Selmer Super Action 80 Serie I Altos

[Steve]

on my Couf tenors it was basically this
the thumb rest was 1inch too high. i put a spacer in it which positioned my hand much better to the DEF touches and RH pinky. RH pinky was perfect. But then i also noticed that the thumbrest was too far left. i created a temporary thumb thing to move my thumb around. but no matter where i put it there was something wrong here or there - side keys, pinky keys, DEF side/top F#.

I really didn't notice this much over the years - in HighSchool everyone played Coufs (except my main alto was a Selmer) - my tenor was a Couf - school horns were Coufs (mr coufs store didn't sell any Selmers either).

i never really noticed any speed diff until i tried playing flight of the bumblebee on tenor - i play it at about twice the written tempo. i've always played it on my selmer alto & clarinet. but i all of a sudden could not play the RH fast. strange eh ? I had a SBA in at the time and A/B the two. I could out play myself on the selmer (hey, plus the tone was legendary SBA).

I then pulled out my altos and had he same issue. the RH problem is there on the alto too though not as prevalent as on the tenor. I could outplay my couf alto with my Selmer.

BUT my wrists and arms have fused bones in them. for instance, i could never wait on tables becz i cannot hold a tray flat at shoulder level (neither can my kids). so i have less flexibility than most.

 

[rleitch]

But not every horn is for every player.

That's no doubt true. However, the corollary in my case is that no altos are for me! Honestly, I've owned that Selmer and a gorgeous silver Conn Connqueror, and I could do little more with either of them than make them bleat in protest to my unwanted caresses (oh yeah and a JK stencil briefly which isn't even worth mentioning).

By contrast, I've made a King Cleveland tenor sound pretty good, even if I do say so myself!

Rory

 

[pete]

Well, I have noted that I suck at playing straight soprano, but change that into curved and I sound fairly decent.

It may be that the mouthpiece you use on alto isn't necessarily a good one. You might be like me and want all your mouthpieces to match all your horns (I've got Rascher ATB mouthpieces -- and had a Buescher soprano mouthpiece which was virtually identical) and some makes/models can be really good for a player on one pitch, but not another.

Just a theory, tho .

 

[rleitch]

You're very kind Pete: I'm just glad that that old SA80 has been released from her cruel tormentor.

Rory

ps. I very briefly had a Vandoren AL4 that had been fixed up by Ed Zentera: what a fabulous mouthpiece!

 

[Ed]

I think that different horns require a unique approach and a slight difference in technique. In Doug Ramsey's book (which I reviewed and that review can be found at http://woodwindforum.com/plugins/conten ... content.22), he quotes a letter from Desmond to his father where he laments that if he keeps playing tenor his alto playing will suffer due to the slack jawed approach of tenor. I'm convinced that we use our airstream differently on soprano, alto, tenor, bari, bass, etc. . . I also think your heart has to be into playing the horn.

But I really appreciate that you sold me a killer horn.