TM2 delivers dark toned brilliance. Great darker tone from a solid mouthpiece.
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Designed for McAllister by Hawkins. Crafted by Backun.
A fresh take on classical tradition.
It takes a lot to break from tradition. The first ever mouthpiece series by renowned saxophone artist, Timothy McAllister, and legendary mouthpiece craftsperson, Richard Hawkins, is nothing short of groundbreaking. Together with the advanced design and manufacturing capabilities of Backun, Vocalise Saxophone Mouthpieces provide classical artists with an elevated foundation on which to perform today’s advanced and challenging literature. A new generation of mouthpieces for the next generation of artists.
Models
Vocalise TM1
A close facing mouthpiece with faster response, the TM1 provides artists with a more direct and focused tone across all registers. Artists seeking enhanced flexibility and clean articulation will appreciate the tonal clarity that the TM1 delivers.
Tip opening = 1.44mm.
Vocalise TM2
An open facing mouthpiece that yields a warmer, more robust response that projects incredibly well in larger symphonic settings. Artists will benefit from the core sound of the TM2, which remains consistent at higher volumes, while possessing the ability to float pianissimos with great stability.
Tip opening = 1.53mm.
Comparison Chart
TM Vocalise Alto Saxophone Mouthpieces
Features Gallery
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Comparing TM1 and TM2 Vocalise Alto Saxophone Mouthpieces
Product Reviews
Customer Reviews
Overall rating: 4.8 / 5 from 68 reviews.
This is the best alto saxophone mouthpeice I’ve ever tried period. I love the way it feels and sounds.
TM Vocalise Alto Saxophone Mouthpieces
Store owner replied: Thank you for choosing Backun, Evan! We hope your new mouthpiece continues to exceed your musical expectations! Best wishes, Team Backun
First impression isn't that great. I tried both a yamaha 4c and then the tm2 i purchased, i picked the 4c to compare because its probably one of my cheapest mouthpiece, but i didn't notice a great difference, like it sounds pretty good but doesn't justify the difference in price. I still want to keep it just because i don't want to go through the hassle of returning it. But i think for the price there should have been a bigger difference.
TM Vocalise Alto Saxophone Mouthpieces
Store owner replied: Hi Tonathiu, Thank you very much for taking the time to share your feedback and thoughts. We would love to see how we can turn your 3-star playing experience into a 4 or 5-star one. If you have any questions that we can help answer, please send us an email at sales@backunmusical.com at your convenience.
I was searching for the best classical mouthpiece fir my alto (Yany A-W010). It should be/sound dark as the night, but versatile in lows and high notes. It should be easy to blow and a natural expression of you through the instrument. I happily found it in my Backun Vocalise TM2
I love the TM1 mouthpiece it is a joy to play and produces a warm, vibrant, and dark tone. It pairs well with legere reeds. I use legere 3.0 and 3.25. The mouthpiece is engineered incredibly with a very flat table. My reeds seal great. Thank you Backun!
My son is in highschool band and loves how he sax sounds!!!
Such an enjoyable time every time when I break it out. It kills in the American contemporary style or just when I need a stronger sound. From low Bb to double G it plays so fantastically. My one stipulation is that it unfortunately is not very légère friendly often and I end up having to use a slightly harder strength reed than I would like but that’s not even a cause for concern. I have a lot of fun with this mouthpiece and can’t wait to use it more in the future!
TM Vocalise Alto Saxophone Mouthpieces
Store owner replied: Thank you for choosing Backun, Conner! If you ever have any questions about how to get the most out of your mouthpiece, please feel free to reach out to our experts at any time at sales@backunmusical.com. We're always happy to help!
I purchased the TM1 Vocalise Alto 1st; it produces a beautiful tone that is incredibly smooth across the entire range. I liked it so much that I immediately bought the Soprano version as well. I have some repertoire of Rachmaninoff songs, and since I usually perform "Vocalise" on the soprano saxophone, the name really appealed to me. It truly allows for the kind of free expression found in the human voice, and the legato is absolutely superb. I'm looking forward to get my hands on the “Vocalise" for tenor saxophone soon, too.
plays easily
Stays out of the way and let's you play. The mouthpiece is incredibly responsive and feels so organic that you forget it's even there. Music just flows from the horn!
Not for me, but I’m also crazy I use Theo Wayne with 3.5 reeds
TM Vocalise Alto Saxophone Mouthpieces
Store owner replied: Hi Myles, thank you very much for taking the time to try out the TM2 Mouthpiece, and I am sorry to hear it was not to your liking. I recommend considering trying out a TM1 to discern if it might meet your musical needs on your set up better than the TM2. If you have any additional questions or concerns, please always feel free to reach out to our team at sales@backunmusical.com. Best wishes, Team Backun
Very easy blowing good tone and all registers available
So far, I've only played it twice. The holidays are taking time away from playing. However, first impression is it isn't super resistant. It projects well with little volume in all registers. Intonation isn't clear just yet. Need more time with a tuner to say. First impression is that I like it more than my s90/190. My Phil Tone Meyer however is still a go to. A bit too much power for classical/concert work though.
Has a much sharper sound and definitely improved my overall sound.
