Ellis Music's Guide to Instrument Mouthpieces

   Jump to Mouthpiece Specification and Shopping Links

Let's Start at the Beginning...

The sounds that we hear come from vibrations in the air. The mouthpiece is the part of a musical instrument that the player blows into in order to create a vibration. Not every type of instrument has a mouthpiece. Percussion instruments, for example, do not. Neither do oboes or bassoons, which have two reeds tied together that vibrate. Most wind instruments, however, do have a mouthpiece. Woodwinds (including clarinets and saxophones) use mouthpieces that are typically made of plastic, hard rubber, or metal. Brass instruments (including trumpet, horn, trombone, and tuba) use mouthpieces that are typically made of brass that has been plated with silver or gold to prevent contact with any lead contained in the brass.

The Importance of the Mouthpiece

The importance of a good mouthpiece cannot be understated. It's where air gets shaped in preparation for projection through the instrument. The particular characteristics of a mouthpiece and the musician playing the instrument interact to create a sound that is unique to the individual.

Stock Mouthpieces: Helpful But Not Always Ideal

Instruments rented or sold by Ellis Music (and most other retailers) include a "stock" mouthpiece. These are middle-of-the-road mouthpieces, designed to work well for beginning musicians across a range of styles. For some people, a stock mouthpiece is sufficient for their needs. However, experienced musicians may eventually find themselves held back by the limitations of the mouthpiece that came with their instrument, or they might be interested in producing a different tone quality that is impossible with their existing setup.

Time for a Mouthpiece Upgrade?

Even if you cannot afford to buy a new instrument or you've already found your ideal instrument, you can significantly alter and improve your sound by upgrading your mouthpiece. Most student model woodwind mouthpieces are made of plastic, whereas more advanced models are usually constructed from hard rubber (which looks very similar but can provide better tone quality). For both woodwind and brass, a number of structural variations in construction are possible, each of which affects the sound in a different way.

Mouthpiece Anatomy

Woodwinds

Image © Vandoren. Used by permission. (view full size)

• Tip Opening
• Facing Curve
• Chamber
• Beak
• Baffle

Brass

Image © Yamaha Corporation. Used by permission. (view full size)

• Rim
• Cup
• Throat
• Backbore
• Shank

An Important Note Regarding Brass Mouthpiece Finishes

Brass is an alloy (combination of metals) consisting primarily of copper and zinc. Most mouthpieces also contain lead because that metal has properties that help during the process of machining (shaping) them. Lead is toxic to humans. This is why brass mouthpieces are plated, most often with silver. There is no danger in using a brass mouthpiece as long as the plating is intact. Over time, the plating can wear off. Do not use an old mouthpiece that has plating worn off or you will be exposing yourself to lead and the potential of ingesting or inhaling lead dust.

So what do you do if your mouthpiece's plating is chipped or worn? There are companies that can re-plate your mouthpiece. In some cases, it may be less expensive to buy a new mouthpiece.

If allergic to silver, getting a gold-plated mouthpiece (available by special order) is the most common solution.

How to Choose a Mouthpiece

Mouthpiece selection is a very personal decision. What works for one person may not work for another, not only because of playing style but more fundamentally because each person's lips and teeth are formed differently. For this reason, it is recommended that you try a mouthpiece before purchasing it when possible. (Ellis Music's return policy allows up to 30 days to return a mouthpiece.)

• Use your own instrument when trying mouthpieces.
• Warm up as usual.
• Once warmed up, play scales in whatever is your full range to see how the mouthpiece responds, particularly in the very high and very low registers.
• Perform music that is familiar to you so that you are not struggling with notes or rhythms and instead can concentrate on listening to the sound that you’re producing.
• To hear differences between mouthpieces, play the same passage of music on each mouthpiece.
• You may wish to record audio of your playing so that you can hear what each mouthpiece sounds like from the audience perspective.
• If you have a particular reason for wanting a different mouthpiece (such as improved high or low range, greater volume, a different tone quality, more or less resistance), keep your goal in mind.

Remember: there is no substitute for practice. You will not find a “perfect” mouthpiece that makes everything easy to play and sounds great for all types of music. So… focus on choosing a mouthpiece that best serves your needs, is comfortable, and produces a sound that you like.

Why You Should Buy Your Mouthpiece from Ellis Music

Ellis Music stocks a variety of popular mouthpiece brands, including Bach, Meyer, Otto Link, Selmer Paris, Theo Wanne, Vandoren, and Yamaha. The current Ellis Music staff includes individuals with significant knowledge of mouthpieces. (You may wish to call ahead and schedule a trip to the store when someone familiar with mouthpieces for your particular instrument is working.)

To assist musicians in the process of finding their ideal mouthpiece, Ellis Music has put together mouthpiece trial boxes, collections of some popular options for each instrument. Mouthpiece trial boxes currently exist for clarinet, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, trumpet, and trombone. These boxes can be requested by music teachers and borrowed for a week to give their students an opportunity to try out mouthpieces at school.

Ellis Music also has mouthpieces that stay at the store, so that all musicians - including those not affiliated with a school music program - can access a variety of mouthpiece options. Players can bring their instrument and try mouthpieces in our practice room. No appointment is necessary. (Mouthpieces are cleaned and sterilized after being played.)

Through its relationships with various musical supply distributors, Ellis Music has access to hundreds of different mouthpieces and can place a special order if you want to purchase something that's not normally kept in stock.

Compare & Shop for Mouthpieces

Additional Mouthpiece Resources

  Articles and Videos

The Stork Custom Mouthpiece website includes various informational posts. Stork also has videos on its YouTube channel about various aspects of mouthpiece structure and what to think about when choosing a mouthpiece.

The Theo Wanne YouTube Channel includes many videos, including one of Theo Wanne explaining the AMP mouthpiece manufacturing process.

  Mouthpiece Comparison Charts (Courtesy of American Way Marketing)

• Clarinet  JPG Image
• Bass Clarinet  JPG Image
• Soprano Sax  JPG Image
• Alto Sax  JPG Image
• Tenor Sax  JPG Image
• Bari Sax  JPG Image
• Trumpet  JPG Image
• F Horn  JPG Image
• Trombone  JPG Image
• Tuba  JPG Image

  Manufacturer-Specific Resources

• Bach Mouthpiece Manual  PDF
• Yamaha Mouthpiece Guide  PDF
• Vandoren Mouthpiece Comparison Chart (includes recommended reed strengths)  External Link

Shop for Mouthpieces