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You are here: Home / Reviews / Mouthpiece Reviews / Alto Mouthpiece Reviews / 9 Great Alto Saxophone Mouthpieces to Compare

9 Great Alto Saxophone Mouthpieces to Compare

March 14, 2011 by Steve 80 Comments

The most common question I get asked on this blog and in emails is  “Steve, which mouthpiece is the best?”  “Which one should I buy”.   I probably get 3-4 emails a week asking that question.   I always feel bad because I wish there was a simple answer to that.  The truth is that many of the mouthpieces I review are great.  Any of them would sound amazing if I played them for awhile.  I haven’t found one that blows the others away.  Even if I did……….each person is different and one I think is the best for me, you might totally hate.  As an example, all 9 of the mouthpieces below are great playing alto mouthpieces.  I would have no problem playing any of them.  All of them are different in there own way but all of them play well and are in tune.  Some are brighter, some are darker, some are louder, some prettier sounding, some are fatter sounding, some are more focused,  some remind me of Cannonball, some of Phil Woods, some of Sanborn……………  The mouthpiece you like the sound of best and that you can play comfortably is the best one for you.

The mouthpieces I like the best are the ones that I form a connection with.  It’s more than just feeling comfortable with it.  It’s like I feel like the mouthpiece is just an extension of me.  What ever I think of and try to play just happens on the mouthpiece.  When I have that kind of connection I love it.  I feel like I can play 10 times better than I usually do.  That connection very rarely happens the minute I play a mouthpiece (Although once in awhile it does……) but it can happen hours or days later as I play it over and over.

OK,  So here is a side by side clip comparison of 9 alto mouthpieces that I have on my shelf right now.  I have a V16 refaced by Brian Powell with a super long 23 MM facing curve, an Aizen Jazz Master 6, a Ted Klum Acoustimax .080, an Aizen NY Jazz 6, a Mouthpiece Cafe NYC 6,  a modern Meyer refaced by the late Jon Van Wie,  a Theo Wanne Gaia 6 and a Aizen SO 6.  I have played all of these mouthpieces for many hours.  The Aizens are the latest that I just received last week.

In each clip, I’m playing a similar idea.  The D Major scale, a little blues riff and some bebop lines from my “Mastering the Dominant Bebop Scale” book.  Nothing fancy just a simple line so perhaps you can hear better how the mouthpieces sound next to each other.  I’m using a 2 1/2 Ishimori Woodstone reed on all the mouthpieces and a Vandoren Optimum ligature.  I’m trying really hard to play the same from clip to clip so you can judge by the sound and not just by what I’m playing.

I’m hoping this series of clips will help some of you better decide which mouthpiece is for you.   Of course……..you never know until you get it and try it.  I’ve written some of my initial thought below each mouthpiece.  I will add to those or change them as I listen to the clips more.   Please feel free to write any comments or questions you might have below.   Thanks,   Steve

Vandoren V16 .080 refaced by Brian Powell

Fat spread sound with smooth articulation. Kind of fuzzy around the edges of the tone.

Audio Player
https://public.neffmusic.com/AltoCompareV16.mp3
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Modern Meyer .075 refaced by JVW

Clear and brighter with a hollowness to the sound. Has a sharpness and clarity to the sound.

Audio Player
https://public.neffmusic.com/AltoCompareJVWMeyer.mp3
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LAW MCB Alto Mouthpiece .080 tip

Brighter very centered sound. Laserbeam type focus to the tone.

Audio Player
https://public.neffmusic.com/AltoCompareLAW.mp3
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Aizen Jazz Master 7

A little darker fatter more spread sound with smooth articulation. A round full  somewhat smokey tone.

Audio Player
https://public.neffmusic.com/AltoCompareJM.mp3
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Aizen NY Jazz 7

Nice lively bright bebop type of sound. Nice resistance and dryness to the sound.

Audio Player
https://public.neffmusic.com/AltoCompareNYJazz.mp3
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Aizen SO 7

A little darker super compact clear and focused sound. Super free blowing.

Audio Player
https://public.neffmusic.com/AltoCompareAizenSO.mp3
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Mouthpiece Cafe Resin NYC 6

Bright but with a nice roundness and soft edges to the tone. Free blowing.

Audio Player
https://public.neffmusic.com/AltoCompareCafe.mp3
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Ted Klum Acoustimax .080 tip

Thick medium bright sound with character to the tone. Nice resistance to blow against.

Audio Player
https://public.neffmusic.com/AltoCompareKlum.mp3
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Theo Wanne Gaia 6

Brighter tone with a nice character and evenness throughout the horn. Some resistance when blowing.

Audio Player
https://public.neffmusic.com/AltoCompareGaia.mp3
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Let me know what you think below.  I am always very interested to hear others views and opinions.  If you have any questions feel free to ask and I’ll try to answer…………(just don’t ask me which is the best one that is right for you)     Steve

Filed Under: Alto Mouthpiece Reviews Tagged With: acoustimax, Aizen, Alto Saxophone, Meyer, sax mouthpieces, Ted Klum, Theo Wanne

Steve

About Steve

Steve Neff has been playing and teaching saxophone and jazz improvisation around the New England area for over 30 years. He is the author of many best selling jazz improvisation methods as well as founding the popular jazz video lesson site Neffmusic.com.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. AvatarMachado Mijiga says

    March 16, 2011 at 10:22 am

    Thanks for posting this Steve, it really puts these brutes up against each other. You seem to have a pretty similar tone on alto as I do and a pretty similar setup (I play on a CE winds Classic which is to the Reference 54 as an Antigua is to the SA80 II).

