Comparing Every Professional Selmer Clarinet at the Factory! 

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="62">1:02</a> Signature <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="90">1:30</a> Recital <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="119">1:59</a> Privilège <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="147">2:27</a> Presence <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="176">2:56</a> Muse

RE: Signature I used to play on a Buffet R13 and switched to a used set of Signature's a couple years back. After I switched, I had people coming up to me saying how they really liked my sound ... I didn't tell them at first that I made a switch to Selmer. It's true ... the Signature definitely has a little more resistance and your current setup might need to be changed a bit -- a brighter/freer blowing mouthpiece and maybe a different reed cut. Took me awhile to find a new setup, but now I'm very comfortable playing it. The evenness of the sound throughout the registers is something that really appealed to me. On my Buffet, the upper register (about top line G) would gradually start to get brighter the higher I went up the scale. The Signature allows me to just play the instrument without having to worry that the sound is going to spread and brighten. As far as intonation .... I don't worry about having to add extra keys to bring the pitch down or to round out the notes. Playing the Signature in a band setting is something I had to get used to. At times I felt that I was not able to cut through with the same brightness of the Buffet, but it still sounds nice. I mainly play in chamber and orchestra settings, and that's where it really works great. I've never felt that I can't project to the back of the hall or that my sound was dull. The key work is great the key positions are very comfortable. RE: Presence I picked up a used Presence about a year ago (at an unbelievable price) and had to say it's a great Clarinet. New, the Presence is comparable in price to a standard Buffet R13. The build quality of the Presence is very good, and it definitely has a slightly brighter sound than the Signature. If you put a darker/focused mouthpiece on it, it can sound similar to the focused sound of the Signature. With the Presence, you have to easier time to shine and also be more reserved, depending on your setup. This would definitely be a nice option for someone looking at a Buffet R13 or a Yamaha. The key working is nice, but the key positioning is not as refined as the Signature -- a couple of the keys seem to bit a higher on the body than the Signature. But after playing the Presence for about 15 minutes, you get used to it very easily. For $2000 less than the other premium Selmer's, this is a great option. I would have no reservations playing this clarinet in a concert instead of my Signature.

The Recital in my ear, wins hands down. The depth, core and projection are superior than all of the other models you tried. IMHO😊

To my ear, the Signature was a clear winner. Thanks for the excellent comparison.

Bravo for sharing this fascinating test experience, something most of us can only dream about ! And my thanks to Conn Selmer for so generously allowing you to test these instruments and share this with a larger audience. This can only encourage players of all levels to be more open and curious about what the wide offerings available today can bring to performance.

Really love your sound on the Signature. I've always had a soft spot for them and I think you sound fantastic on it. The resonance on the instrument, the blend between a creamy, dark sound and just enough brilliance is what my ear likes. Great comparison video!

Great video. When I was a kid had a selmer catalogue from the 90s and I used to dream about owning one some day. What a thrill it was that my first clarinet was a Selmer 300 student model. Back then I always wanted the gold plated one they offered at the time... if you told me back then I'd some day have a gold set of cocobolo Backuns (which didn't exist yet haha) I would have been super excited!

Thank you for the great video! I play Signature clarinets and I love the sound I get on them! To my ear, you sounded the best on Signature (then Privilege, Presence, Recital and Muse).

They all sound fantastic, and the Muse is my favourite sound out of the bunch, with the Presence in a close second.

