This is also the case for Jumbo Java, Vandoren's ebonite model. In particular, metal mouthpieces like Guardala or Dukoff have very long and very high baffles, which give them their metallic sound (also understand that the metallic sound does not come from the metal). Since then, mouthpiece designers have been creating mouthpieces with higher baffles, adapted to the requirements of jazz saxophonists. Modified mouthpieces are not ideal as the volume of the cavity becomes much smaller, thus destabilising the tuning of the mouthpiece. It is only at the beginning of the 20th century that some saxophonists had the idea of modeling their mouthpieces by adding a resin paste inside the mouthpiece to raise the baffle and create new sounds: these higher baffles amplified the higher frequencies, to the point of saturation (or "buzz"). This mouthpiece, although quite difficult to play, created a rounded sound suitable for classical music. When Adolphe Sax invented the saxophone, the mouthpiece he imagined had a very low straight baffle coupled with a very large chamber. The baffle does not only play on the brilliance of the mouthpiece, but it also determines the comfort of play, and in particular the resistance of the mouthpiece. ![]() An intermediate baffle will give a more balanced tone, with more flexibility but the mouthpiece will be more generic. Therefore, with a straight baffle we get a very dark and soft sound (or smothered, with air inside) whilst a high step baffle will produce a very metallic and aggressive tone. In a simplified statement, the closer the baffle is to the reed, the more powerful and bright the sound will be. There are several geometries for saxophone mouthpiece baffles. The impact of the baffle geometry on the sound The baffle is the most important geometric element of the mouthpiece when it comes to shaping the sound, and it is primarily responsible for the acoustic properties of the mouthpiece and the comfort of play. ![]() The baffle is the part of the mouthpiece located just behind the reed: it is the surface that the air, vibrated by the reed, strikes directly, therefore its geometry is crucial.
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