    I have been long contemplating buying a new mpc, and this really helps. I personally preferred your tone a bit more on the JVW Meyer and the Acoustimax, but I could tell that you truly do like the GAIA 8 better because it sounded a bit closed when you played on the 6 on both clips (including your review clip) and I actually liked the tone of the 8.

    Do you personally feel like refaced pieces play more comfortably when refaced to suit your needs than stock mouthpieces, even if they are incredible?

    Reply
    • stevesteve says

      March 16, 2011 at 10:45 am

      I actually sold that 8. I did like it better but I felt like it was more open than I like. Maybe if I just stuck with it and didn’t try all these other smaller tips I would have gotten used to it more. Yes, refaced pieces play much better than the original without a doubt but………….I would never have a mouthpiece refaced that you consider incredible! Big mistake! What you like about the mouthpiece and what you think is incredible about it most likely is tied to the flaw in it if there is one. What I suggest is getting another piece that is like the one you have and having that refaced and see if it can beat the one you have.

      Reply
  2. AvatarJeff Rzepiela says

    March 16, 2011 at 11:49 pm

    I think I liked the Mouthpiece Cafe the best, but I could be biased as that’s what I played on until switching to a Drake NY.

    Reply
    • stevesteve says

      March 17, 2011 at 6:53 am

      I wish I still had the Drake NY I tried. That’s another piece that I played that I regret not keeping. I would have liked to see it in this line up.

      Reply
  3. Avatarjlima says

    March 20, 2011 at 5:51 pm

    Steve, my personal alto mpc is the TW Gaia 6 and to be honest I think your clip doesn’t do justice to it, it’s probably the reed that’s not the optimum fit for it. Using the same reed on all these mpsc wouldn’t make much sense to me, since they probably have very different facings. Anyway, much to my surprise, I did prefer your sound on the V16, it’s much fuller and richer. My second favorite was the LAW, which sang very nicely. To my ears, some of the others sounded a little “dead” in comparison, especially the Acoustimax and the Aizen SO.

    Reply
    • stevesteve says

      March 21, 2011 at 7:05 am

      Yeah, I hear what your saying about the reed. On the other hand I have done clips before with different reeds and people say they don’t know if what they are hearing is the mouthpiece or the reed change. The 2 1/2 worked well on most of the mouthpiece. It was a little soft on the Gaia and the Aizen SO. You can here a harder reed on the SO on the Aizen SO review. The reed felt a touch hard on the Acoustimax for me.It was perfect on all the rest.

      Reply
  4. Avatarsimon peat says

    April 1, 2011 at 6:14 am

    i liked the JVW Meyer the best…it had pretty much everything that i like in the sound and sounds like a very versatile piece…..could play ballads or full on funk! JVw’S Work was amazing!! BUT TO BE FAIR YOU SOUND GREAT ON ALL OF THEM!

    Reply
  5. AvatarMark says

    April 21, 2011 at 7:34 am

    Vandoren,Theo Wanne and Mouthpiece Cafe.
    Blend these together into 1 mouthpiece, and I believe
    that would be “perfect” lol
    To be honest,you sound great on all and the “best” IMO
    on the Mouthpiece Cafe model. (I played a Morgan for years,so I’m prejudice)
    Ahh! The search never ends 🙂

    Reply
    • stevesteve says

      April 21, 2011 at 6:58 pm

      I feel like my new JVW Meyer is sorta a blend of those 3. Has a nice mix of aspects of all 3.

      Reply
  6. Avatarken says

    July 31, 2011 at 12:44 pm

    I like v16 compared to all. Just nice.

    Reply
  7. AvatarMartyn Wood-Bevan says

    September 23, 2011 at 3:05 pm

    Mouthpiece Cafe, Aizen NY Jazz & Theo Wanne Gaia, in that order. I like the “brighter, with rounded sound” concept, which seems to provide an excellent balance. Some mouthpieces just didn’t quite have this – perhaps a little too mellow or safely one- dimensional.

    Reply
    • stevesteve says

      September 23, 2011 at 8:57 pm

      Cool. I have the Mouthpiece Cafe mouthpiece still also. I’ll have to try that one again. It’s been sitting in my mouthpiece drawer for a while………………..I really liked that one when I first got it. You nailed the description. I call it bright but fat sounding. That’s how I thing of them. The Gaia is a bit dryer sounding than the Mouthpiece Cafe piece.

      Reply
  8. Avatarnick says

    December 8, 2011 at 10:03 pm

    Steve, you have no idea how useful this is. If there was a website like this comparing about 50 of the most common or most sought-after pieces, lai out like this, it would be a godsend. thankyou.

    Reply
  9. Avatarmike hughes says

    February 13, 2012 at 3:34 am

    i think your brian powell V16 sounds great but i think what does it for me is the aizen jazz master and the n.y. with the jazz master just having that bit more richness to the tone than the n.y. cheers mike.

    Reply
  10. AvatarDave says

    August 6, 2012 at 10:06 am

    LAW MCB Alto Mouthpiece .080 tip. The preview doesn’t work.

    Fantastic resource btw. Love it.

