Shopping for a 6/4

[runelk]

You need to try different horns not just the York. Check the octaves, pedal notes, high notes. Does the horn play stuffy through out the registers or does it play like a 4/4 horn (easy blowing) As always, take a tuner. If you can, take the horn home/school and play it in familiar surroundings. Practice on it.

DO NOT make an on-the-spot decision and buy the horn after playing on it for 2mins just because it is a York.

There was only one Arnold Jacobs and his two original CC 6/4 Yorks, what worked for him, might not work for you.

My 2 cents worth

Albert "I'm happy with my 6/4 MW 2165 that I've had for 6 years" Islas

[Rick Denney]

A 6/4 has to have the same things as smaller tubas: Manageable intonation, a good scale, and a good sound.

But in play-testing the big horns, I have come to the conclusion that some take a little air and make a lot of resonance out of it, and others seem to suck the air right out of me. For me, the difference is immediately apparent.

One top pro described his Yorkbrunner to me as having the quality of taking what you had and making more out of it. He contrasted that with the original 2165, which he said was designed to take all that Warren Deck could give it. Some horns are designed to be as open as possible, while others seem more aimed at being as resonant as possible. A player like me benefits from the second and suffers with the first.

Rick "who wants a big horn to make things easier, not harder" Denney

[windshieldbug]

If you can, try them in the environment you want to use the horn in. A horn that sounds good in a practice room may not sound at all good on a stage, and vice versa.

[Mike Forbes]

Hi TubaNinja,

Both guys above make some really great comments. As I have played and owned a cut York for some time, I might be able to better help you decipher what to do. But first, I should take this opportunity to give you a link to a review that I wrote regarding testing a Cut-York against some other horns back in my Army Band days:

http://www.chisham.com/tips/bbs/jul2001 ... 62773.html

In the end, I've played quite a few BAT's (6/4's) and have found that there is something about the Cut-Yorks that really appealed to me as a player (and Rick Denney I think as well as I recall him played one (perhaps mine) at an Army Conference once and really enjoying it).

For me its all about response. Loud playing, soft playing; hard attacks, legato attacks, high or low, I want the horn to not fight me, but help me accomplish my goals musically. A 4/4 does it so well it's not really even something people think about much. 6/4's not the same at all. That's where the Cut-York sold me! Amazing response no matter what the criteria.

As for pitch, for me, it's all about 2 things: 1) regulating your air-flow so that you can actually PLAY a 6/4 (much slower air needed: fast air = terrible pitch problems!!). 2) the right mouthpiece for these bohemeth instruments. If you are normally a "Bowl" player (PT 80's/30's or Miraphone mouthpieces) or a "Funnel" player (PT 40's or Helleberg/Laskey, etc.) you may need to switch to make the 6/4 (or cut-york) work the best. I personally am a bowl player who primarily uses "faster" air. Learning to play a cut-York was a wonderful opportunity in learning how so many other tuba players play: slow air, and funnel mouthpiece. I got myself a Parke-Offenloch mpc (funnel) and slowed down my air and the Cut-York is probably the finest tuba I've ever played. And many colleagues agreed that the sound was truly special. With this new approach to playing, I also found pitch to be WONDERFUL on the Cut-York. Interestingly, I then transferred this new air thing to my 4/4 and F tuba playing and noticed improvements in pitch and projection there. Nothing like have the tuba teach you how to play better!!

Best of luck to you! Enjoy the response!
-Mike Forbes