Saxophone Mouthpieces

[dfwkeys]

OKay, i'm new with the sax and needed some guidance from my family on this site about mouthpieces, i was looking up on website about mouthpieces to purchases, they, have like model C , model E, model D, etc... does this give the sax a different tune?  when i play the note G on my sax it comes out a different sound then the note on the piano, so if i'm reading music and i play C or G, and i tell the pianist to play in the key of C or G, we're on two different notes, does this has anything to do with the mouthpiece or the saxophone itself? 

[keynote]

Saxophones are made in various pitches:

Alto and Bari - E-flat
Tenor and Soprano - B-flat

There are other less common models that are in other keys, but you rarely see them played anywhere....
But I digress....

I assume you are playing an alto. Thus, when you are in tune, your C is an E-flat on the piano... just like transposing a keyboard up a step and a half. So... if you are in the key of G, the pianist would be in the key of B-flat.

Mouthpieces have a lot to do with the character of the sound you produce i.e. bright and edgy vs. open and dark. There are many things that cause this  - facing length, chamber size, etc. but when played correctly and in tune, they will sound the same note - that depends on the type of horn (alto, tenor, bari, etc.) not the type of mouthpiece.

- hope this helps

[dfwkeys]

Thanks for the info...

[Cherri]

Thank you. I need this info for my daughter.

[Cherri]

Thank you. I need this info for my daughter.

[Wolfram]

I would also like to add that you should try the mouth piece BEFORE you by it.  Do not buy a mouthpiece just because a sales person told you it was the best.  Everyone has their own particular idea of how they want to sound.  My prof kept trying to push me towards a darker mouthpiece than I liked.  That was the sound HE preferred.  My "sound" was more contemporary; his more traditional.  I would also like to point out that you should should not believe all the hype about metal verses hard rubber mouthpieces either.  Just find one that gives you excellent tone and most importantly, great control.  No point having a uber expensive mouthpiece on your horn if you have no way of keeping your sax in tune.

Good luck!!