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A brass band has asked me to play BBb bass with them for the Whit Friday marches (one of the greatest brass band events in the UK) this week. This evening I went along to a rehearsal. I do not currently have a compensated BBb to play (a couple of months before first one will arrive from China), so had asked to play the band's instrument. I did not know what that would be, so was rather pleased when I arrived to find a Miraphone 1280 - I hate the Besson 994 as I can hardly reach the 4th valve.

When I started to play the 1280, what a glorious big tuba sound. My previous experiences of playing compensated BBb have been very stuffy down low and lacking in tone. This had both, a good open low register and nice colourful tone. Also the 4th valve was no more problem to reach than on EEb. I really enjoyed the rehearsal, my first time playing with brass band for a couple years.

I don't know if I will so enjoy marching with this leviathan on Friday - it is big and heavy (26lb 4oz). By my reckoning 5/4 size (similar size bell throat to PT-6), quite a bit bigger than a Besson BBb. Picture of the 1280 beside my Neptune shows its size.

That *is* a beefy horn for marching. Perhaps you could put a rush order in to your friends in China to make you an adjustable wheel which could be fastened on the bottom bow so you could roll it down the street as you play.

What about the Whit Friday thing, is it a pub crawl? I can see tubists lugging giant 26 pound compensators from pub to pub whilst being gloriously inebriated. THAT would be an event!

You don't have a sousicon yet?

fairweathertuba wrote:What about the Whit Friday thing

Sometimes known as 'the greatest free show' dozens of brass bands from all over the UK and beyond participate going around the villages around Saddleworth and Thameside east of Manchester on Whit Friday. We play a road march parading through the village then a contest march on the village green, or square to be judged in a contest. We need to play in minimum of six villages to qualify. It starts around 4pm and goes on until 11pm. In some villages over 60 bands will play during the evening. Yes an odd drink may get picked up in passing!

http://www.whitfriday.brassbands.saddle ... intro.html

http://youtu.be/uPpurHDeI0c

http://youtu.be/4obP1Y5p75Q

Couple of videos of the "Contest" bit. Bands of all standards compete. Some venues have 80 bands on the night, I've certainly played with Fodens at Delph at 1am.

OH, and on the Miraphone BBb compensator, the new version (9000 Ambassador) is fairly terrible. Although I can't see it being worse than a previous model? I've recently sent a report to Miraphone with an aim of getting it better at their request through Mark Carter (Mr Tuba) over here.

AndyCat wrote:OH, and on the Miraphone BBb compensator, the new version (9000 Ambassador) is fairly terrible. Although I can't see it being worse than a previous model? I've recently sent a report to Miraphone with an aim of getting it better at their request through Mark Carter (Mr Tuba) over here.

What did you find wrong Andy? Pitch seemed well centred and tone excellent on the one I played. Some of the ergonomics certainly could be improved, but that was my only criticism.

Neptune wrote:

AndyCat wrote:OH, and on the Miraphone BBb compensator, the new version (9000 Ambassador) is fairly terrible. Although I can't see it being worse than a previous model? I've recently sent a report to Miraphone with an aim of getting it better at their request through Mark Carter (Mr Tuba) over here.

What did you find wrong Andy? Pitch seemed well centred and tone excellent on the one I played. Some of the ergonomics certainly could be improved, but that was my only criticism.

Ergonomics firstly. It's top heavy, Valve block is too high, at the wrong angle to the handrest. 4th Valve is badly placed. Leadpipe at wrong angle.
Can't get enough volume through for a "good" band, tuning terrible through the range. Too many sticking out bits (water keys, 4th valve slide, marching rings) that caught on chairs/trousers. Had it for a month. Tried it with several bands/ensembles and had to stop using it as it was hurting me!

Well made though.

AndyCat wrote:http://youtu.be/uPpurHDeI0c

http://youtu.be/4obP1Y5p75Q

Couple of videos of the "Contest" bit. Bands of all standards compete. Some venues have 80 bands on the night, I've certainly played with Fodens at Delph at 1am.

Thanks for the links. I had seen other Whit Friday videos, but not these.

I don’t know the march played by Fodens. Sounds like written to the same scheme as Knight Templar, only not quite as well scored. But then the wind takes many of the inner parts away from the microphone. Looks like you make a great job of preparing yourself for a chiropractor’s appointment. Kind of the Monty Python of tuba ergonomics.

Black Dykes plays Knight Templar very well. Inner parts can be heard much of the way, even three-part trombone harmony, which speaks for the 2nd player.

Klaus

Andy, Very interesting our different take on it and shows how players preference widely varies.

I find the position of the 1st valve compensated loop very bad, its in the way of where I want to rest my hand (that does cause a pain!) and the hand rest could do with being larger and moved back. But otherwise I have few problems with ergonomics. I find the leadpipe angle just right (much the same as my Neptune) and the 4th valve position the best I have found on a 3+1 BBb.

The tuning seems pretty good on the one I have with the 1st and 2nd slides 1/2 inch out - I have just checked against my Peterson tuner.

On not producing enough volume, to me it seems rather BAT like and does not respond to be pushed hard like a traditional British BBb (likes a a slow, rather than fast air-stream). I can see you may not like because of its very different playing characteristics, while probably I prefer because it is nearer to a BAT with which I am familiar.

PS Are you doing the Whits this year Andy - In which case, what band? Will look out for you.

Neptune wrote:Andy, Very interesting our different take on it and shows how players preference widely varies.

I find the position of the 1st valve compensated loop very bad, its in the way of where I want to rest my hand (that does cause a pain!) and the hand rest could do with being larger and moved back. But otherwise I have few problems with ergonomics. I find the leadpipe angle just right (much the same as my Neptune) and the 4th valve position the best I have found on a 3+1 BBb.

The tuning seems pretty good on the one I have with the 1st and 2nd slides 1/2 inch out - I have just checked against my Peterson tuner.

On not producing enough volume, to me it seems rather BAT like and does not respond to be pushed hard like a traditional British BBb (likes a a slow, rather than fast air-stream). I can see you may not like because of its very different playing characteristics, while probably I prefer because it is nearer to a BAT with which I am familiar.

PS Are you doing the Whits this year Andy - In which case, what band? Will look out for you.

Not doing then this year, although Fodens, Faireys and Leyland have all asked. Must be a shortage of strong backs!

The Miraphone is just not up to the volume of a band like Fodens or Leyland (where I played it whilst I had it), that's all. Fine for a lower band, it was loud enough at my normal band. still terrible to play though. Any compensator has to be good enough to play at those levels, as bandsmen still buy what the big bands play, regardless of quality it seems!