A better alto sax mouthpiece?
Well you have a pretty good horn and because it might be old does not mean it is obsolete 'trapt_is...' for example I have an old mark 6 and it is probably one of the best saxophones you can buy. A Metal duckoff does get a good tone. I have a metal berg larson and I love it. Bari and meyer are known for their quality and make good jazz mouthpieces. But what matters more than brand is what are the properties. If you want a bright tone then you want a mouthpiece with a small chamber and a high floor. That will give you an edgy bright sound. Most mouthpieces will have a description of these factors. I prefer to have a really short facing with a softer reed because of the improved responsiveness. But mouthpieces are very personal and no two are the same (companies like yamaha are making it more consistent and less personal but still the accuracy is not great enough that two of the same model will have the same sound) so go to a local music store and try out some mouthpieces. Btw good luck finding one you like (it might take you the rest of your life)
Alto Sax Mouthpieces?
I would recommend a Meyer 5 hard rubber for jazz etc. Listen to Marc Russo for example.He uses them. Its one of the most common mouthpieces and they sound awesome! I myself use an OttoLink 8* Metal. It has an edgier tone,listen to John Coltrane and late Charlie Parker.They and many others used them. Like i said,Meyer 5 hard rubber is Awesome! Wish i had 1.
Alto sax mouthpiece question?
You nay notice when you put a reed in a jazz mouthpeice that there is a slightly bigger gap between the reed and the mouthpiece itself. You do need to press harder on the reed but the sound is a lot better.
Best alto sax mouthpiece?
I agree with everything these poster's have said... there is no "best " mouthpiece.... just about EVERY sax player I know, is still searching for the "best" piece.. including guys that play 7 nights a week as heavy NY pros..and have already owned/played every brand/size mouthpiece there is.. we are all ficle, and rarely satisfied with our sound, always thinking there is something better out there. And until you reach a certain level, you won't know the difference between one advanced piece to the next. I agree with Tito.. and I always recommend these as standard step-up pieces for the advancing student.. because they are in my opinion the best middle of the road from all aspects... C* for Classical/Concert Meyer 5 or 6M for Jazz Other choices?? absolutely.. Links, Vandoren JAVA, etc..but these are going to require more work, and apparently there are no sax teachers working with you kids.. so that's why I dont recommend other stuff .. because the other two choices are the middle of the road, that anyone can produce a reasonably good sound with fairly quickly, by working at it. I would almost never put a student on a metal piece... unless the student was REALLY advanced, and had certain characteristics/disciplines, that only a few do.. and I'm talking like practically All-State level. The interesting thing about all this for me.. is WHERE Are your band directors and lesson teachers?? Man, between here and SOTW.. Every sax playing kid in America is on the internet asking about what mouthpieces to buy.. Where are your teachers? The other issue, is that I know there are few music stores around, and the ones that do exist don't carry much of anything for you to try, unless you live near a really big city.
Alto sax jazz mouthpiece?
Those who way that mouthpieces do not affect the sound are dead wrong. The type of mouthpiece you have is the most important part of getting the sound that you want. For jazz, I would recommend the Meyer 5M Hard Rubber mouthpiece for alto sax. That is a pretty decent one that is standard and not too expensive. There are other jazz mouthpieces as well, but that is the one I use and I like it. You might consider going to the music store and trying out a few mouthpieces to see which one you like.
Alto sax ligatures/ mouthpiece?
I really need more information, but if you are a relatively new player the hard rubber or ebonite mouthpiece will serve you best. From your description it sounds as if you may be using a metal mouthpiece.That is not a good idea until you have several years experience. I do not recommend a plastic or rubber ligature at any time because they do not bind the reed properly to the mouthpiece (they are an easy way out in the short term). I suggest that you visit with a professional saxophone instructor for at least a couple of lessons for evaluation of your embouchure so that he/she can advise you about the mouthpiece, bite and lay that are best suited to you. Also strength and brand of reed should be covered with the instructor. (I suggest Van Doren soft for beginners and some intermediate players.) Above all, breath support and embouchure will determine the quality of your sound.
New Alto Sax Mouthpiece?
Well, I'm not sure about saxes...but I do know that I had a flute from 5th grade (I'm now 2 1/2 years out of high school) and last year, I had bought a professional flute off of e-bay, really cheap for what it is. (gold plated keys and mouth piece, open holed keys and the B flat foot joint) It was a much better quality than the one I got in elementary school...and even my mom noticed that my new flute had a much better tone/sound and she doesn't know anything about instruments. If your sax is older, try looking for a better one on e-bay. You can find them pretty cheap and brand new. I'm not saying you have to go out and buy one, but it's just a thought. The flute I got could have easily been over $1000, but I got it for just over $200, maybe like 210? I don't remember. I have never heard of the name (Symphony) but it's still a good flute. Not sure if I helped, but just thought I'd throw that suggestion out there. Good luck!!