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What do you think about tuning a 4 valve non-comp a bit differently?

Pull out the 3rd and 4th slides an extra 1/2 step and use the following fingerings:

0 2nd partial
2
1
12
3
23 (+10 cents)
4
24 (+20 cents)
124 (-15 cents)
34
134 (-20 cents)
1234 (+15 cents)
0 1st partial/pedal

Normally a 4 valve non-comp would be:
0 2nd partial
2
1
12
23
4
24 (+15 cents)
124 (-30 cents)
234 (-15 cents)
134 (+15 cents)
1234 (+50 cents or not playable)
not playable
0 1st partial/pedal

Why not?

Bob

My valves are somewhere between what you call normal, and your proposal. The 4th and 3rd valves are flatter, to make 13 a fourth and 14 a fifth. So you wouldn't use 4 alone as a fourth any more than you would use 3 alone for a minor third.

Here's my normal on the left, yours on the right. Same problem at the bottom, but I think fewer problems with the rest. I don't know about normal, but I don't think I made this up myself.

<pre>
0 0 2nd partial
2 2
1 1
12 12
23 23
13 4
24 24 (+15 cents)
14 124 (-30 cents)
34 234 (-15 cents)
134 134 (+15 cents)
1234 1234 (+50 cents or not playable)
not playable
0 0 1st partial/pedal
</pre>

So anyway, you're playing your tuba with that alternate valve tuning you propose? Does it work for you?

i've seen guys who have it set up so that they can tune while playing. maybe thats an option

hurricane_harry wrote:i've seen guys who have it set up so that they can tune while playing. maybe thats an option

That's the only way to fly! How you get there is a matter of personal choice.

If I recall the piece correctly it was Exalete (spelling?) that started me on this subject. The euph part has a decending run that ends up on low B, just a 1/2 step above pedal Bb. It got me thinking, how can I play it... The second time thru the piece I just listened to see what other voices had the same line, would 8va sound acceptable... I didn't hear anyone else playing it...

The decending line is too fast to pull slides. So I figured the best solution was to set the slides in advance. Hence the new fingerings.

I've tuned this way, played scales, verified the tuning/fingerings, it works. But, my slides are all the way out and are likely to fall out. To make it work for a rehearsal or performance I'll need to have longer slides fabricated.

Dumb question ahead:

Do euphoniums have false tones, like tubas? If so, that might be an option.