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So another English guy was playing a tuba of mine (4piston + 5th rotary C) and commenting about using the RH little finger for the 4th valve. He didn't like it since he's so used to B&H 3+1 setup...

However, we worked out the horn could work if he reached around and played the 4th with his left 1st finger (as he's used to). Problem with that meant the leadpipe would need moving to work ergonomically.

So the question is, could this work for any of your horns?
Bass or Contra - pistons only of course...
Sit it in your lap and see if it fits, then comment on where the mouthpiece ends up!

Mark Carter carries probably the biggest stock of front action tubas in the UK and he's mainly a Melton (Meinl Weston) and B&S guy. I think he usually has some Hirsbrunner in too. These brands most useful but please try with any horn and let me know!!

Rotary makes a lot of sense since the paddle is remote!
We didn't think of that (duh)...
That would also allow big tubas to be a possibilty for the guy.

OK, so literally ANY tuba; could it work with what you have?
:D

For years I had the 4th valve dilemma myself, because of my short and slightly curved inwards pinky. But I'm also left handed in a right handed tuba world, so I didn't want the Besson 4-valve set up, as my left hand would not want to subordinate to the right. But since I had learned brass "conventionally," I was not going to have a horn flipped for a left handed valve block, either. Even something like a Conn 2J with its smaller bore and thus smaller valves closer together tired my right hand out because of the natural tendency for the 3rd and 4th fingers to move together, taking energy to keep them functioning separately.

Finally, this year when I got my Miraphone, I was able to be free. I took paper, set my hand on paper in actual playing position with fingers slightly curved, traced it, and had the paddles adjusted in all three axes, length, spacing and height, to tailor it to my hand, including moving the thumb ring to where it just barely clears the 2nd valve slide when extracted. Having to wear tailored suits for my former day job life for twenty years, to tailor a set of tuba paddles was no big deal.

I can now play a tuba with four valves. Including the cost of the mods with the purchase price, including mods to the leadpipe and receiver to account for my slight overbite, I now have @$2500 in a perfectly tailored tuba. I'll be putting just a bit more into it getting the recording bell up and running for outdoor gigs like the county fair this summer to have as an alternative to the upright bell for indoor gigs.

Interesting, as I hadn't thought of having paddles ergonomically modified to fit my hand, but I see it is entirely possible. So far, I can reach the rotaries I own without significant problems, despite really small hands. They aren't that much different from piano keys, in the long run, and that's basically how I play them ergonomically.

I wonder how many people who prefer rotaries, are also keyboard players?

On my 4-upright valve euph, I reach around with my left hand and operate the 4th valve with it; I just don't have the reach to do it with my right pinky. So generally when I play euph, I use my 4-rotary Bariton even though it is harder to play otherwise.

If I became more of a euphist (?), I'd have to get a 3+1, I think, for it to be playable at any level above pure hacking. I can certainly empathize with short-pinky players. I have 2 1/8 inches of pinky, myself.

MA

Wow! I didn't know it was possible to adjust the paddles! on my rotary horns I adjust my hand to the paddles so my wrist is not so bent - this causes shoulder pain.

On my piston valve Melton the thumb ring had been moved so it's really comfortable now.

I'll have to check the paddle thing out, thanks.

I wouldn't say simple, but straightforward. If you have a tech that is good and neat with his silver solder, you just unsolder the paddles and re-fit them where you want them on the tang of the lever. Then you take two pair of smooth needle nosed or similar pliers, using a little bit of paper or cloth between the jaws and the lever to prevent marks, if necessary, and hold the lever with one pair and use the other to adjust the height and lateral position of the lever. Don't try to just bend them with your fingers because the stress will transfer through the linkage and you could warp the linkage or damage the rotor shaft.

Other people have metal "buttons" or small coins soldered to the paddles in various positions for the same thing.

Wow. I was searching for advise on modifying my Miraphone 4 valve sousaphone to lefty. I learned to play right handed but I am a lefty. a few weeks ago my right hand locked up during an easy song I switched to playing left handed. It feels much more natural to play with the left hand but I cant reach the 4th valve. I was thinking of taping a tounge depressor to my left pinky.

Should i have my horn put under the knife or are there left handed horns out there?

iiipopes wrote:For years I had the 4th valve dilemma myself, because of my short and slightly curved inwards pinky. But I'm also left handed in a right handed tuba world, so I didn't want the Besson 4-valve set up, as my left hand would not want to subordinate to the right. But since I had learned brass "conventionally," I was not going to have a horn flipped for a left handed valve block, either. Even something like a Conn 2J with its smaller bore and thus smaller valves closer together tired my right hand out because of the natural tendency for the 3rd and 4th fingers to move together, taking energy to keep them functioning separately.

Finally, this year when I got my Miraphone, I was able to be free. I took paper, set my hand on paper in actual playing position with fingers slightly curved, traced it, and had the paddles adjusted in all three axes, length, spacing and height, to tailor it to my hand, including moving the thumb ring to where it just barely clears the 2nd valve slide when extracted. Having to wear tailored suits for my former day job life for twenty years, to tailor a set of tuba paddles was no big deal.

I can now play a tuba with four valves. Including the cost of the mods with the purchase price, including mods to the leadpipe and receiver to account for my slight overbite, I now have @$2500 in a perfectly tailored tuba. I'll be putting just a bit more into it getting the recording bell up and running for outdoor gigs like the county fair this summer to have as an alternative to the upright bell for indoor gigs.