Klarinet Archive - Posting 000466.txt from 1995/06

From: John Baetens <JSBtens@-----.COM>
Subj: Re: mouthpieces
Date: Wed, 21 Jun 1995 01:07:18 -0400

Chad Smith asks about mouthpieces for playing Jazz on the
Alto Sax
.
There are several saxophone forums on AOL and I go through
them occasionally. Just like clarinettists, they discuss
mouthpieces often. And also just like clarinettists, they
agree on practically nothing. One thing that most of them
agree on, though, is that metal mouthpieces do not seem
to work on Alto Sax, at least not as well as on Tenor. From
my experience, I would have to say that I certainly have
seen more metal mouthpieces on Tenor than on Alto.

Now that I mention sax forums on AOL, being the Devil's
advocate that I am, I posted a message on several of the
sax boards that proclaimed that the best Sax players are
clarinet players. Guess what? Virtually nobody challenged
that claim. I've seen it happen several times. My daughter,
after playing clarinet for 4 years, switched to alto sax and
within 6 months she got first chair, as a sophomore.
As I am sure most of you know, Eddie Daniels is one hellava
tenor sax player. He won an international competition several
years back in Vienna, if I recall. Branford Marsalis also
started on clarinet. Can anyone think of any others?

John Baetens