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OK-I know this is a strange one. I have a student who plays a large BBb 4-valve Martin, (as do I). The instrument has been cleaned carefully, flushed and snaked; the valves are aligned, the water key is airtight and no leaks have shown up. Yet once in a while the horn's response just goes bad, sounding like there's either something jammed inside or a massive leak. My student is not the variable as I've played it myself when it was "on" and when it was "off"-there is definitely SOMETHING happening-it went from bad to good DURING a lesson last night. I've been teaching for over 20 years and have never encountered this before. I know someone is going to write-"take it to a qualified repairman"-and we will.....

BUT-I'd like to hear if anyone has a story about a similar problem and if an unlikely cause was discovered. Thanks in advance for any "tales of strange tuba response...."

I was having a problem in a lesson a couple weeks ago, for some reason some notes started playing really poorly, it felt like there was a loose solder. But it hasn't happened again, and I've concluded it was something resonating in my studio teachers room, since it was only a few notes and it only happened when I was standing and facing a certain way. Could it maybe be this? Does it happen in other places too?

The phenomenon has occurred in several different places and has been noticed by others. My student sits in exactly the same place each week so I don't think it has to do with room resonance.
The theory regarding a loose valve guide is interesting-I believe I checked for this but I'll take a closer look. I would think that would make the response change back and forth more frequently, but I guess if a piston "hangs up" a certain way it could be the culprit. Thanks for all responses so far.
Any other ideas out there?

You wrote the the water key was good, but did you actually check it when the tuba was "bad"? When closed, it may be air tight, but is it always closing properly?

Are the valves all coming up completely after being depressed?

Have you given the tuba a good shake to see if anything inside rattles?

When it's "off", then can you find any air leak? Is it possible that something is warming up enough with playing to expand and cause a leak? How sure are you that something isn't wedged and moving in the big bugle part of the horn, where a snake doesn't reach?

If you do find out, let us know!

bloke wrote:

DP wrote:I say blame it on Bush

and the Freemasons!


bloke "or, perhaps, the thickness of the mother-of-pearl in the valve buttons"

No, The Bank of England is behind this.

Strange But True....I once had a student who tossed his lunch sack into a big Conn recording bass and went to play an audition for an honors band. Needless to say, his pitch was awful and he sounded terrible. Later, he discovered the bag....

I once had a Miraphone 183-4 that had a 1983 Tuba Christmas button hanging the the back bow like a stove pipe damper. It didn't rattle but often would change positions I finally discovered it during a thorough cleaning and snaking.

DP wrote:I say blame it on Bush

Why not? He gets blamed for just about anything and everything these days.

DP wrote:I say blame it on Bush

Father, mother, son, first lady, or twins

TubaRay wrote:

DP wrote:I say blame it on Bush

Why not? He gets blamed for just about anything and everything these days.

Whoa now.

I have a feeling this thread is headed on a tangent.

The water key is definitely not the problem-even played the horn with another main slide (and water key) on it and the same problem remained. The valves all come up with no problem. Dan's post intrigued me though-I think the horn came to it's previous owner without the two leadpipe bits....or did it?
I wonder if those little guys somehow got wedged into the bigger branches. I suppose a bell screw could do the same.
I DID have a similar problem with a student's baritone horn once-certain notes were fine and others literally wouldn't come out at all! After a lot of poking around with a snake a rubber superball came out!

While I blame the president for many things even I can't blame him for this one!

If we do find the culprit I'll definitely post-til then keep those ideas coming!