Couf had been the principal clarinetist with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra under Paul Paray until he retired to open Royal Music Center and commit his full attention to the business of music.

While owner of Royal Music Center he marketed H. Couf woodwind mouthpieces saxophones, and clarinets.

H. Couf saxophones were made by the Julius Keilwerth company of West Germany.

[1] Herbert Couf was born to Morris Couf (1889 Bogoslov, Kiev Governorate, Russian Empire – 1961 Atlantic City, New Jersey) and Rebeca (née Rivka Nedelman; 1896 Russian Empire – 1981 Atlantic City, New Jersey) — Morris and Rebeca were married November 15, 1917, in Manhattan, New York City.

They had two daughters, Karen Eve Couf (born 1957; married to Gerald Irwin Cohen, MD) and Donna Andrea Couf (born 1959; married to Armando Garcia Reyes).