    Reply
    • stevesteve says

      August 6, 2012 at 11:47 am

      Thanks. I’ll look into it.

      Reply
  11. AvatarAlan says

    August 15, 2012 at 3:33 pm

    Xcuse my ignorance, gents. When you ‘re-face’ a mouthpiece, does that just entail smoothing out any defect/damage to the rails and table,for instance, to ensure the reed lies flat or is it a re-grind/re-shape & polish of the chamber dimension, say. That would make the m/p into a new animal altogether. Nice article though. Thanks

    Reply
  12. Avatarbidemi says

    August 28, 2012 at 2:29 pm

    is metal mouthpiece beter or gives a good tone than ?

    Reply
    • stevesteve says

      September 8, 2012 at 9:58 pm

      You can’t say one is better than the other. It all depends on the player and how they get along with a mouthpiece. I have known players that only play metal and others that only play hard rubber. you have to try them for yourself.

      Reply
  13. Avatardave says

    September 20, 2012 at 9:02 pm

    Curious – on the Vandoren – what’s the difference between medium and small chambers? How does that affect the sound, and what size chamber is the one you demo’d?

    Thanks!

    Reply
    • stevesteve says

      September 21, 2012 at 10:10 am

      I played the medium chamber. The small chamber is more focused and brighter than the medium chamber. It was too bright for my tastes. I prefer the medium chamber. The tone was fatter and more rich sounding. Some guys will dig the small chamber more if they are looking for a more powerful lead alto type of sound. I like a fatter alto sound though. Hope this helps.

      Reply
  14. AvatarTodd Young says

    November 13, 2012 at 2:49 am

    I have been trying to get as close to the rich full sound of Paul Desmond since my dad took me to see him on his last tour with the original Bruebeck Quartet in 76. I get close on a couple of the Rousseau classical mouthpieces but don’t have nearly the fullness of sound. I found out he played on an MC Gregory 4a18m mouthpiece. I haven’t found one available in an exhaustive search, but did happen to find a copy, made and sold by Gregg Wier, of the same mouthpiece. I took a punt and bought it site unseen from him through E Bay knowing that you like his work. Do you have any experience with this particular piece?

    Reply
    • stevesteve says

      November 13, 2012 at 11:06 am

      Hi Todd, No I haven’t even heard of that Greg Wier model. I’d love to hear your thoughts on it once you get it. Sounds interesting.

      Reply
  15. AvatarCraig says

    December 2, 2012 at 11:00 am

    Hey Steve, I thought you sounded FANTASTIC on the LAW MCB and on the Aizen SO… Beautifully focused! Granted, I might be slightly biased, since that is exactly what I try to achieve in my saxophone sound. It was very interesting to hear all of these different pieces side-by-side; it’s incredible how the slightest design difference can have such an enormous affect on the sound.

    Reply
    • stevesteve says

      December 3, 2012 at 1:34 pm

      Thanks Craig, I used to love that LAW mouthpiece. I ended up selling it but it’s one of the pieces that I miss the most……….

      I’m glad you can hear the differences between the mouthpieces on the recordings. When I first started the site I tried doing videos and putting them on youtube but I found that all the differences in sound on the recordings were lost when the video was compressed to youtube. Every once in awhile I get someone who says they can’t hear any difference and I sound the same on all of them which always shocks me…………..

      Reply
  16. AvatarButch Miller says

    December 15, 2012 at 5:09 pm

    Steve,
    What mouthpiece is best for me….just kidding. Thanks for taking the time and effort to give us a listen to the different mouthpieces. I haven’t played in 40+ years, used to be pretty good, but now I’m getting back into making that sweet sound again. This has really helped me to decide on which mouthpiece(s) to get. Thank you so very much and God bless!

    Reply
  17. AvatarAlyson Van Alstyne says

    January 2, 2013 at 10:12 pm

    Steve, Happy New Year!
    I’m just the mom of a 5th grader who somehow got it in his head that he needed a reedless mouthpiece. I never heard of such a thing and was kind of horrified at the thought…but rather than being a snob, I thought I would check around and ask. It sounds like a crutch, and my gut says to convince him to tough it out, but if they are good I have no problem letting him experiment. I just think its too early to introduce different mouthpieces, and don’t want to start him with bad habits.
    Thanks

    Reply
    • stevesteve says

      January 18, 2013 at 9:47 am

      I don’t believe there is such a thing as a reedless mouthpiece. I have never heard of one anyways………..Maybe it is something new???

      Reply
  18. AvatarLuis says

    March 5, 2013 at 9:34 pm

    Hi Steve:
    Nice clips, very nice sound and intonation on all mpcs. My top 3 are in preference order:
    1- Cafe Resin
    2- Meyer
    3- Vandoren V16

    The sound I donýt like too much is Theo Wanne, I hear it like if you are playing with some kind of mute.

    Reply
    • stevesteve says

      March 8, 2013 at 2:47 pm

      Thanks for the feedback Luis. The Theo Wanne Gaia has a dryer sound to it. I still have the 3 mouthpieces you chose as the top 3 by the way.

      Reply
  19. AvatarPolly Wingenter says

    June 13, 2013 at 4:59 pm

    Steve
    You sound realllly great on all the mouthpieces. My favorites were the V16, SO 7 & Café NYC 6. What do you mean when
    you say it is free blowing or super free blowing? Is it the same as easy blowing?
    Thanks so much.

