The Best Saxophone Mouthpiece for You is as Personal as Finding the Right Pair of Shoes

The number one question I receive through my website every week is, “What is the best saxophone mouthpiece for me to get?“.  Here’s a few of the latest examples I pulled up from doing a search in my email program:

-Steve, out of all the alto saxophone mouthpieces you have reviewed which is the best?

-Steve, I play the tenor saxophone, which mouthpiece should I get?

-Steve, I’ve listened to all your clips and read all your reviews, bottom line which tenor sax mouthpiece do you suggest I get?

-Steve, You say so many mouthpiece play great so it’s hard to choose, which one should I get?   Which is the best?

-Steve, Which tenor mouthpiece should I get?  I’m really into Stan Getz but I love Michael Brecker’s sound also………help me!

-Steve, I know part of your business model is to give good reviews of mouthpieces but I also know that there has to be one that is the best for you.  Be honest with me, which one is it?   Money is not an object, if you tell me it is the best mouthpiece, I will pay whatever price……

-Steve, I appreciate all of your work and have read all of your reviews.  If you had to go to a desert island with only one tenor saxophone mouthpiece, which one would you choose? Be honest.

Assorted Tenor Saxophone Mouthpieces – Which is the Best Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece?

These are all real email quotes I have received handpicked from thousands sitting on my computer on the same subject.  Now first off, let me say that giving an answer to this question is difficult if not impossible even when a lot of information is given to me as I will try to explain below.  When no information is given, it is really impossible.  I want to give you an analogy I have been using when communicating on this subject to help you understand the difficulty involved in answering this question:

Now, this might be a little bit of a stretch but hang in there with me and see if this makes sense.  Choosing the best saxophone mouthpiece for another player is about as useful as telling someone what shoes they should wear.

My Favorite Shoes – Merrell Agility Peak 5

At first glance, the comparison may seem strange.  Shoes and saxophone mouthpieces appear to have little in common.  Yet the more one thinks about it, the more fitting the analogy becomes.  Both are highly personal pieces of equipment.  Both must match the unique characteristics of the individual using them.  And both can dramatically affect comfort, performance, and confidence.  For these reasons, recommending a specific saxophone mouthpiece without understanding the individual player is often no more helpful than insisting that everyone should wear the same pair of shoes.

Imagine walking into a shoe store and asking, “What are the best shoes?”.  The question itself is incomplete and the shoe store employee will quickly let you know that.  The best shoes for a marathon runner are different from the best shoes for a construction worker, a ballet dancer, or someone working shifts as a registered nurse.  Even among runners, one person may need extra arch support, another may need a wider toe box, and another may prefer a minimalist design. Foot shape, gait, intended use, whether the person ever cuts their nails, and personal preference all influence what shoe will work best for that individual.

Saxophone mouthpieces are similar in this regard.  Every saxophonist has a unique anatomy that affects the sound they produce.  The shape of the teeth, jaw, lips, tongue, and oral cavity all influence how a sax mouthpiece feels and responds.  One player may find a saxophone mouthpiece free-blowing and vibrant, while another may experience the same mouthpiece as too free-blowing or difficult to control.  Just as no two feet are exactly alike, no two embouchures are identical.

Ellis Music Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece Kit – Which is the Best Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece?

Beyond each saxophone player’s unique physical anatomy, there is also the matter of the playing habits they have developed over many years.  These habits become deeply ingrained and differ from one saxophonist to another in countless subtle ways.

Consider just a few of the variables:

• The angle and height at which the saxophone is held
• The strength and brand of saxophone reeds they prefer
• The firmness or looseness of the embouchure
• How much or little of the saxophone mouthpiece is taken into the mouth
• The style of tonguing they use
• The position of the tongue while playing
• The quantity and speed of air they blow into the instrument
• The degree of diaphragmatic support behind the air stream

Each of these factors affects how a saxophone mouthpiece responds.  A saxophone mouthpiece that feels effortless and produces a beautiful sound for one player may feel uncomfortable and resistant to another player who prefers harder reeds.

Just as no two feet are exactly alike, no two saxophonists share precisely the same playing habits.  Over time, each player develops a highly individualized approach to producing sound.  That is why recommending a saxophone mouthpiece to someone else can be as personal as recommending a particular pair of shoes.  What fits one musician perfectly may be entirely unsuitable for another.

Assorted Theo Wanne Tenor Saxophone Mouthpieces – Which is the Best Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece?

Playing style also matters.  A classical saxophonist often seeks a warm, centered tone with precise control and evenness across all registers of the saxophone.  A jazz saxophone player may desire greater flexibility, projection, brightness and a broader tonal palette.  Even within the jazz genre, a bebop saxophone player, a “west coast cool school” standards player, and a contemporary fusion sax player may each prefer very different mouthpiece setups and sounds.  Asking for the “best mouthpiece” is therefore much like asking for the “best shoes” without specifying whether one plans to hike a mountain, dance on stage, run a marathon or just stand on your feet behind a register for eight hours a day.

Assorted Tenor Saxophone Mouthpieces – Which is the Best Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece?

