 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Sarah
Date: 2001-11-23 21:44
I'm playing in a show (A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum) next week and am doubling clarinet and tenor sax. I'm normally an alto player so have borrowed a tenor for the purpose of this. I really don't know anything about the instrument though.
It's a Selmer, says 80 Super Action on it. The serial number is N.343873. I know nothing about Selmers as my alto is a Yamaha and my clarinet a Buffet so any info about this would be very helpful. The mp is a Selmer C*.
I would just like to know anything:
age
level of instrument (student etc.)
You know what i mean, general stuff.
Thanks in advance.
Good clarinetting/ saxing!
Sarah.
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Author: Wes
Date: 2001-11-23 21:56
You are fortunate to have borrowed a first class saxophone with a fine show type mouthpiece. To me, after playing alto, tenor, and clarinet many years, I can hardly tell the difference any more. Certainly there is a difference, and it was more pronounced at first, but I play the soprannino sax about the same as a soprano, alto, tenor, baritone or bass sax. The embouchure on the sax is a pronounced "oooh", by saying "cheerios". Actually, the saxophone is as difficult to play well as any woodwind and really requires many endless hours of dedicated practice on long tones, scales, chords, and etudes. Good luck!!!
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Author: chuck
Date: 2001-11-24 00:16
Go for the gusto! C* mpce is a good one, used it on my Mk 6 and alto for many years. When doubling, you may find it helpful to use a plasticover reed on the tenor. The response is always there. Chuck
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Author: William
Date: 2001-11-24 00:46
Beware the House of Marcus Licus--hehehehe!!!!! A FUN musical--enjoy!!!!!! Selmer S-80 is good, try a Selmer C* mpc and medium reeds LaVoz/VanDoren Java/Rico Jazz Select are all decent brands. Good Clar-Saxing!!!!!!!!!
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Author: kgl
Date: 2001-11-24 01:05
Sarah--
It doesn't get much better than that!!!
You have a beautiful professional-level horn with a great mouthpiece. Selmer is now on the Series III (after Series II) of the Super Action 80's, and each is an improvement, but they're all great and much easier on the hands than the older Mark VI's and VII's, which are still in demand. Enjoy playing it and best of luck with The Forum.
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Author: Mike B.
Date: 2001-11-24 02:06
A differing opinion on the C* MP - I think that the tip opening is WAY too small for a tenor (agree about the horn, though).
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Author: ron b
Date: 2001-11-24 04:03
I'm surprised. You must've borrowed from a good friend I don't know many sax players who would loan their instrument to anyone, much less a Selmer Super 80. Fine instrument. You'll enjoy it, I'm sure :]
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Author: dan powell
Date: 2001-11-24 12:34
the c* is perfect for pit work.you will need to play softly and the c* excells at that. mike b has obviously never done pit work on tenor
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Author: Mike B.
Date: 2001-11-24 15:27
Well, Dan Powell, I am truely amazed at your ability to discern so much from so little posted! I wish I could do this, it would save so much time. I stand by what I posted above. Regards,
Mike B.
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Author: Mike B.
Date: 2001-11-24 16:15
Also, MP choice is (obviously) highly personal. Given that you (Sarah) don't have much exeprience on the instrument, the best thing to do is to try the MP out. If it suits you, then you're home free. If not, then you need to try a variety of MPs ASAP. Having sent a great deal of time switching between alto and tenor, my personal experience is that the tenor plays better with a wider tip opening. However, it may be easier to switch with a narrower tip opening. Be advised, though, the C* tip opening is extremely narrow, much more so on tenor than on alto. Regards,
Mike B.
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Author: dan powell
Date: 2001-11-24 23:17
she is a clarinet player doubling on tenor sax playing music that will mandate she play soooooo softly as not to drown out the unamplifyed vocalist. the c* is the best choice for this . i did lots of pit work so i am inthe know. if she were playing jazz or rock of course she would benifit from using a bigger tip. also remember she is a clarinet player first and is used to playing on small tips
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Author: ron b
Date: 2001-11-25 20:46
This is getting way over-complicated, in my opinion. You already know the fingerings, Sarah. Just blow it and don't worry. That horn will do the rest all by itself
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Author: Hiroshi
Date: 2001-11-26 01:41
Selmer super action is introduced by Henri Selmer de Paris in 80's(That is the meaning of 80 I guess). This is suitable for Classique repertoire. (American Selmer Mark VI is for Jazz.)
Selmer has a thicker wall than Yamaha generally.
If your tone has tendency to vibrate especially in the lowest range, it may be a countermeasure to change from a rectangular throat(C*) to round throat mouthpiece such as SuperSessions.
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Author: Mark Pinner
Date: 2001-11-26 21:39
I'd take it home and forget to return it for a while at least. Ditch the C* if you want to play tenor seriously and get a metal mouthpiece such as an Otto Link, Berg Larsen or a Lawton it makes projection a lot easier. A better choice of rubber mouthpiece would again be a Link, Berg Larsen or a Meyer. I play tenor mainly and have a Yanigasawa 991 and a mark VII. The Yanigaswa is a heavier horn than the VII and produces more sound but they are both nice. The super 80 may be just a plain super 80 known as the series 1 or it may be a series II or the most up to date are the series III or the the reference models 36 and 54. The 36 is based on the 30's Cigar Cutter and the 54 is based on the 50's Mark VI. Welcome to the whole new world of "Saxspeak".
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