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Can anyone assist with a fingering chart or information that would assist me in utilizing a 5th valve whole step and 5th valve flat whole step on a BBb horn? Aside from simply pressing the 5th valve down, this thing has me in a funk. I know there are a lot of great alternative fingerings to be had in the lower register, but I am having difficulty in taking advantage of them. I know there are a few of you who may have a similar setup, and I would GREATLY appreciate any assistance.

Just use it instead of 1st valve on combinations below low F. For example, low Eb would be played 4-5, rather than 1-2-4. Eb should be 1-4, but that is sharp so you have to add the 2nd valve, which makes it flat. By using the 5th valve you can get it better in tune. The same is true for the notes from that Eb down to the pedal Bb, and below. I had a 5 valve BBb, a VMI 3302, but almost never used the 5th valve. I found it only useful below low F, and I don't run into too many pieces written down there in the playing that I do.

Is it really that simple?

Liberty "feeling dumber now than before he asked the question" MO

Take a look at the 5-valve CC fingering chart:

http://www.chisham.com/tips/fingerings/CC.html

and simply note that on a BBb, the resulting sound for these fingerings will be one full step lower. You should be able to compile your list of alternate fingerings pretty easily.

There is a 5 valve BBb tuba fingering chart in the Harvey Phillips book, "The Art of Tuba and Euphonium." As you can see from the 5 valve CC chart, there are some notes where you can use 2-3-5 instead of 2-4, but I never found it to be that much of a benefit for those notes. It really depends on how you play and the specific horn.