Inside the saxophone and the clarinet

I have been a great fan of the indie rock band Mercury Rev for a long time, and I still remember the first time I listened to their 2024 album Born Horses. I was at my desk in Korea, working, and letting the music sink in when, halfway through the third track, Your Hammer, My Heart, a beautiful saxophone solo caught my attention. I froze. Who was this player? A quick search led me to Jesse Chandler, and just like that, a new musical connection began. I reached out to Jesse to see if he would like to try some Syos mouthpieces, and he agreed. Not long after, he sent his thoughts. He loved them. On both saxophone and clarinet, the response felt natural and expressive. As I learned more about him, I discovered that Jesse was also a member of another band I have admired for years: Midlake. Their music, rich in harmony and atmosphere, feels like the perfect match for a musician with Jesse’s sensitivity to tone and texture. These days, Jesse is also performing with the brilliant critical darling Madison Cunningham, an artist whose work I discovered through him. Her songs balance intimacy and intricacy, recalling Joni Mitchell, Fiona Apple, and Joanna Newsom. Then came the moment that made everyone at Syos smile. Jesse took the stage with Madison Cunningham on Jimmy Kimmel Live, performing Break The Jaw. At 0:42, Jesse’s bass clarinet enters with staccato phrases that punctuate the song’s quiet intensity. Each note lands with precision, adding lift and tension that accent the rhythm section and draw the listener closer to Madison’s voice and the emotional center of the song. Almost at the same time, Midlake released a brand new single, featuring both Jesse and the brilliant Sam Evian, who has produced albums for Big Thief, Blonde Redhead, Okkervil River, and more, each performing with their Syos mouthpieces. Hearing them together brings out that unique balance of warmth and texture that defines the Syos sound. Hearing a Syos mouthpiece on national television and then again in this new Midlake release was a proud moment. More than that, it was a reminder of what we love most about music: the way sound travels, connects, and surprises us when we least expect it. We are thrilled to have Jesse Chandler as part of the Syos community, and we cannot wait to hear where his music takes him next. If you are curious about what caught Jesse Chandler’s attention, you can explore our Syos Originals collection, the same line that inspired him. He especially connected with the Smoky, the darkest mouthpiece in the collection, warm, deep, and rich, yet still remarkably easy to play and offering excellent projection. Jesse now plays the Smoky on all his wind instruments: tenor saxophone, B♭ clarinet, and bass clarinet. Each Originals mouthpiece combines effortless playability with custom color options that let your setup feel as personal as your sound. But make no mistake, this is not a toy. Supported by signature design precision, the Originals are crafted for musicians who want to achieve the kind of sound they have envisioned. Every order comes with a 30-day trial period, so you can discover your perfect sound with confidence. 👉 Discover Syos Originals for saxophone 👉 Discover Syos Originals for clarinet

Tiny Desk concerts have become a global stage for authentic performance. From Havana to Baltimore to Tokyo, Syos artists Christian Ortiz, Brent Birckhead, and David Negrete brought their custom sounds to this intimate setting, proving that a mouthpiece can carry character and culture as much as notes.

Born in the dance halls and blues clubs of Texas, the “Texas Tenor” tradition is raw, powerful, and deeply soulful. It is a sound carried by legends like Illinois Jacquet, Arnett Cobb, and King Curtis. Today, it lives on through modern players and mouthpieces like the Robert Martin Signature Tenor, designed to capture that same grit, projection, and blues-soaked presence.

Meet UPSCAL3D: the new material for saxophone and clarinet mouthpieces that brings greater durability, safety, and performance.

Fela’s youngest son keeps the Afrobeat flame alive. Seun Kuti and Egypt 80 brought a set to KEXP that pulsed with funk, fire and protest, reminding listeners that some messages never lose their relevance. As a Syos artist, Seun shapes his saxophone tone with a custom mouthpiece designed to carry both the urgency of his message and the joy of the groove.

Josh Plotner takes Daft Punk’s “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger” and turns it into a one-man saxophone orchestra. Playing soprano, alto, tenor, baritone, and bass saxophones, each with a Syos mouthpiece, Josh layers every part of the track into a bright, fun, and energetic performance. Complete with clever video editing and an improvised solo that steals the show, it’s a joyful reminder of how versatile both the saxophone and Syos mouthpieces can be.

A closer look at the double lip embouchure, how it works, why it faded from use, and what it can reveal about your playing today.

Grammy winner Lorenzo Ferrero sat down with us for a one-on-one chat about his Syos Signature mouthpiece, sound design, and what most saxophonists misunderstand about gear. From initial skepticism to fine-tuned nuance, his insights reveal just how personal a mouthpiece can be.

Leo Dale is no stranger to musical exploration. The Australian saxophonist blends jazz, Indian classical, and ambient soundscapes across projects like Mantra LIVE, Raga Saga, and From Now OM. In this video, he plugs in with a Tivon Pennicott #7 Syos mouthpiece and records a fully improvised jam with Quinn Knight and Moses Carr. The result? A slow-build session that moves from spiritual to groovy to melancholic, with no notes written in advance.