Thanks for this: I wish more "comparison" videos would present things in this uniform way (and playing slowly, so you have time to catch nuances in the tone). For me, the clear winner was the Recital, which had a bloom in the sound that the others lacked. It was mellow without being dull (as you commented). The one that sounded least good was the Muse. You said it had the greatest range of colours, but another way of putting this is that it had the most edge in the sound. I felt that, if I was playing it, I would always be fighting to get it to produce the warm smoothness of the Recital. The Privilege had some of the Recital's qualities, but with leanings in the Muse direction. The other two sounded on the dull side. I've been tempted by Recitals in the past, but I decided I couldn't cope with the weight - though the Privileges aren't a lot lighter, and are much heavier than Buffets: I've had the chance to measure them side by side, and for a Bb without mouthpiece I got 840g (Recital), 832g (Privilege), 785g (Buffet).

the Muse is enticing to me. combines a colorful sound that is trademark of other makes (most similar to the Recital here) with the consistency of intonation and ergonomic keywork of the Privilege and Presence

Thanks for the comparison. I have studied in Paris with prof. Guy Dangain who advised people in Selmer when making recital. He would always refer to my Signature with words “it’s a nice instrument but has some tuning issues. Recital is better in tune”. He himself has played a recital, of course. The throat register on Signature just seems somewhat higher on the intonation due to a special build. All the tone holes are raised. Still, it’s reliable and has this wonderful darkness to it that I fell in love with on first hearing. I have been playing it for 20 years now. For a short period of time I wanted to sell it and switch to Privilege. But my repair man talked me out of it explaining to me I would be sorry to loose such a great piece of wood. So he did a complete restoration which will probably hold for another 20 years or so. Such a great instrument.

great video. really good sound and comparison. I'm liking the Privilege . Selmer working on the throat tones was a great idea. I'm liking the Evolution idea but as you showed I did not hear that much of a sound difference.

Thank you for your review! It was intersting to compare your thoughts with mine. I bought my Muse a couple weeks ago after trying the whole line besides the Recital. I found the Muse to be an ideal horn for solo and chamber playing. The sound is really catching and it is so enjoyable to play. Among characteristic features I would mention very mellow and round altisimo that require almost no adjustments in embouchure/breath support to make it sound nice. Presance is a really great value but lacks character and did not give enough resistance for me to play comfortably. Privilege was very even, sounded nice, was easy to play but seemed a bit sterile and boring compared to Muse. Playing the Recital is too physically demanding for me even on an open mouthpiece and the weight really feels (not a fan of neck straps) Overall, considering current prices on top-of-the-range Buffets, Selmer is doing nice job with their clarinets for their price. Also, the evolution system is a nice compromise. It gives an experience of a wooden instrument with some protection, when Buffet's greenline are lacking soul as to me.

I liked the privilege, and the muse. They had the tones that "stood out" and resonated the most with me. I like a clarinet that is warmer in the lower register, and cheery, and bright in the higher registers.

Excellent informative video! Hugs from your fan here in Brazil!

Nice ! I own a 1957 Selmer Centeredtone Clarinet that I bought back in the 80’s .

Nice video. I have always liked the Privilege and Signature models when it comes to Selmer. I know the recital is a bit heavy and has a bit of resistance to it. Of course that was 10 years ago on the recital. I am glad you reviewed the evolution option for the instruments. If that really doesn’t affect the playing characteristics of the instrument, it does seem like a win-win situation.

Thank you very much for this video. Selmer did a real good job with his actual clarinets, they have the sound, the look, the ergonomy, and are slightly differents so they can please numerous musicians. I tested them side by side during a "Selmer day" at local conservatory : the great dark and mellow Recital, the Signature wich I personnaly feel more resonant and bright (edit : a question of set-up/embouchure/blowing ?... in fact I tested the Signature twice in different circumstances and each time found it too bright, I had the same problem with the Buffet-Crampon RC Prestige), the Muse wich seems to me to have a slightly coloured sound with a great balance, the Privilège wich I felt more centered/focused. I found the Présence limited but with a sweet sound, a very good deal for the price. IMHO the Muse is the best of the line, more even and more well-tuned, easy, well balanced, but I prefer the Privilège wich gives me what I call the "Selmer kick" : more punch and clarity at the same time with good low frequencies in the chalumeau. For the moment I love my Selmer, an old "Modèle Déposé" L-series from 1931 I found one year ago, wich is soooo easy to play, but if I had the opportunity to change for a modern pro-level instrument, Selmer Privilège will be my choice, then Recital or Buffet-Crampon Tradition, and then Muse.

