Selmer Varitone

　If this were a performance on a “standard” vintage saxophone, I wouldn’t have to worry about finding a player. There are plenty of renowned jazz musicians in Japan who are well-versed in handling vintage instruments. However, this instrument is not “standard.” Moreover, there is likely no player in Japan who has ever played a fully functional Varitone. I sought a performer who could meet several specific requirements while keeping in mind the instrument’s characteristics, potential, and limitations.

First, they must be skilled at handling the Effector. Naturally, this is non-negotiable. They must be able to control the ambiguous response unique to analog Effector, and the effects themselves are quite idyllic compared to digital ones. In short, the overall response is sluggish. Incorporating this tricky feature into an actual performance requires a high level of experience and a keen sense for effects.
photo　Next, it must possess a diverse musicality. In the past, whenever I listened to jazz players using this system, I realized that the true value of this electric saxophone lies beyond the boundaries of jazz. When played within the formats of bebop or modern jazz, it ends with a simple “Oh, I see.”

The true appeal of the Varitone lies in the interplay between the natural sound and the processed sound. I envisioned a genre-defying “improvisation”—weaving phrases while being inspired by the shifting tones.

　Finally, though not an absolute requirement, the player must not use an Amesel Mark Six as their primary instrument. Ideally, it would be even better if they were a seasoned player who isn’t particularly drawn to Selmer instruments in general.

　The Varitone system is a monstrosity—a monstrosity that involves attaching wiring tubes that deliberately dampen the resonance to the legendary Selmer Mark VI and drilling holes into its precious neck.If you’re a Mark VI fan, there’s no doubt you’d be disappointed the moment you saw this instrument, thinking, “What on earth…?” And from the perspective of someone who highly values the Mark VI’s original sound, the thought that they’d go to the trouble of wiring up a Mark VI in such excellent condition—when they didn’t need to—would have my enthusiasm plummeting from the very start. That wouldn’t do.

　In fact, I’d previously announced to a few players, “Actually, we have something like this in our shop,” to gauge their reactions. Sure enough, I got some cold responses like, “Oh, I know that one—what a waste,” or “It’s just got a Effector plugged into it, isn’t it?”Unless the performer is 100% enthusiastic about it, it’s difficult to reflect this instrument’s charm in their playing. That’s how I felt.

　The result is as you can see. A few days after that fateful encounter, Mr. Tanaka visited the store. All I asked was, “Please skip the bebop (wry smile), and I’ll leave the rest up to you.” That was it. This demo performance was a cold, unprepared take, recorded immediately after a rehearsal that lasted less than 10 minutes—including a quick check of the equipment.
The location was our store’s 3rd-floor sales floor—a cramped space in front of the entrance counter. You can’t tell from the video, but an intense heat beam from a spotlight was shining directly on him. Despite such poor conditions, he delivered a performance that exceeded all expectations.

　There has never been a performance in the past that brought out the full potential of the Selmer Varitone’s capabilities to this extent. If we could go back to 1965 and show this demo performance to the developer, I wonder what kind of reaction he would have had? There is no doubt that this will be referenced time and again as a sound reference for this instrument in the future.

*The controller box is mounted on the key guard beneath the saxophone body. The knobs for adjusting the amplitude depth (DEPTH) and speed (SPEED) of the TREMOLO are located on the front of the amplifier.While the player must switch these knobs while playing the saxophone, in past performances, players would simply set the controller’s parameters at the beginning and then toggle the NORMAL switch on and off at key moments.In this “demo performance,” with the aim of maximizing the Varitone’s inherent capabilities, various settings are combined within a single song. In the video, you can see Mr. Tanaka instantly adjusting the knobs without interrupting his phrasing. Watching the demo performance while paying attention to the changes in sound and those actions reveals a new level of interest.

　It all started when I happened to run into Mr. Mizumoto from THE Used Instrument Shop on the streets of Okubo one day.
“Oh, it’s been a while,” I said. “It has been a while. Oh, right, Tanaka-san, I have something I’d like to discuss—or rather, a favor to ask…” he began. After taking care of my business, I visited the shop again. That was the first time I heard the word “Varitone.” I thought, “Huh?” and when the actual unit was brought out in front of me, I couldn’t help but exclaim, “Whoa!!!”

　A gleaming MK6 and an amp bearing a Selmer logo for some reason... what on earth was this? Thanks to Mr. Mizumoto’s detailed explanation, I learned it was an analog effects system developed to accommodate the electric era, and my eyes were glued to the “electric” modifications made to the saxophone itself.A piezo microphone mounted on the neck, “tubing” running along the body to route the wiring, and the Mark 6 engraving sitting sheepishly right next to it… This is a rare item among rare items!

　 First, I tried playing the saxophone itself... While I’m widely recognized as not being a Selmer player, I thought, “Ah, it’s a Mark 6!” And the playing feel—almost like a brand-new instrument—was incredibly impressive.

