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I'm sure the question has been asked before, but what are the different types of fifth valves commonly used on tubas? My Mirafone 184 has a 1st-and-2nd-valve-equivalent fifth valve, and the Meinl-Weston I use at school has a flat-1st-valve-equivalent. What else is out there? What have you found to be the most useful type?

1, 2-3, and 2nd bell is what I know of.

1st and 2nd? Are you sure? The Yamaha I played on in graduate school had a 2nd-and-3rd equivalent for a fifth valve (lowered the C tuba to Ab, or two whole steps).

Those two are pretty much it for "stock" 5th valves. There are, of course, a few more "custom" set-ups out there.

I'll cast my vote for the 2nd-and-3rd equivalent. I especially like it for low Db and low Gb...I could play them 1-2-5 for much better intonation and (at least, I thought) a better tone quality than 1-4. Using 4-5 for low Es was also nice.

My Cerveny F had a 5th valve that was after the tuning slide, a larger bore, and a perfect fifth in length. Really opened up the low register from Bb on down on what was not a large tuba. With the 6th valve tuned as a flat halfstep, any note could be played in tune if you found the right combination of valves. I really miss that horn.

Todd S. Malicoate wrote:I'll cast my vote for the 2nd-and-3rd equivalent. I especially like it for low Db and low Gb...I could play them 1-2-5 for much better intonation and (at least, I thought) a better tone quality than 1-4. Using 4-5 for low Es was also nice.

For CC tuba or BBb tuba, I do like the 2+3 fifth valve, but I don't care for that so much on an F tuba. For F, I much prefer the flat whole step setup.

jonesbrass wrote:For CC tuba or BBb tuba, I do like the 2+3 fifth valve, but I don't care for that so much on an F tuba. For F, I much prefer the flat whole step setup.

Yeah, sorry. I should have specified for C tuba.

Todd S. Malicoate wrote: I'll cast my vote for the 2nd-and-3rd equivalent. I especially like it for low Db and low Gb...I could play them 1-2-5 for much better intonation and (at least, I thought) a better tone quality than 1-4. Using 4-5 for low Es was also nice.

I like the flat whole step better but I also do the same thing as Todd. For my D and G I play them 1+2+5 and for my Db and Gb I play them 2+3+5. This setup not only (in my opinion) sounds better but lets me use the first and third slide for all adjustments on my horn. This way I never need to pull the fourth slide, I can avoid using 2+4, plus I don't need the fourth valve till I get down to low F.

For a BBb tuba, I would prefer the flat whole step so that those low Eb's were spot on, and low Db can then be done with a straightforward pull rather than gymnastics, and near pedal B nat is a real note.

On either BBb or CC, it also make whole step trills on notes primarily fingered 2+3 a whole lot easier.

Question about brand-new tubas:

About how many new tubas that come with 5th valves also come with apparatus to change the length of the 5th valve? The Yamaha YCB-661 I had for a few months (sadly, no longer made) have a double slide thing where I could remove one of the 5th valve slides and turn the flat whole-step into a flat half-step.

Fiddling with this tubing might change the way the horn plays when that valve is engaged, but wouldn't including (or, at least, having available for purchase) these little add-ons make the issue of valve types moot? I don't know for sure, but, to someone, that might be the deciding factor on a purchase.

Since you asked, here is more than you wanted to know:

http://www.galvanizedjazz.com/tuba/5thvalve.html" target="_blank

-Art "I wrote that just to satisfy my curiosity; I still prefer a 4-valve BBb tuba" Hovey

Bob1062 wrote:The MW 2040/5 (and probably other rotary tubas) has a bent over 5th valve setup with 2 slides next to each other. I don't know if you can take out one and cut the loop shorter by just using the other slide.

Yep, it does look like the 2040/5 can do that. It's basically the same thing on the 661.

I think I've also heard of horns just coming with more than one 5th valve slide (no double-slide setup like the 2040/5).