By the Syos acoustics team - we design custom saxophone mouthpieces and spend a significant part of our working days measuring facings, tip rails, and baffles on an optical comparator. This guide puts the tenor numbers in one place.
TL;DR - What tip opening should I choose for tenor sax?
There's no single right answer, but here's the shortcut:
- Classical / orchestral: aim for 1.70–1.90mm (0.067"–0.075") - think Selmer S90 170 at 1.70mm or S80 C* at 1.90mm.
- Versatile / school band: 1.90–2.30mm (0.075"–0.091"), with Syos size 6 (2.28mm / 0.090") as our go-to recommendation for school bands. Also suits function gigs and pit work.
- Jazz: most working tenor players land between 2.28mm and 3.05mm (0.090"–0.120", Syos size 6 to 9). Some professionals, especially in the US, go past that, into size 10 (3.30mm / 0.130") and beyond.
- Contemporary / free jazz / rock: 2.50mm and up (0.098"+), sometimes well past 2.80mm. Serious air support required.
Wider tip openings need softer reeds and more air; narrower ones reward control and are easier on the embouchure. If you're not sure where to start, Syos size 6 (2.28mm / 0.090") is the safest entry point - open enough to develop tone, without fighting the mouthpiece.
Below, we break down the full tenor saxophone mouthpiece tip opening chart by brand and by playing style, and explain what actually changes when you go up or down in opening.
What is tip opening on a tenor saxophone mouthpiece?
The tip opening is the gap between the reed and the tip of the mouthpiece when the reed is laid flat against the table. It's measured in millimeters - or thousandths of an inch in the US (0.001" ≈ 0.0254mm) - and it's the single number that most affects how a mouthpiece feels and responds.
Tenor saxophone mouthpieces have larger tip openings than alto mouthpieces because the tenor is a bigger instrument. Pitched in Bb (one octave below soprano), the tenor has a longer tube, a larger bore, and a bigger mouthpiece chamber - all of which means more air moves through the system per note. Typical tenor tip openings run from about 1.70mm to 2.80mm for mainstream playing, compared to roughly 1.55mm to 2.30mm on alto. Specialist or custom pieces can go further in either direction.
Here's the mechanic in plain terms:
- A wider tip opening lets more air move past the reed per cycle. That gives you a bigger, edgier sound with a wider dynamic range - but it demands a softer reed and stronger embouchure control, or the reed won't vibrate cleanly.
- A narrower tip opening brings the reed closer to the tip rail. It's easier to control, speaks faster at soft dynamics, and generally sounds more centered - but it caps how loud and bright you can push before the sound flattens out.
- Airflow and resistance are directly tied to the opening, but the reed decides which way it tips. A narrow opening with a soft reed tends to sound thin and buzzy; a wide opening with a hard reed will sound stuffy and airy at the same time. Tip opening and reed strength are always a pair, never a solo act - there's no universal "right" reed number for a given opening, it depends on the player, the reed brand, and the cut.
- Brightness is influenced by tip opening, but chamber size and baffle height do most of the work. Two tenor mouthpieces at 2.30mm can sound completely different if one has a high baffle and the other doesn't.
One more thing worth knowing: facing length changes how open a mouthpiece actually feels in the mouth, even at identical tip openings. A shorter facing will feel more open than a longer one at the same measurement. Facing length is almost never published - unlike tip opening, there's no standard number for it - which is why two mouthpieces at the same mm figure can play very differently.
Tenor sax tip opening chart by playing style
Use this as a starting map, not gospel. Facing length and your own embouchure shift where you'll actually land.
|
Playing Style |
Tip Opening Range |
Feel & Response |
|---|---|---|
|
Classical / orchestral |
1.70–1.90mm (0.067"–0.075") |
Centered, controlled, easy response - built for tone consistency across registers and blend in ensemble playing |
|
Versatile / school band |
1.90–2.30mm (0.075"–0.091") |
Balanced brightness and resistance - Syos size 6 (2.28mm/0.090") is our go-to recommendation for school bands; also suits function work and pit gigs |
|
Jazz |
2.28–3.05mm (0.090"–0.120") |
More edge and projection, room to bend and growl, needs a looser embouchure and consistent air support. Some professionals, especially in the US, go past size 9 into size 10 (3.30mm) and beyond |
|
Contemporary / free jazz / rock |
2.50mm and up (0.098"+) |
Big, loud, resistant sound built for cutting through a band; demands serious air and embouchure stamina |
These bands overlap on purpose. A 2.30mm piece can be a jazz mouthpiece or a versatile one depending on chamber and baffle. Tip opening tells you the ballpark, not the exact address.