Great video, dude! I think if I didn’t play on Buffets, I’d reach for the signature. I’ve always liked those instruments

I now play the Signature with the Echo mouthpiece which you reviewed favourably. Thank you. Bill. UK

I have Privilege and Presence. Presence is a really good clarinet for the price. Privilege has better projection and stability. Thank you for the detailed and wonderful review every time.

Nice video. Interesting. The muse would be my choice. Bob, that alto looks good on you. I hope you brought it home.

The Privilege IMO is the nicest.. very nice sound on all of them though!! Lovely:)

I think you sounded the best on the muse and signature. Both sounded pretty similar to me but the muse was a little more light and colorful and the signature was more dense and compact. The presence was a close second.

I feel like the muse is very similar to the légende model from buffet... I have never been that big of a "fan" of Selmer but I might be reconsidering on that now :)

what attachment do you use on the Thumb rest ? Ron

Beautiful playing and great comparison! For what it’s worth, I agree that you had a particularly good match with the Privilege model, although the Presence was about 90% the same. Not bad for an instrument that costs $2000 less! Did you find that the Presence had undue resistance in throat tone A and B-flat? I love my copy of this instrument but, especially when playing in chamber settings, sometimes I feel that these notes sound a bit too covered with my setup.

The Evolution seemed to have a subtle shift in the upper mids. Both sound great, I actually like the brighter sound over the darker ( to me).

Ahhh! What fabulous videos. I don't play clarinet, but the string cousin, viola. Subscribing was a no-brainer.

No1 Privilege. No2 Signature. Your sound on the Privilege has more colors, beautiful tone. Great video, thank you!

Great vid, really informative thanks. Would you mind sharing your recording setup? I am interesting in recording myself to listen back to my playing.

Be great if you added a centered tone...or early S10!

I want to try them all.

Recital ❤👍🏆

I really have to say it's a toss-up between the Signature & the Présence followed by the Recital and then the Privilege(the Muse hasn't won me over yet). The former 2 have a good balance between the 'sparkle', roundness & depth of the sound, which the latter tends to favor more of the mid-lower partials. How I'd characterize them against Buffet models(losely by sound alone) would be that the Signature & Présence sound more closer to the R13 bore family but noticeably broader and fuller, while the Recital & Privilege sound more like the RC bore family albeit more punch. I just got a 2nd hand Présence Bb(and an A when my budget allows!) as my new Bb, replacing my old RC Prestige(which is now for sale!) and love it, though still kinda adjusting to the optimal voicing on the Présence, but the same happened when I switch from my old Buffet Prestige bass to my current Selmer Privilege bass! PS AFAIK the Signature & Recitals seem to be of similar design apart from the thicker walls of the latter, as they both share similar barrel lengths that are very different the (current 2nd gen)Privilege, Présence, Buffets & Yamahas(except CSG)!

Like the §ound of the pad work on the Selmer Presence Clarinet -Nice Sound!☆*⋆.

Did you testing the Selmer Prologue?

Hi. What type of information do you have on the Selmer Series 10G, circa 1982-1984?

I think you should review the BG B3 mouthpiece sometime.. Seems very interesting!

IMHO the Muse and the Signature are tied in the first place, but with different characteristics. While the Signature is pure silk and velvet, the Muse is a swashbuckler. Now the Prestige is a close second place and the Recital comes next. The Presence would be a definitely great choice by the price and quality combo.

Hi Eric, did you use one ksm 141 in the recording or two?

The Signature is a very sophisticated clarinet. Check out the videos byStephen Williamson and Todd Levy about it - you play All the models well glad your dad enjoyed playing the saxophone - God bless you both - Bill - UK

I thought the Privilege had a slightly more brilliant sound and the Muse had a slightly denser and richer sound than the others. The rest sounded pretty much the same to me and none of them jumped out as being drastically different.

