Automatic Spit Valve

[Robert Simmons]

Why that's simply amazing! Just tonight I was at a band rehearsal where a young trombone player was having difficulty reaching his spit valve. This would be helpful. Your point on Amado water keys is well-taken, too.

[Jobey Wilson]

This could be great for young trombonists, especially. I almost have a coronary every time one of my young t-bone students reaches with his foot to drain the water key...half the time their shoelaces catch the water key & bend it, or worse... Apparently their band directors tell them to do this...yet another piece of BBDA "bad band director advice." ...this may be a topic deserving of a whole new thread!
I personally get a bit of enjoyment from the gag-reflexes/looks I get from string players when I "drain" in orchestras...especially while playing in a colder hall (I will blow hot air through my horn for a couple minutes before an entrance, then drain a small pond under my chair before playing). Some say "There flows the Charles River!" Note...I ONLY will do this with my tenured orchestras!! Do NOT EVER, EVER do anything half-way obnoxious on ANY first-call scenario!!!!

[tubatooter1940]

I added push button water keys to my first and third valve slides to go with the traditional one on my tuning slide. Now I wish I had added one to the short second valve slide. If I blow hard enough with the second valve depressed, I can blast most of that water out to be drained out one of the other water keys and avoid the "King Spin" onstage.
I have a pretty yellow terry cloth hand towel I drape twice over my bottom bow that will catch juice from any and all of the three water keys. I always drape the towel when we play inside to head off the "yuck" factor from arising in any audience.
The yellow towel goes well with my festive lei draped over my tuba and my Hawaiian flowerdy shirts.
For our upcoming trip to Seattle, I can't be sure of having a boom stand available for my tuba mike, so I plan to carry a small terry wash cloth to tape around my Schure SM57 microphone so I can drop it down my borrowed tuba with no damage to the horn and possibly dampen out some sound if the mike moves around in there.

[lgb&dtuba]

3. Fake Amado (Jupiter replacement part): The Best.

Is this the same as the Saturn water key?

[J.c. Sherman]

Not at all. The Saturn is a totally different design, more like a rocking ball which can be pulled or pushed in any direction, rather than the piston style Amados and the like. Have a look on www.hornguys.com.

J.c.S.

[lgb&dtuba]

Thanks for the pics. I've seen pictures of the Saturn water keys but not the Amado.

[peter birch]

I think that unless you are doing something particularly gross, you should not be getting too much saliva going down the instrument, Warm moist air meets cooler metal and it is condensed water, not saliva or spit, that is in our tubes. No different to a string player leaving rosin dust or horse hairs on the stage. The string players may think we are gross, we don't need to prove it for them.

[lgb&dtuba]

No different to a string player leaving rosin dust or horse hairs on the stage. The string players may think we are gross, we don't need to prove it for them.

Especially since the water we leave will evaporate and not require someone else to clean it all up, unlike the rosin dust and horse hairs.

[tubatooter1940]

If we could just remember to swallow before we blow it will minimize the amount of slop we have to dump into a towel or on the floor.

[SplatterTone]

Just play with a big mouthful of calcium chloride.

[Robert Simmons]

I really liked the part in the movie "Mr. Holland's Opus" where the trumpet player drains on the neighbor's shoe. It is used hilariously as a recurring motif.

[The Jackson]

Ah, nothing soaks up spit quite like a carpet band room floor. The aroma really does give your gag reflex a run for its money.


But, since we are tuba players, I prefer to call the substance in question "DWAD".


(Drool With A Direction)

[Tubaing]

I prefer to call the substance in question "DWAD".
(Drool With A Direction)

I like calling the stuff with the name of the person who emptied it followed by an alliterated liquid word.
Examples include; "Spechtcial" Sauce, Adam Ade, Sam Slobber, Dan Drool........

[Naptown Tuba]

I make it my policy to always chew a handful of Ritz crackers before each important entrance. Nothing better!

Except maybe.................crackers with PEANUT BUTTER

[OldsRecording]

I make it my policy to always chew a handful of Ritz crackers before each important entrance. Nothing better!

Except maybe.................crackers with PEANUT BUTTER

Is that somewhat akin to eating a package of Oreos right before a dentist appointment? (Make that hygenist earn her keep... )