    Reply
    • stevesteve says

      June 17, 2013 at 11:09 am

      Polly, yes, free blowing is like easy blowing. Reeds just seem to blow easier on it and sometimes you need to move up in reed strength on a piece to compensate. I find that if a piece has very little resistance and is too free blowing that it is hard for me to shape and mold the sound the way I want. Every player is different and has different tastes though.

      Reply
  20. AvatarPia says

    May 31, 2014 at 11:52 am

    Hi Steve,
    I’ve got a pro-model Yanagisawa Alto (A-991) that I’ve had for a few years and I was wondering what your opinion is on the standard mouthpieces given with Yanagisawa saxes. Are they any good? What would you recommend for a good jazz mouthpiece?
    Thank you for posting this info.

    Reply
    • SteveSteve says

      June 3, 2014 at 10:18 am

      Pia, i have never tried a Yanagisawa mouthpiece so I can’t give an opinion about them. All of the alto mouthpieces on my site are good to great pieces in my opinion. It really depends on what kind of sound you want I think. Steve

      Reply
  21. AvatarJia Jia Zhang says

    June 9, 2014 at 6:06 am

    Hello Steve,
    Thanks so much for your demos! I’m an aspiring saxophone player, and I’m just wondering what sax you were playing with in the clips. As a student, what type and brand of alto sax do you also recommend I get? I do wish to continue playing the saxophone and becoming a higher level musician, so I don’t want to purchase a sax that won’t accommodate for maybe intermediate level playing. But then again I am limited in my budget so something under $1000… Oh! And I will mostly be playing classical pieces, and with that in mind what kind of mouthpiece do you recommend?

    Thanks so much!

    Reply
    • SteveSteve says

      June 9, 2014 at 10:01 am

      Hi Jia,
      I played a Selmer Reference 54 saxophone on those clips which I love. They are really expensive though. I think I got mine for 3200 years ago but they are much more now. I’m not sure what to suggest for 1000 as even student model Yamaha YAS23s are more than 1000 now a days I believe. Maybe save up some more and then try to get to a music store where you can try some horns out in person.

      As far as mouthpieces, I am not really a classical mouthpiece expert. I usually have alto players play a Vandoren AL3 but there might be other mouthpieces out there that I don’t know about………….Good Luck! Sorry I can’t be of more help. Steve

      Reply
  22. AvatarErnie Tollar says

    June 16, 2014 at 2:45 pm

    I liked the metal one. clarity and core. I play metal otto link on alto, so maybe that’s not a coincidence. I always come back to those. I’ve played rubber links, meyers, early on a beechler. i have 4 metal links. always wanted the coltrane clarity and weight on alto…
    you sound great on all. AIZEN jazz master was top. so was V16. i always found a little to much of a nasal higher mid range frequency with those but you sounded great even..

    nice post

    Reply
  23. AvatarMichele says

    August 15, 2014 at 4:24 am

    Aizen Jazz Master 7. When you played that “scoop” it was like the mouthpiece reacted to your thought.

    Reply
    • SteveSteve says

      August 15, 2014 at 11:08 am

      Thanks Michele. I love when a mouthpiece responds so easily to what you want to do!

      Reply
  24. AvatarFelix says

    August 29, 2014 at 2:07 am

    am a Nigerian Steve,i play sax,but i can’t sight play,and i want to improve,how possible is this?

    Reply
    • SteveSteve says

      September 5, 2014 at 9:44 am

      Felix, Learning to read music is a lot like learning to read. You just have to learn the fundamentals from a teacher and then practice a lot. I teach the basics of reading music in my Beginning Sax Lesson Video series. We work out of the Essential Elements 2000 book for alto sax.

      Reply
  25. AvatarChelsea McNelliey says

    September 4, 2014 at 4:18 am

    Hi Steve,

    Thanks for the great article and beautiful sound clips! I really love the refaced Meyer! Just wondering if you specified anything in particular before John Van Wie refaced it? I have a great mouthpiece refacer at my fingertips and a Meyer which I’m keen to get some work done on, and would love if it turned out anything like that one! Also have been playing on a “The Martin” Alto for quite some time now and feel like I need to upgrade – do you have any opinion on this horn? I usually play about 10-15hrs a week… Thanks for your time 🙂

    Reply
    • SteveSteve says

      September 5, 2014 at 9:42 am

      Chelsea,
      I’m not sure what exactly JVW did to the Meyer. I know he refaced it and when I tried it I really liked it so I bought it. I don’t really know anything more than that as far as the facing curve numbers and all of that.

      I haven’t played a Martin alto ever. Sorry. Steve

      Reply
  26. AvatarSheryl says

    October 11, 2014 at 7:29 pm

    All of the mouthpieces sound great in their own way, just depends on the type of sound you want and style of music you are playing. I was particularly impressed with the Aizen mouthpieces though. Just love the sound. I thought that I might prefer the SO 7, but there was something about the Jazz master 7 that really caught my attention. A somewhat dark, meaty sound, but yet somewhat vibrant, not too dry. Makes me really want to find out more about these mouthpieces. I’m also considering a refaced Meyer, perhaps a G series. I know that Phil Engleman does a nice job with refacing Meyers and he also has some really nice mouthpieces as well. So many choices. Thank you for all of the recordings. I know that we don’t all sound as great as you, but it does give us an idea of what these mouthpieces sound like and may make that endless search through thousands of mouthpieces a bit easier to narrow down. Looking for something that works well with my Eastman 52nd Street alto. Something somewhat “Meyerish” I suppose.