Even within a single style of playing, each saxophonist brings a unique concept of sound.  The range of tonal possibilities on the saxophone is virtually limitless, and every saxophone player has distinct musical goals that influence which mouthpiece will work best.

For example, a tenor saxophonist who wants to emulate Stan Getz is pursuing a warm, lyrical, airy tone that differs dramatically from the powerful, focused, and brighter sound of Michael Brecker.  These are two very different tonal ideals, and each may require a different mouthpiece design to help achieve the desired result.

The same principle applies to alto saxophone.  A player inspired by David Sanborn may seek a bright, edgy, contemporary sound, while someone drawn to Paul Desmond may prefer a smooth, dry, and understated tone.  Once again, those contrasting musical objectives naturally lead to different mouthpiece choices.

The analogy to shoes still holds true.  The best footwear for running a marathon is not the same as the best footwear for hiking a mountain or playing basketball.  In the same way, the ideal saxophone mouthpiece depends not only on the player’s anatomy and technique, but also on the specific sound they hope to create.  Different musical goals require different tools.

Assorted Tenor Saxophone Mouthpieces – Which is the Best Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece?

Comfort is another very important factor.  A saxophone mouthpiece that feels comfortable encourages relaxed playing, better technique and greater improvisational creativity that feels more effortless.  A saxophone mouthpiece that feels awkward can lead to tension, distraction, and fatigue.  Fighting against an uncomfortable feeling mouthpiece can rob the player of their creativity and ease of expression as they are putting all of their energy and thought into trying to overcome the uncomfortable feelings they are experiencing.  In the same way, even the most highly rated shoes are useless if they pinch, rub, or fail to support the foot properly.  A vintage mouthpiece, brand name, popularity and price point do not guarantee compatibility and comfort for a unique individual.

Don’t get me wrong, mouthpiece recommendations can still be valuable (obviously, that is the whole point of my Neffmusic mouthpiece reviews), but only as starting points.  If several experienced runners praise a particular shoe, it may be worth trying.  If respected saxophonists favor a certain mouthpiece, it may deserve consideration.  But no recommendation can substitute for personal testing.  The true question is not, “What is the best mouthpiece?” but rather, “Which mouthpiece allows me to sound and feel my best?”  Obviously, only you can answer that second question.

Syos Tenor Saxophone Mouthpieces – Which is the Best Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece?

There is also an emotional component.  When a player finds a saxophone mouthpiece that feels comfortable and produces the desired sound, confidence increases. The equipment seems to disappear, allowing the musician to focus entirely on expression.  This is similar to wearing a pair of shoes so comfortable that one forgets they are even there.  In both cases, the best equipment is the equipment that gets out of the way.

Therefore, telling someone exactly which saxophone mouthpiece to buy is rarely definitive advice.  It can point them in a useful direction, but it cannot account for the many personal variables that determine success.  The ultimate choice must be made by the individual player, through focused play testing and attentive listening.  I write “attentive listening” and “focused play testing” because in all honesty, most of the saxophone world as well as everyone else in the world is susceptible to being influenced by “the hype”.  You might think you aren’t, but you are, trust me.

I have a Morgan “Kind of Blue” alto saxophone mouthpiece on it’s way to me now that is advertised as an exact copy of Cannonball Adderley’s alto sax mouthpiece.  I have not seen this mouthpiece in person. I have not played the mouthpiece yet.  The mouthpiece is not even in the mail to me yet, but in my head, I am already thinking this will be the greatest alto saxophone mouthpiece I will ever play.  These kind of preconceived thoughts and feelings based on others testimony, mouthpiece ads, expensive price points or the vintage of the mouthpiece effect us and influence our experience before we even play a note on the mouthpiece.   As hard as it is, we have to fight to see the truth through the excitement and “hype” of receiving a brand new mouthpiece.  If we relate it back to shoes, it would be as silly as thinking that if we wear Tiger Wood’s preferred brand of shoes or Michael Jordan’s preferred brand of shoes we will be as good at the sports they played as they were.  Of course, we know that is ridiculous, but sometimes, we try saxophone mouthpieces and believe a similar magic might happen.

Geller BlackBird Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece

In the end, selecting a saxophone mouthpiece is as personal as selecting shoes.  What fits one person perfectly may be uncomfortable or ineffective for another.  This is the reason I have had so much trouble answering this question for all of you over the last twenty years.   Truth be told, I can’t even answer that question for myself.  As I think about all the great saxophone mouthpieces I have reviewed over the years, there is no “best mouthpiece”, they are all different and unique in both small ways and big ways.  Some differences are obvious and substantial, while others are more subtle.  Some mouthpieces are better at some things than other mouthpieces but there are always trade offs when comparing mouthpieces side by side.  There is honestly no best saxophone mouthpiece “to rule them all” as some of you might think exists.

Rather than trying to answer this question that is impossible to answer by naming a specific best saxophone mouthpiece, I would rather encourage the inquisitive mouthpiece seeker towards their own journey of thoughtful trial and discovery.  Listen carefully, test patiently, and trust your own ears.  In the end, the best mouthpiece is not the one someone else declares to be perfect, but the one that fits you so naturally and responds so immediately to your musical imagination that it seems to disappear, leaving the sound you have always wanted to hear.