After that, I moved on to a test play with the power “turned on,” and this was incredibly interesting. First, the way the echo worked was typical of the electric echoes of that era. As for the octaver, you have to put a certain amount of air into it—or rather, produce a sound rich in harmonics to get the body to vibrate—or it won’t work.As for the tremolo, it pulsed relentlessly like an artificial heart. Combined with the overall sense of inefficiency and awkward handling, I found myself deeply moved, thinking, “What a truly endearing system this is.”
Actually, there was a time when I was pretty hooked on effects, and I used to love digital and analog delays, loops, envelope filters, auto-wahs, wah-wahs, octavers, and so on (I still use them occasionally).

　The Varitone lacks that digital “thud” and sensitive response entirely, but considering the music of the era in which it was made, there’s no doubt they were aiming for a pretty hip sound. It’s not hard to imagine that the sensation of a sound completely different from natural reverberation “electrifying” your body and emanating outward must have been a novelty incomprehensible to those of us born in an era where effects are commonplace.I imagine the staff on the “electric” side were full of enthusiasm, but I can just picture the saxophone craftsmen, tilting their heads in confusion and asking, “Why are we doing this?” while still attaching the piping exactly as specified in the blueprints (laughs).

　I don’t know exactly how many of these systems were actually made, but I suspect they didn’t circulate widely on the market.Manufacturing costs were likely high, and since it was bound to be at a disadvantage when competing with the Barcasberry piezo microphone, it probably ended up fading into obscurity. Actual recordings by Eddie Harris and Sonny Stitt do exist (though I haven’t listened to them myself), but when recording the audio samples for this project, I was simply asked to provide a performance that didn’t just sound like bop with effects slapped on top (lol).And so, this rather rough sample recording was created. Since I didn’t have enough time to fully familiarize myself with the system before recording, I simply asked the musician to try out whatever ideas came to mind on the spot. I’m thinking it might be interesting to record a “Version 2” sample in the future, perhaps after using it in a live setting.
　As an aside, some time later, at a repairman friend’s workshop, I saw the actual alto saxophone that had been part of the Varitone system. All the wiring and piping had been removed, leaving it in a state of being “just an alto saxophone.” It was like seeing a defeated warrior, and a tinge of sadness suddenly crossed my mind.

Kunihiro Tanaka Profile

　Born in 1966. He became fascinated with jazz and pop music during his university days and has since taught himself the saxophone. With his sweet tone and a style described as “surveying a wide range of music,” he blends into any sound while exuding a unique presence.In addition to his solo work, primarily in jazz, he participates in various groups, including “sembello” (a duo with Oki from Skapara), “Tokyo Chutai-iki” (an ensemble of 11 baritone saxophonists), “blackvelvets” (a contemporary reinterpretation of mood music), and the “Kunihiko Tanaka Jazz Trio.”
He has extensive experience in recording and sessions. He has performed at festivals in New York, London, Monterey, and elsewhere, both in Japan and abroad, and continues to expand his creative horizons.

www.kuni-kuni.net

　I remember the first time I encountered the Selmer Varitone system. Beforehand, I had only heard that it was a deadstock New equivalent!!—specifically, an American Selmer tenor in the 140,000 series.My heart was racing. The moment I opened the case, I thought, “Hey, who did this?! They just shoved the Effector in there with it—it’s supposed to be just like the New, so I can’t believe this. Seriously. Huh? They’re stuck together…”

　To be honest, I was one of the disappointed ones too. The more I looked at it, the more I sighed in disappointment. Both the neck and body were virtually unscathed, with no signs of wear. It was a Mark VI in perfect deadstock condition. And yet…

　I managed to pull myself together and looked into this instrument. Among the players who used this model back in the ’60s was Eddie Harris. I listened to Harris play. It had been over twenty years. Memories of listening to that same record back in my student days came flooding back.Ah, just as I thought. Amidst a thoroughly laid-back, funky performance, I could hear the faint overlapping of octaves. Back then, I’d sensed that the sound processing was somewhat shoddy, but I never would have imagined this was actually a performance using an electric saxophone. So this is the sound of the Varitone? I was even more disheartened.

　The turning point came when part of my moribund system was restored. The neck pickup came back to life, so I decided to give it a try. Though imperfect, I was taken aback by the tenacious power of the octaver. It was in a completely different league from that thin, mosquito-like octave I’d heard on the record. I was convinced this was going to be interesting.

Finally, I would like to thank Mr. Tomita and Mr. Sato for their tireless efforts in tuning this troublesome instrument.

Project Manager: Mizumoto

*Finally, please enjoy this rehearsal take recorded just before the demo performance. Even though it’s just a rehearsal, it’s a performance well worth listening to!