    Reply
  27. AvatarLori Calhoun says

    May 23, 2015 at 7:15 pm

    So in researching the Vandoren V16 series, I see both small and medium chamber on A5-A6-A7-A8 & A9….. what’s the difference and which did you play? Gotta get me one. That Vandoren is way sexy.

    Reply
    • SteveSteve says

      May 23, 2015 at 9:57 pm

      Lori, I review both a Vandoren small chamber and a medium chamber on my site. On this 9 alto mouthpiece poll it’s a medium chamber………

      Reply
  28. AvatarRoberto Rojas says

    December 7, 2015 at 11:43 am

    Steve, thanks so much for investing the time to educate people like me. I appreciated each one of the clips. If I should have the luxury of choosing one of these mouthpieces I’d go for the Aizen NY Jazz 7, but it is not something I can afford. Then, the closest to my budget is definitely the Vandoren. Thanks again for including this Vando clip. Blessings on you!

    Reply
  29. AvatarNolie says

    January 9, 2016 at 5:39 pm

    Have you ever tried a Lebayle hard rubber mouthpiece? I love your reviews, and I am eager to hear your opinion on Lebayle mouthpieces or hard rubber pieces in general. Thank you in advance!

    Reply
    • SteveSteve says

      January 11, 2016 at 8:05 am

      Nolie,
      I have only tried one Lebayle alto mouthpiece that I bought used and it wasn’t very good for me. I ended up sending it out to get refaced but still didn’t like it very much. I have heard they can be great mouthpieces so if I run across another one I’ll put up a review. Steve

      Reply
  30. AvatarGerry Smith says

    January 28, 2016 at 3:30 am

    Hi Steve,
    Have you tried the Aizen GR yet? I’m very curious as to how it compares with the Solstice – for getting ‘that sound’ but also versatility – projection when you need it etc.
    Gerry

    Reply
    • SteveSteve says

      January 28, 2016 at 12:35 pm

      Hi Gerry,
      I haven’t tried an Aizen GR yet. Maybe I can review it later this year. Thanks, Steve

      Reply
  31. AvatarGerry Smith says

    January 28, 2016 at 4:28 pm

    Thanks Steve. I’ll probably try one in the next few weeks but it’s very hard to find a Solstice here in UK so I won’t be able to make that comparison.
    Gerry

    Reply
  32. AvatarMalko G says

    March 12, 2016 at 3:24 pm

    Hola Steve,
    Just playing again after a few years. Back with my old 1960 The Martin Alto with my original Martin mouthpiece and 2 1/2 Ricos. I also have a mid 60’s (I think) Vandoren Paris, not numbers on it so not sure of the type. Very dark and kind of thin sound. What reeds and horn are you playing with these mouthpieces? Looking for a new mouthpiece for swing and jazz. My reeds are not holding up like they use to. Have you used any of the plastic reeds? Great info on your site, thanks much for your insight.

    Reply
    • SteveSteve says

      March 18, 2016 at 10:18 am

      Malko, I use a Selmer reference alto and usually use Rigotti Gold reeds. i have a whole bunch of different sizes from 2 1/2 medium up to 3 1/2 light. The ones I use depend on what mouthpiece I am using. I don’t use plastic reeds in general although I did a review of Forestone Hinoki reeds which I thought were pretty good. I have a couple of the alto reeds in my desk but haven’t tried them as of yet. Steve

      Reply
  33. AvatarSeif Karim says

    March 16, 2016 at 5:20 pm

    what mouthpiece would you say is really good for mellowing and really darkening up and rounding you sound

    Reply
    • SteveSteve says

      March 18, 2016 at 10:08 am

      I tend to go for a more medium alto tone as I like some sparkle and highs in the sound. For a more mellow and darker sound you could try a classical type mouthpiece. I got a pretty dark sound out of a Vandoren AL3 Optimum Series Alto mouthpiece that a student of mine had at one time. Steve

      Reply
  34. AvatarGerry Smith says

    March 18, 2016 at 10:36 am

    I ended up buying a Navarro Maestra 6 for alto. I found I could get the warm mellow sound I was looking for but it has plenty of punch when you push it – quite a brassy sound on my Yani 902, which I needed badly for projecting over a loud band. I did try the Aizen GR, but I didn’t like it so much, seemed a bit resistant and I didn’t get as rich a sound. For me the Maestra’s not very forgiving, it’s taking some work to get used it (not necessarily a bad thing, I’m having to improve my technique), and on Raphael’s recommendation I changed to a Rico H ligature. It really stood out against all the pieces I tried, I’m really enjoying it. Getting a lot of good comments from other players too. Looking forward to seeing what the tenor Maestra will do sometime.
    – Gerry

    Reply
  35. AvatarAxel Senge says

    March 25, 2016 at 8:58 am

    Hi Steve, very nice overview of the different mpc-sounds. Thanks for that. My first impression is, the V16 sounds best for me…..It has an very open sound with a little edge in it which I like a lot…..the Aizen NY sounds a little similar to me, but the openess of the V16 is the best to me….I play the V16´s for years now and have also tried nearly every great alto mpc on the market….but I always returned to the V16, 5 with small chamber. And the price is very very low in comparison high-price “handmade” mpcs…and also I stick with my old Meyer Bros. mpc….but thanks for the interesting sound overview!!…..
    best wishes–Axel

