If you play different types of musical styles, you will need different types of mouthpieces. Different mouthpiece produce different sounds. A "Classical" mouthpiece will perform better for certain types of classical music. A "Jazz" mouthpiece will perform better for most jazz music. The key is to experiment with different mouthpieces to get the sound YOU want.

Your mouthpiece is where the sound starts. The first point of contact with your wind instrument is through your mouthpiece. Did you know that there are different mouthpieces for different genres of music? To be comfortable with different musical languages and achieve your choice of music, you must have the two types of mouthpieces; the jazz and classical mouthpiece. Let’s see what the difference between the two is.

The “baffle” inside the mouthpiece is the biggest difference between the two. For a jazz mouthpiece, it has a convex-shaped baffle on the roof of the mouthpiece. The baffle speeds up the air when it enters the mouthpiece which gives more edge, projection, and buzz that is accustomed in hearing jazz, rock and pop music. Jazz mouthpieces are louder than classical mouthpieces because they enable you to compete with high and loud brass sections in a band. Their tip opening are bigger and have larger chambers which give more options in bending notes, and “subtone” playing.

Another type of mouthpiece is the classical mouthpiece. This one has a straight, or concave-shaped baffle which makes the classical sound be rounder and sweeter, purer and more focused. Unlike the jazz mouthpiece, classical mouthpieces have a fairly closed tip opening and smaller chambers. This makes it easier to blend with other mellow sounding instruments like clarinets and flutes.

These two types of mouthpieces may differ from each other but it is important to have them both. You need to have an authentic sound that is true to the style of music that you’re playing so you need to acquire more than one mouthpiece.