At times you could hear key pad sound (That Pop).

Q: Any chance to provide a "Selmer Muse" with a 'low pitch' Eb? Advantage: Bb-2 sounds so much better!!

Which one is the lightest weight?

Selmer clarinets are particularly good. It’s just insane how they vary in sound to the buffet crampon clarinets.

#2 & #5 were the better sounding horns to me.

I liked the Muse the best because it sounded the most like Buffet lol

Great comparison. (Time to turn the ball cap around)

Not fan of the flip flop sound from the left pinky to right pinky interactions on those notes when laying down all the keys. Could be player technique error or the instrument itself. The last option is a deal breaker.

Ok for me, no noticeable difference between the EVO and the normal. You sound the most dark chocolate-like with signature. I think your mouthpiece is probably not suited for the privilege, it sounded a-bit rigid with particular horn. Awesome video as always!

In regards to your current technique and skills, I mean both your virtues and problems when playing, the Privilege reacted the best. It 'smoothed out' many imperfections in the tone generation, notes handing over, better managed the way you intonate, switch between the registers, begin and end notes, etc. Then the Presence, as perhaps the second best for you. It seems you were used to playing the clarinets that offer nearly no resistance, so you were not even aware of all the problems in your technique? To play other models, like Signature or Recital, you would need a very different approach to playing, maybe a different breathing technique, different reeds, and a more relaxed embouchure. Those models sound as if they are way more resistant for you. The Muse’s sound is full of lovely overtones, but their abundance also colour “dips” in your technique when diving from higher into lower notes: short transitions sound “metallic” on Muse. Overall, Selmer clarinets are not crowd-pleasers, that allow anyone to "sound quaint". No. They offer more to improve the technique, and personalise sound to a higher level. They allow that, but a serious player must work on it.

Still no F correction key??? Cmon Selmer, let’s get on board!

Nice review! Beyond the global trend of playing with more "dark" sounds, I think the essence of the schools is being lost. They are French instruments, and they have a French design. Every time we are looking for clarinets with polycylindrical chambers to resemble the German sound. And we are losing the center of the sound and the bright, projecting quality of these instruments. And that has to do with mouthpieces and reeds. For me, the clarinet that most resembles its essence is the Signature. I hear the others dull, boring and not very vibrant, like "dead" sounding. Huges

A friend once told me Selmer clarinets tend to have a beautiful centered sound but have less flexibility, whereas Buffet clarinets tend to have more flexibility, allowing the player to create a centered or harsh sound with greater ease. Did you find this to be true in any way? I was told this many years ago back when I did not understand much about clarinet playing, so I could have misinterpreted his words.

🤷🤷🤷 they're o.k.

Honestly, I didn`t see any audio difference between any of those models you tried. Especialy, under my opinion, the difference in price of almost 2.500 $ is not worth it. Finaly, they are all very good instruments.

I only hear a difference in the recital

To my ears not much difference between them!🙏🏻

If you're paying for something with the extra cost it certainly isn't the difference in tonality. As far as this demonstration is concerned, a Selmer's a Selmer. Of course there are a plethora of other considerations people may find important in choosing their instrument: The aforementioned heavier/fatter barrel. How does it feel? Blowing resistance Key plating material, etc. In those cases, then the price difference might be worth it.

Are you suggesting these instruments are not fabricated in France? There are made at Conn Selmer? Have we been duped all these years?

I've a Recital just 1992-3, first series, whit low resonance key. 🗝️ . Original yellow pad in working conditions 😊 I play it with original selmer c85/105 mouthpiece*, with 2,5 - 3 Vandoren White german reeds. I ❤ it. Sorry but in this video, and earing by smarthphone, differences from this instruments are not clear. But I know that Recital is very dark, so I vote Revital 😅 * Cose ive broked my Pomarico 1 crystal mouthpiece... 😢