This blog post is about the age old question “Does the material a saxophone mouthpiece is made of make a difference?” I have read hundreds, if not thousands of discussions on this subject since my earliest days on the internet in the 90’s. Many of these online discussions would get quite heated with one side insisting that the material a saxophone mouthpiece is made of makes a huge difference and the other side saying it makes no difference whatsoever. It is not uncommon to see these discussion go up in flames with both parties insisting they are right as they start calling each other names……..
I have been wanting to focus on this subject on my blog for many years but it has been hard to get my hands on two mouthpieces of different materials that are the exact same in design. My idea was to get two mouthpieces that are identical except for the material they are made of and to play them side by side with the same reed to see if they sound any different.
Today, I have probably the closest examples of two sax mouthpieces of different material that are reported to be exactly the same. They are two Theo Wanne Gaia 3 7* tenor saxophone mouthpieces. One is made of brass that is gold plated and one is made of hard rubber.
Theo Wanne Gaia 3 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece Comparison
I just completed separate reviews with sound clips of each of these great saxophone mouthpieces. Theo Wanne Metal Gaia 3 Mouthpiece Review. Theo Wanne Hard Rubber Gaia 3 Mouthpiece Review. Theo Wanne is one of the most detailed and exact mouthpiece makers on the planet. I don’t think I have ever heard anyone say anything bad about the quality of his mouthpiece work over all these years that I have been reviewing mouthpieces. All you need to do is look at the pictures to see how exact and detailed his work is.
For the sake of this discussion and comparison, my idea is to use the same exact reed and ligature on both mouthpieces and to try to play the exact same musical example on each sound clip to compare.
This is in no way a scientific comparison but will be a subjective comparison based on my experiences as I play the two mouthpieces side by side. It will also be a subjective comparison to you the reader as you listen to each of the clips below and decided what differences if any you can hear between the two mouthpiece. I would suggest listening to the sound clips on good speakers rather than on your iPhone or iPad speakers.
Theo Wanne Gaia 3 7* Hard Rubber Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece
I will be using the same Rigotti Gold 3 medium tenor saxophone reed on both Gaia 3 tenor saxophone mouthpieces with the same Selmer 404 silver metal ligature. I wanted to use the same ligature for this comparison and since the hard rubber Gaia 3 mouthpiece and the metal Gaia 3 mouthpiece come with different ligatures, I thought it would be best if I used the same Selmer 404 silver ligature for both mouthpieces.
I will play one sound clip and then without moving my feet or body position at all in relation to the microphone, I will take the mouthpiece off, change the reed and ligature to the new mouthpiece and attempt to record the same clip again with the next mouthpiece. I will do my best to position the reed and ligature in the same position each time.
Theo Wanne Gaia 3 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece Comparison
Before I tell you what I think, I would ask that you listen to some of the comparison clips below and please share what you think in the comment section at the bottom of this article before you read my thoughts. To get the most out of this experiment, it will be helpful to get your unbiased feedback and impressions from the clips.
- Can you hear a difference?
- Do they sound exactly the same?
- If you can hear a difference, how would you describe the differences?
- Which do you like more? Why?
Theo Wanne Gaia 3 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece Comparison
My opinion: I noticed a big difference between these two sax mouthpieces while playing them. The hard rubber Gaia 3 tenor sax mouthpiece had a darker more midrange tone while the metal Gaia 3 sax mouthpiece seemed to have more highs and sparkle in the tone as well as a bit more edge at times.
It seemed to me like the highs in the tone of the metal Gaia 3 made it seem louder and more projecting when played at full volume. That being said, the hard rubber Gaia 3 is plenty loud when pushed but it just seems to have less of the highs in the tone which made it seemed warmer sounding to my ears.
I actually liked the altissimo tone more on the hard rubber Gaia 3 as it sounded more full, round and fat to me. The metal Gaia 3 had a bit more edge and brightness to it which is probably better for soloing in a loud band but the hard rubber Gaia 3 gets my vote for the prettiest altissimo tone.
Theo Wanne Gaia 3 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece Comparison
I think I like the hard rubber Gaia 3 mouthpiece more for jazz playing in that the warmer tone just seemed more smooth and lush for those kind of fast lines. For R&B or funk playing I think I like the extra brightness and edge of the metal Gaia 3 though.
I thought the articulation on the metal Gaia 3 tenor mouthpiece was a little cleaner and more focused than the hard rubber Gaia 3. The hard rubber Gaia 3 seemed a little spread with the staccato notes but I also think the hard rubber Gaia 3 had a smoother articulated jazz line when playing bebop and faster jazz lines. (Listen to the articulation and bebop line clips……)
So I guess the question we have to ask ourselves is: if these two mouthpieces are exactly the same, are the differences I hear and perceive while playing them due to the material which the mouthpieces are made of. I’ve always had the impression that metal mouthpieces are brighter and that hard rubber mouthpieces are darker and warmer and in this instance it seems like these two mouthpieces follow that stereotype. Do you agree?
If you hear no difference in each of the clips of these mouthpieces below, please let me know that in the comments below also. I might very well be hearing what I think I hear because I know which mouthpiece is which and have preconceived ideas of what they sound like which is shading and affecting what my brain hears. I hate to admit that but it is a possibility………
Theo Wanne Gaia 3 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece Comparison
If you like the sound and look of the new Gaia 3 tenor sax mouthpiece by Theo Wanne, you can find them at Theowanne.com. I have agreed to be an affiliate for Theo Wanne as of this review so if you purchase a Gaia 3 tenor saxophone mouthpiece from this link, neffmusic.com will receive a small commission on the sale. (This helps to support my site and keep the saxophone related reviews and articles coming to you…..)
If you are lucky enough to play a Gaia 3 tenor saxophone mouthpiece or have any other thoughts or comments on these comparison sound clips below, I would love to hear what you think in the comments below. Thanks, Steve
Theo Wanne Gaia 3 7* Hard Rubber Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Moose the Mooche
Theo Wanne Gaia 3 7* Metal Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Moose the Mooche
Theo Wanne Gaia 3 7* Hard Rubber Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Altissimo Line
Theo Wanne Gaia 3 7* Metal Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Altissimo Line
Theo Wanne Gaia 3 7* Hard Rubber Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Brecker Lick
Theo Wanne Gaia 3 7* Metal Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Brecker Lick
Theo Wanne Gaia 3 7* Hard Rubber Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Articulation
Theo Wanne Gaia 3 7* Metal Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Articulation
Theo Wanne Gaia 3 7* Hard Rubber Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Bebop Line
Theo Wanne Gaia 3 7* Metal Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Bebop Line
Theo Wanne Gaia 3 7* Hard Rubber Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Chromatic Scale to Low Bb
Theo Wanne Gaia 3 7* Metal Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Chromatic Scale to Low Bb
Theo Wanne Gaia 3 7* Hard Rubber Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Donna Lee
Theo Wanne Gaia 3 7* Metal Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Donna Lee
Theo Wanne Gaia 3 7* Hard Rubber Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Body and Soul
Theo Wanne Gaia 3 7* Metal Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Body and Soul
Theo Wanne Gaia 3 7* Hard Rubber Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Tenor Madness
Theo Wanne Gaia 3 7* Metal Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Tenor Madness
Theo Wanne Gaia 3 7* Hard Rubber Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Loud Green Dolphin Street
Theo Wanne Gaia 3 7* Metal Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece-Loud Green Dolphin Street
