[docrob]

I was looking at some images for curved sopranos and came across one with a pinky cluster which looked like this.

https://flic.kr/p/6548485299
Any idea where this comes from?

Admittedly I have mainly played horns with modern keywork, but this looks pretty awkward to navigate. I am not 100% positive which keys is which outside of the G#.

Anyone played a horn with this configuration?

 

[BPSAX]

Well..
It doesn't seem too complicated, but not as nice as a completely modern saxophone..
The C# is the longer key with a roller, B is the smaller key with a roller, and Bb is the smaller key at the bottom without a roller.

You'd get used to it in... 5 minutes.

 

[milandro]

Yes, this was common in some older configurations such as the older Yanagisawa here in the pics

, other sopranos inspired to and by this system took this and many are still using them while Yanagisawa no longer uses that.

It is not particularly difficult to use though. I have more problems with the older system of the left palm keys which you can find on the older models of Yanagisawa soprano, sopranino (and Mark VI) those I find very difficult to use.

 

[docrob]

I guess I was just thinking of playing chromatics with this configuration. It probably is doable. Maybe I am just spoiled with what I am used to.

 

[whaler]

Not real difficult to realize that that design had to be that way on the curved soprano until Yanagisawa made a soprano with a 'balanced action' bell key layout, plus the fact that everybody has copied Selmer.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/YANAGISAWA-...487?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item43aa073f37

 

[Dave Dolson]

I have sops with this kind of pinky-table (from a '28 TT to a Yanagisawa SC902). It isn't much different from the modern "tilting" table, really. And I'm betting that it is way less than five minutes to become accustomed to it. I switch among the various designs all the time. DAVE

 

[bruce bailey]

It looks like most of my horns....

 

[StanleySaxMan]

I played an older Yanagisawa Curved Soprano with that left hand pinky layout and the Selmer Mark VI Soprano palm keys. The palm keys took a minute to get used to but the pinky key layout was not bad.