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FSU? Which FSU?

The most common 5th valve set-ups on CC tubas are either a long whole step for an in tune low F or a long minor third for an in tune low E.

Klaus

krogdor wrote:Hi, I'm new to the Tuba community. But i'm about to head up to FSU and my professor prefers me on a a 5V CC Tuba (any 2145 Meinl weston's or 189 Miraphones available?). And as soon as i do procure one of these said tubas, i intend on practicing my face off, since i played a BBb Tuba in school. Reading music will not be the problem for me, I just have no idea what the 5th valve does.

So what purpose does the 5th valve serve?

Thanks!

From what I have heard, the 5th valve lowers the fundamental pitch of the horn by a whole step. It also serves to replace a few multiple-fingered combinations that normally have bad intonation, and it provides a full range of the instrument. For example, if you were to have a BBb tuba with a 5th valve, you would be able to play the B that's located a half step above the pedal Bb by holding down all 5 valves. This eliminates the need for lipping some notes.

I have owned tubas, over the years, with both a flat whole step and a descending major third configuration. I prefer the flat whole step.

I use the flat whole step 5th valve extensively in the low register of the CC tuba. On a four valve CC tuba, the F, 4 ledger lines below the staff poses a problem. The 1,4 combination is sharp and, on most tubas, the 1,2,4 comination is flat. I play the F 4,5. The Eb below the F we just discussed is typically fingered 1,3,4 with a first valve slide pull. I play the Eb 3,4,5 to take advantage of the lower whole step of the 5th valve to bring the pitch down. Also, the half step above the fundamental pitch on any 4 valved tuba can only be weakly played by a priviledged tone (fake fingering) using valves 2,3. The fifth valve makes the pedal Db on the CC tuba possible with real fingerings. You have to experiment with your particular tuba to find the fingering that works best for the pedal Db. On my current York CC tuba, the Db is best fingered 1,3,4,5. on other tubas I have gotten the note with all five valves engaged.

I was brought up as a four valved tuba player. But, I am now a major advocate of the 5th valve. I have tried several 6 valved CC tubas. However, I find them to be "overkill". The 5 valved tuba will serve you well.

I wasn’t aware that there were several 6 valve CC tubas out there to be played.

Klaus

Dave Fedderly at Baltimore Brass Company has, over the years, had several through his shop. Within the last year there was a 6 valved Alexander CC tuba. He also, in the more distant past, had a 6 valved B&S CC tuba. I was not dazzled by either of the aforementioned. Plus, they weigh a great deal. I have also tried a few six valved CC tubas at Giardinelli's when they were on 48th Street in New York back in the mid 1970's.

If you have never visited Baltimore Brass Company, put it on your list of stops if you are coming to the East Coast. Dave runs a great shop with a large selection of new and used tubas.

Here is more than you ever wanted to know about the fifth valve:
http://www.galvanizedjazz.com/tuba/5thvalve.html

On a 5valved tuba with the 5th being a "long whole step", replacing the usual 24 (slightly sharp) combinations with 235 usually works great. Add that to that single 14 combination and You get already THREE notes in the standard range of most music written for tuba.
Unfortunately, the note a half step above the fundamental might require a severe slide pull with all 5 valves engaged. (It does so on all out of three horns of three pitches that I´ve owned). This is the reason why I think the standard American setup (all valves operated by right hand) is the most practical for a 5-valver, because it enables the player to execute just that slide pull.

On 6-valved tubas (of which I own one), I´ll prefer the European "4+2"-setup. With both valves 5 and 6 being shortened half- and whole steps respectively, one can use those in a sense of "little", "medium" and "most" compensation of sharpness, applied to the standard valve combinations used for the right hand.
This way, the very familiar and fluently working fingering patterns of the right hand can be used throughout the range, which will faciliate speedy passages.
Too bad MY horn has original half and whole step 5th and 6th valves, which is NOT ideal.