Reference tip openings from major brands - tenor saxophone
Real numbers help more than ranges. Here's how widely-played tenor mouthpieces measure up, gathered from published facing charts and manufacturer data. Sorted from smallest to largest tip opening.
|
Brand / Model |
Tip Opening |
Category |
|---|---|---|
Selmer S90 170 |
1.70mm (0.067") |
Classical / orchestral |
Selmer S90 180 |
1.80mm (0.071") |
Classical |
Selmer S80 C* |
1.90mm (0.075") |
Classical (industry reference point) |
Selmer S80 C** |
2.00mm (0.079") |
Classical / versatile |
Selmer S80 D |
2.10mm (0.083") |
Versatile |
Selmer S80 E |
2.20mm (0.087") |
Versatile / jazz crossover |
Meyer 5M |
1.93mm (0.076") |
Versatile |
Meyer 6M |
2.11mm (0.083") |
Jazz / versatile |
Meyer 7M |
2.29mm (0.090") |
Jazz |
Otto Link Tone Edge 5 |
2.03mm (0.080") |
Versatile / jazz |
Otto Link Tone Edge 6 |
2.29mm (0.090") |
Jazz |
Otto Link Tone Edge 6* |
2.41mm (0.095") |
Jazz |
Otto Link Tone Edge 7 |
2.54mm (0.100") |
Jazz |
Otto Link Tone Edge 7* |
2.67mm (0.105") |
Jazz / contemporary |
Otto Link Tone Edge 8 |
2.79mm (0.110") |
Contemporary |
Otto Link Tone Edge 8* |
2.92mm (0.115") |
Contemporary / extreme |
JodyJazz HR* C* |
~1.93mm (0.076") |
Versatile |
JodyJazz HR* 6* |
~2.29mm (0.090") |
Jazz |
JodyJazz HR* 7 |
~2.54mm (0.100") |
Jazz / contemporary |
JodyJazz HR* 7* |
~2.67mm (0.105") |
Jazz / contemporary |
JodyJazz HR* 8 |
~2.79mm (0.110") |
Contemporary |
JodyJazz HR* 9* |
~3.05mm (0.120") |
Extreme |
The Selmer S80 C* at 1.90mm is the classical tenor reference: the mouthpiece most conservatory students start on, and the benchmark against which most other tenor pieces are measured.
Syos / Otto Link crossover note: Syos uses the same tip opening numbering as Otto Link Tone Edge - a Syos size 7 (2.54mm) is a direct equivalent of the Otto Link Tone Edge 7 (2.54mm), and that holds across the whole scale (Syos 6 / Link 6, Syos 7* / Link 7*, and so on). That makes the Syos scale an easy cross-reference against the Link chart for jazz players already familiar with that benchmark. Selmer, by contrast, uses letters rather than numbers, so its sizes aren't directly comparable to either scale - only the mm figure travels between brands.
Syos tenor mouthpiece tip openings
The Syos tenor mouthpiece range runs from size 4* to 11, with a consistent step of approximately 0.13mm (5 thousandths of an inch) between each size. These values come directly from the Syos internal measurement spreadsheet. The star (*) marks a half-size step, halfway between the two whole sizes on either side - 6* (2.38mm) sits between 6 (2.28mm) and 7 (2.54mm), for instance.
Syos Size |
Tip Opening (inches) |
Tip Opening (mm) |
|---|---|---|
4* |
0.075" |
1.90mm |
5 |
0.080" |
2.03mm |
5* |
0.085" |
2.16mm |
6 |
0.090" |
2.28mm |
6* |
0.095" |
2.38mm |
7 |
0.100" |
2.54mm |
7* |
0.105" |
2.67mm |
8 |
0.110" |
2.79mm |
8* |
0.115" |
2.92mm |
9 |
0.120" |
3.05mm |
9* |
0.125" |
3.19mm |
10 |
0.130" |
3.30mm |
10* |
0.135" |
3.41mm |
11 |
0.140" |
3.52mm |
A note on collections: the Syos Originals collection is only available in whole sizes: 5, 6, 7, and 8 (2.03mm, 2.28mm, 2.54mm, and 2.79mm). Syos Signature mouthpieces, each designed with a partner artist, open up the half-size steps too - generally from size 5 to size 9, star sizes included. The Signature designation refers to the mouthpiece geometry, baffle, and chamber configuration chosen by the artist, not a fixed tip opening: each artist's specific range and preferred opening is listed on their own product page.