    Reply
  36. AvatarRonald Mascucchini says

    October 9, 2016 at 11:50 am

    how do you rate the meyer Richie Cole to these others

    Reply
  37. AvatarJessyca says

    October 28, 2016 at 5:18 pm

    I’m just in love with Gaia so much, but it’s so expensive! I’m nowhere near to be a pro, but I’m in love with the dark old vintage sound. I think it’s too late, I’ll be dreaming of this one… I’m also curious on how a size 7 would sound. I also preferred the 8 on the reviews you made Steve. I just sync with me so much, like a big comfortable blanket or comfort food. It’s my “comfort sound”.

    Reply
  38. AvatarGreta Berna says

    November 18, 2016 at 12:31 pm

    My daughter’s high school band director has asked her by a better mouthpiece for her alto sax and to change her reed brand to vandoran. Can you please give me some advice what would be considered a better mouthpiece for her alto sax? She purchased the alto sax through her school music program back in 5th grade and is still currently using it in her freshman year of high school

    Reply
  39. AvatarMr Theys van Rooyen says

    April 10, 2017 at 4:17 pm

    I AM A SAXOPHONIST PLAYING TENOR AND SOPRANO B FLAT AND ALTO E FLAT.
    I HAVE TRIED VARIOUS MOUTHPIECES LIKE THE VANDOREN JUMBO, THE MEYER, BERG LARSEN BUT I FIND IT DIFFICULT WITH BERG LARSEN AND ALL OTHER METAL MOUTHPIECES EXCEPT THE OTTO LINK. THE SOUND I LIKE IS A DARK ROUND MELLOW SOUND AND BRIGHT SOUND OF WHICH I GET FROM THE FIRST TWO THE VANDOREN AND MEYER BUT TELL ME IS IT NOT SOMETIMES THAT MY EMBOUCHER IS NOT SUITABLE FOR SOME OF THE MOUTHPIECES THAT I MENTIONED I LIKE TO PLAY WITH A TWO AND HALF REED I PLAY WITH MK VI , BEUCHER ELKHART TRUE TONE BUT IT IS STRANGE, I am very much impressed with an old chinese alto horn name parrit of which I GET THE SOUND WHICH I DONT GET WITH EXPENSIVE HORNS

    Reply
  40. AvatarMr Theys van Rooyen says

    April 11, 2017 at 4:12 am

    THANK YOU FOR YOUR RESPONSE ON MY COMMENT AND WHAT I READ REGARDING THE MEYER AND VANDOREN MOUTHPIECES THEY ARE THE MOUTHPIECES THAT I GET THE SOUND I LIKE . I ALSO AGREE WITH YOU I HAVE PLAYED ON VARIUOS MOUTHPIECES BUT DONT LIKE BRIGHT SOUNDS . I ALSO DISCOVERED THAT IF MY TEETH REST ON THE TOP OF THE MOUTHPIECE THEN IT CAUSES A VIBRATION THAT TEND TO SOUND BRIGHT BUT IF I PUT A RUBBER STICKER ON IT AND USE A LEATHER LIGATURE RATHER THEN A METAL LIGATURE THEN I GET THE DARK SOUND I WANT WITH THE TWO MOUTHPIECES I AM REFERRING TO PLEASE GIVE SOME MORE ADVICE I FORGOT TO SAY THAT I AM A SOUTH AFRICAN LIVING IN JOHANNESBURG

    Reply
  41. AvatarAngelyn C. Dorn says

    June 22, 2017 at 7:33 am

    Played a Meyer 5 and 7. Currently playing a Selmer CS 90 because it seems more versatile for what I play, but reeds of course make so much difference as well. Want to invest in a new jazz mouthpiece. Thanks for sound clips. I seem to prefer the Theo Wanne Gaia 6. So many choices, but really it is more about what is between your ears and of course how you “voice” your sound.

    Reply
  42. AvatarIan P Murphy says

    July 27, 2017 at 10:31 pm

    Holy crap, i can’t tell the difference to any of them despite listening to each one 5x

    🙁

    Reply
    • SteveSteve says

      July 31, 2017 at 10:21 am

      Ian, Do you have good computer speakers? I know that on my laptop I can barely hear a difference but on my desktop that is connected to pretty good speakers I can hear the differences pretty distinctly. Steve

      Reply
  43. AvatarArya Boustani says

    September 26, 2017 at 1:49 pm

    Hi there Steve. I was looking for a mouthpiece that offers a lively (but not thin sounding) alto mouthpiece. I acquired a Yamaha YAS-480 and I’m trying to find a good match for the lively setup. I can do classical with Yamaha 4C and Selmer C* but I’m trying to have a R&B, Jazz, etc. covered for later on. Since I was a tenor player for a few years, I try to avoid the mid-range spike since alto already has a lot of that naturally. I got a metal Berg Larsen 85/1 but I think it is a tad too open for me. It works Ok with 2 1/2 reed but I’m trying to pick one that works with #3 reed. Also that one is not the best responding mpc (needs a bit of refacing I think). So far from the sound, V16 has that kind of middle scooped frequency (has the low and low mid frequency i.e. the fatness but also has the buzz (high frequency) so it’s a good complement and to balance out the alto. What is your alto sax? Yamaha YAS-480 is vibrant but in a slightly dark and tame way. A lot of Yamaha saxes I’ve tried have that kind of tendency (not too in the face) as far as body resonation goes. So what do you think could be possible balancing act mouthpieces? Something lively and exciting but not thin and piercing.
    Thanks a lot, Arya.

