What Is the Difference Between a Classical & a Jazz Saxophone Mouth Piece?
Saxophone mouthpieces can come in a variety of shapes and sizes to fit musicians' sound preferences. A musician may prefer the shape or material of one mouthpiece over another for the sound it produces. Since the invention of the saxophone, two broad and somewhat indistinct categories of mouthpieces have reigned over these subtle varieties. These two are commonly referred to as classical and jazz mouthpieces.
Other People Are Reading
-
Purpose of the Mouthpiece
-
A mouthpiece can have a significant effect on the type of sound any given saxophone, whether the saxophone is an alto or tenor sax. While a skilled musician will be able to effectively produce diverse sounds from any given mouthpiece, the qualities of a mouthpiece's construction and material itself can limit the types of sounds produced. Musicians often prefer particular sounds of one mouthpiece over another, typically depending on what type of music they are playing.
Origin of the Mouthpiece
-
When Adolphe Sax invented the saxophone, he designed the mouthpiece after the bass clarinet's -- with a reed. He made the mouthpiece's chamber large and round, partly to emphasize the instrument's bass sounds. The large chamber in the mouthpiece typically produces a spread, open and thick sound in the instrument. This style of mouthpiece is what is referred to as the classical jazz mouthpiece.
-
Introduction of Jazz Mouthpieces
-
In the 1930s, jazz saxophonists, seeking both a louder and more crisp and responsive sound, began the demand for narrow-chambered mouthpieces. The preference for the brighter sound of the jazz mouthpiece to the hollow and broad sound of a classical or "excavated chamber" mouthpiece forced manufacturers of mouthpieces to nearly abandon construction of classical mouthpieces by the 1970s.
Preferred Differences
-
The adoption of the narrow jazz mouthpieces has all but eliminated the presence of classical jazz mouthpieces, both in jazz and classical music. This change has been met with opposition by some musicians, claiming the change in mouthpiece construction does not keep with the Adolphe Sax's intentions for the sound and purpose of the instrument. This position is especially intensified in the realm of classical music. On the other hand, the argument is all but ignored by many other musicians, who believe that a professional musician should play and manipulate his instrument in such a way that the difference in mouthpieces is insignificant.
-
References
Resources
- Photo Credit NA/AbleStock.com/Getty Images