How to choose your tenor saxophone tip opening
- Start from your current setup. If you play a 1.90mm mouthpiece and it feels comfortable, don't jump straight to 2.54mm - try 2.10–2.30mm first and adjust from there.
- Match the opening to the music. Concert band and classical solo work reward control (narrower); jazz combo and big band lead work reward projection (wider). There's no virtue in playing a wider opening than your music actually needs.
- Beginners: start around size 6. Syos size 6 (2.28mm/0.090") gives you enough room to develop tone without fighting the mouthpiece, and is a more comfortable starting point than the wider jazz-oriented sizes.
- Classical players tend to sit at size 5 and below on the Syos scale (2.03mm and narrower) - our Originals line's narrowest standard opening is size 5; anything narrower, down toward the Selmer S90/S80 C* range, is a Sur-Mesure custom order.
- Jazz players typically gravitate toward Syos size 7 to 8* (2.54–2.92mm) - since Syos uses the same numbering as Otto Link, that lines up with Otto Link 7 to 8* territory too. Professionals, especially in the US, often go wider still, up to size 10 (3.30mm) and beyond.
- Give it two weeks before judging. Embouchure muscles adapt. A mouthpiece that feels too open in week one can feel perfectly natural by week three, once your air support catches up.
- The Syos approach: because Syos tenor mouthpieces are 3D-printed with optimized geometry, the tip opening is consistent from piece to piece - no batch-to-batch variation, no hand-finishing surprises. The number on the label is the number you get.
Frequently asked questions
What tip opening should a beginner tenor player start with?
Somewhere in the 1.90–2.10mm range - the Selmer S80 C* at 1.90mm is the classic starting point, and it's what most conservatory programs use. It's forgiving, speaks easily at soft volumes, and doesn't demand strong embouchure control yet. If you're set on a jazz-oriented mouthpiece from the start, Syos size 6 (2.28mm/0.090") - close to the Otto Link 6 (2.29mm) - is a sensible, comfortable middle ground.
What tip opening do professional jazz tenor players use?
Most working jazz tenor players sit between 2.28mm and 3.05mm (Syos size 6 to 9). There's no single "typical" reed to pair with that - it depends on the player, the reed brand, and the cut. Some professionals, especially in the US, go past that, into size 10 (3.30mm) and beyond, into specialist or custom territory rather than general jazz combo playing.
Does tip opening affect intonation on tenor saxophone?
Yes, indirectly. A more open mouthpiece will tend to run a bit flat, especially without enough air support to back it up. A narrower opening paired with a too-soft reed can push upper-register notes sharp and hard to control. Intonation problems tied to tip opening are almost always really a reed-matching problem - get the pair right and pitch stability follows.
Can I change the tip opening of my tenor mouthpiece?
Not really - tip opening is baked into the facing curve during manufacturing. Some specialist technicians can adjust it slightly by reworking the tip rail, but it's a precision repair job, not a DIY tweak. The safer move is to find a mouthpiece with the opening you actually want rather than trying to alter one.
Does a larger tip opening mean more volume on tenor?
Not automatically. Volume comes from air support and reed vibration efficiency as much as tip opening. A wide-tip mouthpiece with too hard a reed can actually sound quieter and stuffier than a well-matched narrower setup. The loudest tenor players aren't necessarily playing the widest openings - they're playing openings that are well-matched to their air and embouchure.
What is the difference between tenor and alto tip openings?
Tenor tip openings are consistently larger than alto tip openings across all brands and styles. The Selmer S80 C* - the classical reference - sits at 1.55mm on alto and 1.90mm on tenor. This is because the tenor is a larger instrument with a bigger bore and chamber: it needs more reed movement to generate the same acoustic energy. As a rule of thumb, a given tenor opening will feel somewhat more resistant than the same mm figure on alto.