    Reply
  44. AvatarAndres Gonzalez says

    November 20, 2017 at 12:43 pm

    Looking to play some funk, liked the LAW MCB the best 🙂 Thanks for the demos!

    Reply
    • SteveSteve says

      November 20, 2017 at 12:57 pm

      Andres, Good luck finding one. He doesn’t make them anymore so you would have to find one used……..

      Reply
  45. AvatarMatthew N says

    January 6, 2018 at 8:02 am

    Hi I am after a easy blowing mouth piece that has a sweet soft tone when playing the high notes nothing to sharp but also packs a punch for the low notes. Any recommendations? And what reed would you pair it up with?

    Reply
    • SteveSteve says

      January 11, 2018 at 10:00 am

      Matthew, The first that come to mind are the Phil-Tone Solstice or Novella? Maybe check out those sound clips. I think of those when you say “sweet”. They have a kind of Paul Desmond type vibe to them. As far as reeds, I think you just have to experiment after you get the mouthpiece. A lot depends on the tip opening and how you play. Steve

      Reply
  46. AvatarJohn Smith says

    January 13, 2018 at 8:45 am

    Hi Steve, I’m looking for a really ‘fuzzy’ sounding mouthpiece. The type of sound you might associate more with tenor saxes than alto. Any suggestions?

    Reply
    • SteveSteve says

      January 13, 2018 at 9:59 am

      John, Sorry, I can’t think of any I have tried that make an alto sound like a tenor. Steve

      Reply
  47. AvatarGiuseppe says

    April 25, 2018 at 1:40 pm

    First: modern Meyer, second: Cafe resin, third: Aizen ny jazz.
    For my taste in the last place the Vandoren

    Reply
  48. AvatarGiuseppe says

    April 25, 2018 at 1:43 pm

    I prefer first modern Meyer, second Cafe resin, third Aizen Ny jazz!
    For my taste in last place Vandoren.

    Reply
  49. AvatarGiuseppe says

    April 25, 2018 at 4:40 pm

    Sorry, I did not see the comment appear and so, by mistake, I posted it again!

    Reply
  50. AvatarGlaucia Gondin says

    September 1, 2019 at 3:30 pm

    Hi, did you try the Aizen GR Mouthpiece? I’m curious about it!

    Reply
    • SteveSteve says

      September 3, 2019 at 5:23 pm

      Glaucia, No, I have not tried the Aizen GR mouthpiece yet. Steve

      Reply
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Testimonials

1 2 3 4 5

Love your lessons!  I have been using your lesson packages for many months now, and am learning a lot.  It is so perfect for me with a very busy adult schedule and difficulty in taking jazz/improv music lessons from reputable instructors who live and hour or more away from me.

Lenore
1 2 3 4 5
Absolutely the best learning experience in my 40 years of playing.These books are awesome!!
Alfred LaBella
1 2 3 4 5
Your major diatonic patterns book is great. I”m studying the first twenty patterns (first twenty pages) each day with different articulation each day and slowly increasing the tempo each week or so.  There is a noticeable improvement in finger coordination across all keys and its amazing how much more secure I feel on the difficult keys when attempting to play pieces with 5+ flats/sharps. I’m able to sort out the fingerings for these pieces now much more quickly than before, often in one or two … Read more
Geoff
1 2 3 4 5

I want to thank you again, because, not only are you an inspiration to listen to, you are a fine teacher!

I have been teaching sax and other winds for over 20 years, and you give me that “push” to give my students more!

Mark Peotter

Mark Peotter
1 2 3 4 5
Hey Steve, I’m a 22-year-old from Australia. I thought it would be worth saying. You’re an absolute legend. I can’t thank you enough. You have helped me rekindle my love for the saxophone and music as a whole. All the best for the future, your work doesn’t go unnoticed. PS. I am loving your devastating minor lines pdf.
Sapph
1 2 3 4 5
I have NEVER seen material like yours.  Amazing!!
Jerry
1 2 3 4 5

Never really had lessons before just kinda worked things out on my own. Was in a rut but your lessons are really helpful in opening melodic possibilities. Ur an awesome resource to the saxophone community. Thanks for sharing. 

