TubeNet

I visited the tuba exchange over the weekend. I got to play a miraphone 186, VMI 103, and a Yamaha 641. Unfortunately someone else showed up and started test playing 4ft from me. So I really couldn't get a feel for the sound and projection. And the other guy seemed really loud in comparison. Couldn't use my tuner either. So short of having someone else play and me stand off and listen how do you guys evaluate a horn? I know I'm getting older but surely I still have some umph in me....

JJ

It's virtually impossible to evaluate a horn in just a few minutes. A clip-on tuner will help you to note the intonation but only playing a horn several times in difference venues will begin to help you develope an opinion of whether the horn is right for you.

I don't even bother tooting a horn in an 'elephant room' environment.

TubaTinker wrote:It's virtually impossible to evaluate a horn in just a few minutes. A clip-on tuner will help you to note the intonation but only playing a horn several times in difference venues will begin to help you develope an opinion of whether the horn is right for you.

I don't even bother tooting a horn in an 'elephant room' environment.

Well I thought I was going to be the only one there, had I known that wasn't the case I would have rescheduled.

JJ

I check how much sound I can get out of the upper and lower registers, and to my way of thinking, an easy low register is a good foundation for a nice high register. If you start on a low note and play a descending scale, you should either be delighted by the thought of owning it, or delighted by not being stuck with it already. A tuner is a nice tool to achieve one or the other, too.