Who still uses 4 valved CC's?

[Chuck(G)]

No pro I, but how's this for one-upmanship?

Last night, I played a concert on a three-valve CC. A 3-valve compensating Besson. Of course, I scoped this one out carefully--there were no notes below a low Gb, so I was safe. A great little horn (factory original, no Frankentuba this); basically a 3-valve BBb valveset on an Eb-sized instrument. Excellent intonation, but you need to play the A's and E's using 3, not 12.

Linking to another topic recently discussed, the false tones on this horn are so weak as to be non-existent, but the pedal range is very good.
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[tubacdk]

I played a 4v piggy for a good amount of time and never really thought I wanted a 5th valve. If I needed a Db above pedal C, and false toned it without a problem. the 1st & 4th slides got a bit of use to get the low stuff in tune, but it was never a big hassle. I only got rid of that horn because of a sweet deal on a 3/4 RM CC... otherwise I'd still have it and be glad to play it!

-ck

[Rick Denney]

Sorry, Dave, but it's just not the same.

I dunno. When I heard him play the monstrous Vaughan Williams 4th Symphony a couple of years ago, using the Nirschl, he made a big impression on me.

Rick "who has tooted on an Alex for only five minutes, and then with extremely rusty chops, but would like to again someday" Denney

[MaryAnn]

Well, my wet-behind-the-ears input is that I like my 2+3 5th valve on my CC; it gets a lot more use than my flat-whole-step 5th on my F tuba.
It's not stuffy at all when it's used by itself.
MA, who is getting to perform that really cool Frosty arrangement with the big tuba solo a lot this year

[Kevin Hendrick]

I played a 4v piggy for a good amount of time and never really thought I wanted a 5th valve. If I needed a Db above pedal C, and false toned it without a problem. the 1st & 4th slides got a bit of use to get the low stuff in tune, but it was never a big hassle. I only got rid of that horn because of a sweet deal on a 3/4 RM CC... otherwise I'd still have it and be glad to play it!

Sounds very familiar, ck -- I bought a 601-4 (current model number, big brother to the piggy) from Walter Sear many years ago, and I'm still enjoying playing it. As I was trying out different horns, I asked Mr. Sear about the 5-valve version, and he said it was a little more versatile and somewhat stuffier than the 4-valve. The first valve slide does get a workout, but, as you said, it's not a problem ... it gets to be almost automatic (like trombone slide positions) after a while. The false-tone Db-above-pedal-C is very usable. I've never regretted going with the 4-valve!

[Steve Inman]

I see a lot of 4 valved CC's floating around, and it got me to thinking. Outside of Chuck D in the Canadian Brass, who still regularly uses 4 valved CC's?

Ooh, ooh, ooh !!! I know, I know, I know !!!

"I DO!" (er .. "did" until recently ...)

Until recently, I was playing a very nice, older (16.5" bell) Miraphone 186-4U CC that I traded to Andy Smith for his 5V Conn 56J. My playing was with quintet (mostly), community concert band, brass choir, and an occasional pit orchestra. I played the low F 1,2,4 and used other alternate fingerings for the lower notes. The MAIN thing I like about a 5V vs. a 4V tuba is that (for CC) the C# / low F# notes that I would have fingered 2,4 are much easier for me to finger 2,3,5. Other than that, I have not yet found a huge difference ("advantage"), as I don't do a lot of low register playing. [And, I haven't spent much time exploring other uses for the 5th valve for clever alternate fingerings and special applications.]

Cheers,

[Tom Mason]

Dr. William Holmes at Arkansas State played a 4 valve Mirafone 186 CC all of his tenure here. Also played with Arkansas Symphony and did his DMA at UNT with it.

Tom Mason

[Uncle Buck]

When I was at Arkansas State (1996-97), Dr. Holmes was doing most of his playing on a 5-valve B&S PT-10. But as far as his CC playing, whenever he did use a CC, he always used that 4-valve 186.

[Mark E. Chachich]

I have used a 4-valve Alexander 163 CC for as main tuba for over 29 years.
My other CC tuba (Meinl Weston 32) has 5 valves.

Mark

[ai698]

While my Rudy 4/4 5v CC is my main battle horn, it's soooo much nicer to pick up my Weril 4v CC and just play (or practice). I use it in my jazz group and quintet and haven't need a 5th valve. On my F, I want 6 valves.

[ArnoldGottlieb]

I must agree with Mary Ann about the horn with the 23 combination being more useful. I can play Eb's really in tune, and the 523 F can split the tuner. I played a piggy for a long time and was happy with the 124 combination for low F's, my PT20P can be so close on the tuner I havn't really tried alternate fingerings for other notes, although I have played Eb's 51, but a little pull works wonders also. I also remeber Bob Tucci playing privlidged tones on my piggy without any problem, but as a mere mortal, I didn't do so well.

[glangfur]

Shopping for a CC tuba on a budget, to use as a doubling horn, I lucked into a good deal on a really nice Conn 3J (Ray Stewart of the Meridian Arts Ensemble plays one). Plenty of room on the first valve slide for low F and Eb, and the false tone D and Db (and even soft pedal C on the fourth valve, for that scary moment near the end of The Lion King, which is what I bought this horn for) come out great. With the right mouthpiece, which fortunately turns out to be small enough for my bass trombone face to play comfortably, the overall pitch of this horn is excellent. I hardly move the first valve slide at all except for F and Eb.