New Horn

[Leland]

There is a harmonic, probably on G, which I can reach with no fingering.

That's what people call a false tone. I'm kinda surprised that it sits on a G, since it's usually a low F (or an Eb on a BBb tuba), but different tubas play that funky harmonic a bit differently.

From there, yes, you can go down chromatically to the pedal, and it can sound good with proper practice. It'll sound different from the same notes played with "correct" valves, which is why people are recommending using them.

The best way I found to figure out bottom-octave fingerings has been to play them an octave higher. Use the fingerings that you'd use while playing low, but just play higher so that the pitch is easier to center AND you can directly compare the many-valved-fingering to the standard one. This is different, however, from the false tone harmonic that you're talking about.

The good thing about the false tone fingerings is that they have less tubing in the way, and can sound darker & more open for the same effort.

[Leland]

That's very helpful. As I think I said, I'm not exactly sure where it lies, and haven't looked at it today, but it may be an F. Does anybody know about the physics involved in getting this?

I do NOT know the physics involved, but I have a visualization that might be relevant --

[Mr. Wizard impersonation]

Take a string, or better yet, a long ball-type chain (like for military "dog tags"... they rotate really well), and secure one end to a table, floor, or little sister. Twirl it so that you get one big wave, like a jump rope. Then, double the speed, and you'll get two waves.

The big wave was the fundamental, or in tuba terms, the pedal note. The two waves were the next octave higher, or on a CC tuba, the C two ledger lines below the staff. If you speed it up more, you get three waves, which would be that tuba's G; four waves would be the next higher C.

Ok, so --

Now, unsecure the end of your chain, and let the whole thing hang freely above the floor. Carefully twirl it so that you get one large loop -- but with a sort of tail at the bottom. It should look something like this, only better:

/\
| |
\/
/\

That wavelength is neither the fundamental or the octave harmonic above. Neither is it exactly double of the second harmonic. But, it's a stable state, and can be repeated many times. More importantly, it's quite different from the harmonics surrounding it -- if you try to do two loops plus the tail, it's really close to its neighboring, secured-end harmonics.

Applying this to the tuba, you could say that the regular harmonics resonate cleanly from the lips to the bell edge, while the false tone finds its own resonance while having the antinode at the end of the bell.

[/Mr. Wizard]

That's how I view it, anyway.

[Leland]

By the way cc_tuba_guy, I also play clarinet.

Clarinet?!
Somebody! Anybody!
Git a rope!

A rope? Why bother -- the punishment of playing clarinet is severe enough....

[Alex F]

Ah yes... the clarinet. brings up some bad memories.

When I signed up for high school in 1965, the counselor asked if I wanted to join band. I said yes and told them I wanted to play the trombone. I spent all summer thinking about what it would be like to play the 'bone.

The first day of class, I showed up to the band room. The BD took one look at my thick glasses and decided there was no way I could play a trombone. Instead, I was relegated to the Bb clarinet. The next few months were miserable. Notwithstanding, that BD had a great influence on my life and is responsible for much of what little musical ability I have.

Not that I don't respect good clarinet playing. For a number of years, I lived on Chicago's near west side. From the research I was able to do, I learned that my building stood on or within a few feet of the site where Benny Goodman was born. He learned to play the clarinet at Chicago's Hull House settlement. Just a few months before he died, he received an honarary degree from UICC and, after commencement, toured the campus and his old neighborhood, where I had my only chance to see him.

So much for nostalgia...suppose I should practice.