Maison SELMER
The aesthetics of the Supreme saxophone
The Supreme alto saxophone is an instrument whose every detail has been meticulously thought out and cared for. Its aesthetics, in particular, has been completely redefined…
Reinventing everything
For the development of the Supreme, all the parts of the instrument have been redesigned for both technical and
manufacturing reasons, and also for reasons of instrument reliability. The use of new technologies has been widely employed: 3D printing, metrology (3D scanner), automated control of machining tools, etc. The idea was to reinvent everything without having to start from a completely blank page.
It was an opportunity to redesign the aesthetics of the instrument as a whole to try to convey in the best possible way the feeling of fluidity, of evidence that has been defended by the acoustic development of the Supreme. We wished to visually express this simplicity, this flexibility, through sleek lines and the softening of angles.
“The keywork of a saxophone is often complex; an impression further multiplied by all the bevels that reflect the light in multiple ways. We have therefore sought to round out and soften the appearance of these keys to transpose this simplicity, this fluidity, this more obvious and direct relationship to the instrument.” Jérémie Bernard, designer
Floral and mineral elements
The engraving is always a strong element for the identity of a saxophone. The Supreme engraving evokes a sense of universality.
The genesis of the sound is embodied in the explosion mixing the plant design, a traditional SELMER engraving, with the cubes illustrating the structure of the metal molecules. The cloud caused by this birth, evokes the projection of air, movement, speed, and life. A disc in the background evokes a planet, echoing the notion of infinite space.
“A saxophone is a way to transform metal into sound. With the Supreme, we wanted to find these small crystalline elements which evoke the internal structure of the metal. And also some floral elements that are part of the engravings of the great SELMER saxophones and bring life in a breath, an explosion, a big bang, as an invitation to new musical explorations.” Jérémie Bernard, designer
With this saxophone, we also wanted to create unexpected and surprising details. This is the case of this dragonfly, taking up the aerial theme, contributing to this feeling of life and lightness. Air is the element that fills living creatures, it is therefore associated with the breath of life. Invisible, it is the conductor of odor, wind and sound… of saxophone…
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