklahomanSax (18 posts) 19 years ago Re: help with good alto jazz mouthpiece thanks for all the advice guys. I'll try some myers and some of links, and see what I like. hopefully it'll all be within what I can make mowing lawns................ thanks everyone Reply To Post Yahoo! AIM ICQ by golferguy675 (600 posts) 19 years ago Re: help with good alto jazz mouthpiece Shouldn't be to big of a problem, they're all under 100 bucks. Reply To Post by Goldref18 (145 posts) 19 years ago Re: help with good alto jazz mouthpiece Yeah that's true. I got my vintage meyer for close to half that and i love the sound it makes. Also if you can find them the old SN'd Brilhart's are amazing mpcs even though they are plastic. I personally don't care for them but they are awesome nonetheless. Reply To Post Yahoo! AIM