Anthony
1 2 3 4 5
Thank you for the wealth of helpful lessons you’ve provided over the years.  I truly feel as though it has improved my playing more than the 4 years I spent at Berklee… and that’s not a slight on the school as I loved my experience there.
John
John
1 2 3 4 5
Thank you for all the educational information you provide.  I am a classically trained musician.  Professionally, I am a 4th and 5th grade band teacher.  I have played piano and sax for many years, but now I am starting to gig out more. I have always improvised by ear in the past. I have gotten by with my strong sense of pitch, rhythm and melodic contour. However, I want to go deeper. I want to play with a greater variety of melodic and rhythmic ideas to pull from.  I have studied to gain a … Read more
Ray
1 2 3 4 5
Thanks so much for putting all this great learning material out there. I don’t often have the time to take a lesson with a teacher, so the ability to download lessons is really invaluable. My playing has improved enormously (I think :)) – and the lessons are so varied there’s always something to be inspired by. Incredible value too!
Roger
1 2 3 4 5
Hi Steve, I have been shedding your materials for quite a while now and I love them! They are extremely well organized and presented and there are tons of ’em! I really appreciate your methodical approach and find myself referring students to your resources often.  Thanks so much!  
Kenyon Carter
1 2 3 4 5
I’ve been a member of Steve’s site for about six months now and the difference it has made to my playing is immeasurable. The (many) benefits of this membership are that you can have lessons at time convenient to you, they work out A LOT cheaper than face-to-face lessons with a teacher of the same calibre and you can replay them ad infinitum. I don’t know how many times have I had lessons in the past where I’ve ended up covering the same concepts when really a ‘replay’ of the last lesson would h… Read more
Nick
1 2 3 4 5
Just a brief note to compliment you on your teaching skills and in particular for the honesty of your lessons.  I am a returning alto sax player in my 50’s and I was looking for a no nonsense, straight to the point kind of guidance. I had intended to email you with a few questions regarding the use of the bis key but then I noticed that there was a lesson on that specific topic and after viewing it,  all my questions were answered. I once took a group lesson with a well known professional sax … Read more
Patrick
1 2 3 4 5
Just wanted to send you a quick note to say thank you for being you, your playing, your website and your desire to help others. I’m a professional musician in the US Army and I’ve visited your website almost every day since discovering it a couple of months ago. Your lessons are profound and easy to use. I’ve purchased most of your PDF books and now am starting to delve more into the video and audio lessons.  Thank you for being a great resource!
James
1 2 3 4 5

Steve,

I have played for many years and have enjoyed going “back to the basics” in some of your lessons!  You have such a gift for explaining concepts.  As I have gotten older, some of the basic things have gotten muddled because I just play, not knowing why.  As I refresh myself with “why”, it increases my confidence and expands my playing.  Thank you so much for using your gift!  You are a blessing!

Julia
1 2 3 4 5

Hello Steve,

I have not received my alto yet but have already gone through 14 lessons. I love your approach, style, knowledge and competence. I now regret so much to have stayed away from playing the sax for the past 45-50 years…(I am 65).  But It is never too late to get back to your first love. After 23 years in compuer sciences and 22 years in finances…I am now back to music for the rest of my life.

Doing some research on the net, I found this:

http://forum.saxontheweb.net/showthread.php?1… Read more

Claude
1 2 3 4 5
I’ve been downloading your lessons for 4 months now (20 lesson) and I have noticed tremendous growth in my playing thus far! I’m so happy that I stumbled upon your site!
Bob
1 2 3 4 5

I must say again how much I appreciate all your material. Including the video tutorials. It help keep me focused and knowing what to aim for. And your laid back teaching style appeals to me too. 

Thanks

P

P
1 2 3 4 5

Hi Steve,

First, I want to thank you for all of your great lessons. They are like a “For Dummies” version of all the books on my shelf. The lessons break things down into manageable pieces, and give me the confidence that I’m practicing the right pieces. I’m starting to make progress.   Thank You,   Kim

Kim
1 2 3 4 5
I want to say something about Steve Neff’s series of lessons, Beginner Jazz Improvisation. For a couple of years I tried many beginner lessons and my problem was that there was a gap between lessons that were fairly simple and ones that I was not quite ready for and my progress stalled out. That problem was solved with the series Beginner Jazz Improvisation. He guides you step by step along the way and builds a foundation for learning jazz and blues. He leaves no question about what to practice … Read more
Pete
1 2 3 4 5
I have been a member of Neffmusic for more than a year now and have enjoyed every minute of it! I have not only been going thru the Dominant Bebop Scale lessons and book (OUTSTANDING!) but the mouthpiece reviews, solo clips and transcriptions are very interesting. Steve approach to beginning and intermediate improv have given me many new pathways to teach my high school jazz ensemble students. Congratulations Steve, great product!
Craig
1 2 3 4 5
Steve really changed my way of practicing: I got a whole lot of new ideas for my playing the tenor.  His lessons are really helpful, give a lot stuff to practice and give clear answers to complicated stuff.  Steve has a lot of humor and I wish I had laughed so much in my former days with the horn.  All topics, from Blues to Approach note are dealt with clearness that wet ones appetite to play and practice that great ideas.
Uwe
1 2 3 4 5
I’ve been having ‘ online’  lessons with Steve for a few months now. Being a teacher myself I had had some reservations with the idea at first and the practicalities of it .  Let me just say that my playing has taken a huge leaps forward while studying with Steve and continues to do so.Steve studied with some renowned player/teachers such as Bergonzi and Garzone– this in itself is invaluable but Steve teaches from his own books, which cover a a vast amount of  jazz language. Steve h… Read more
David
1 2 3 4 5
Thank you so much for the great job you are doing to help further our jazz studies. Though I make my living as a repairer of musical instruments I am a student of jazz and have been fortunate enough to be involved with a big band and a combo for the last several years. As my children began to leave “the nest” I had decided to dedicate the next half of my life to a more serious study of the sax but I didn’t know exactly how I would go about doing this until a friend of mine turned me onto your si… Read more
Jon
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