Fantastic
It was not what I was expecting it to be. The tone quality of it was very underwhelming. An alright mouthpiece but maybe worth it for 1/3 the price
It gave me so much flexibility, but still a nice crisp tone underneath. Truly a worthy purchase
Richard Hawkins and Tim McCallister have collaborated on a great new standard for a saxophone mouthpiece. They have produced a mouthpiece (alto TM2) that offers me the balance between resistance and freedom, quick response, and focus with flexibility needed to produce the sound in my imagination. I am pairing this TM2 with The Boston Sax Shop’s new “Blue” Classical Reeds - #3. Bravo!
This the greatest mouthpiece. I've ever played. I play it with the legere signature reed and the sound is out of this world.
The larger tip opening gives me increased power behind my sound compared to the TM1.
Was recently asked to try both mouthpieces by a student of mine. Yes. If you want to play classical music then #1 is perfect. If you want to play jazz with a warm tone, as in the older jazz standards, then #2 is perfect. However it's nowhere near as focused as it needs to be for modern "smooth" jazz, i.e. 2001 onwards up to today. It's not flexible enough to accommodate the changes in warmth, brightness and all the subtleties in between for modern smooth jazz, and I tried I don't know how many different reeds. Sorry, but I' m sticking with my Syos Brught, and I advised my student accordingly.
Just one note was all it took.
Plays well
When I got this mouthpiece I was a little sceptical of whether or not I would choose over my Vandoren Optimum mouthpiece, but from the very first note I played I instantly fell in love. The ease at which I can now play my altissimo range is incredible. I now feel so much more flexible with the music I play and feel like I don't have to deal with immense amounts of resistance that I experienced with my old mouthpiece.
Great. Thanks for designing such great playing mouthpiece. Felt natural and easy for me almost immediately.
As soon as the mouthpiece arrived I was keen to compare it to my others. As an amateur player I’ve been struggling to find a mouthpiece that gives me a consistent feel and tone across the range of the instrument. This was the one! High end, low end, all the way through sounded great. Looking forward to my next full band practice!
The Alto mouthpiece with the Legere' Signature Reed is a dream. The intonation and ease of playing has made playing wonderful. I wish I had this years ago!
The Backun TM2 is the supper charged sports car I've been looking for. I have been using the Better Sax Burnin' 5 for a few years and is very fun particularly when I am messing around in practice. But for blending into my church orchestra or playing solo specials bright and bold wasn't the sound I was looking for and the handling experience for the more classical style of music I am playing was a chore because it didn't provide the resistance and support I needed. I went with Backun's TM2 for two reasons and no reserves. 1) was looking for the support I felt I needed to floor it without feeling like loosing control. The Burnin' gave me flexibility great for some situations but it was its vice for most of my playing. 2) I was honestly already partial to what Backun had to offer with the TM2 because as a clarinetist I absolutely love my Backun Alpha. After several practices now I am very pleased with the handling the TM2 provides and the more pronounced dark rich focused resonance just tops it off. I feel like I don't have to work as hard to get the sound I want. Thank you Backun.
TM Vocalise Alto Saxophone Mouthpieces
Store owner replied: Thank you, Jason, for taking the time to share your thoughts! We are very glad to hear that you are loving your new mouthpiece.
Excellent playability- great sound and response. I purchased two (an alto and one soprano). So much to like in this ‘piece. I am a longtime Legere player on alto and these work beautifully for me on this TM2 alto piece.
I ordered this mouthpiece in high hopes that it will live up to the free blowing and versatile characteristics I've heard about it. When I first played it, I instantly noticed the ease and effortless feeling throughout all registers. I prefer the free blowing feeling over the resistant feeling of my Selmer Concept. To anyone who is interested in a mouthpiece that has a wider tip opening than usual and extreme versatility and clarity, the TM2 is the way to go!
I have used the selmer concept for 3 years. With TM2, I can blow low notes easier than Concept. Other than that, Everything for both is very similar to me ,so far.
Wonderfully resonant through entire range, crisp articulation and great dynamic response.
Wonderfully resonant through entire range, crisp articulation and great dynamic response. Feels great in the embouchure!
A solid mouthpiece for classical saxophone.
Whether I am performing with the Prince George’s Philharmonic, the Colshire Winds, or solo recital, the Backun Vocalise alto saxophone mouthpiece is always the best choice. Ease of articulation, beautiful tonal palette, superb intonation and ease of play is just astounding. I love both TM1 and TM2, but more frequently I am playing the TM2 paired with a Legere Signature 4.0 reed. It just sings and I cannot imagine playing on another mouthpiece. Bravo to Tim and Backun for collaborating on this masterpiece! Steve Carmichael
It was good. My son is extremely pickywithmouth pieces and how it sounds to him while playing, else it is an Excellent Mouthpiece
The TM2 is a star. It encourages clear tone and easily projects, and I felt even tone and resistance over the range of the horn. The highest notes responded particularly well with open tone and perfect intonation easily obtained. This mouthpiece is a joy to play.
Just wanted to say I love your alto sax mouthpiece. Your mouthpiece gives a great tonal quality to my horn.
I could not believe it would play from the lowest note to high f sharp on the first try. Has very smooth tone without effort
My first classical mouthpiece and it has a lovely warm sound. Looking forward to playing it some more!! It looks good also. Thanks Backun.