How necessary do you find a 5th valve?

[tubeast]

Answer to original Question:
"Elongated 1st"-type 5th valve is VERY useful / necessary on a big horn, as others have stated already.
So is a well-accessible 4th valve slide or main tuning slide / Trigger.

As to the weight:
When I need to put the horn down frequently, I rest it on the bottom bow and stabilize it between my knees / one hand on top bow.
This is great during long rehearsal sessions and on crowded band stands. (Less danger of someone´s foot on bell flare).
Horn can be lifted with straight back, no bending forward or sideways required, which is a good thing, says my spine.

[KevinMadden]

I find 5th valves are becoming increasingly important as a lot of contemporary composers are writing for notes that really require them. 4 valves get you through a symphony gig 99% of the time is pretty true, you can play the E's in Fountains or Ride at 4-2-3, the Eb's in Prokofiev 4-1-3, same as the D# in Planets. A solid E or Eb is about the bottom for the bulk of the actually played symphonic rep it seems. I find in the contemporary college wind ensemble, however, that composers are regularly asking for D's, Db's, Pedal-C's, Pedal-B's, etc. notes that (depending on your chosen key of horn) are really only practical with 5 valves. I've noticed this change to needing to play much louder, and much lower, in wind ensemble music pretty pronounced, especially after returning to college some 8 years after my first go around.

[roweenie]

Every horn I build (regardless of length/pitch/key) gets a 5th valve, whether it likes it or not.

[toobagrowl]

I'm perfectly fine 'pumping' the 1st slide on two or three of my tubas for finer intonation
And good, easy response with the right tuba + mpc combo also goes hand-in-hand with good intonation. Easier response makes for easier intonation, as long as nothing is too 'wacked' out of tune.

So is a well-accessible 4th valve slide or main tuning slide / Trigger.

^ Triggers (on the most needed/useful slides) would be nice on more tubas Just as good as a 5th or 6th valve, imo.

As to valves, I've been reading all of the comments and am considering removing ALL valves and and considering installing just one L-O-N-G slide (located where the first valve slide is normally located) on all of my tubas...I'll just need to get a ceiling clearance report from each venue ahead of time, and hire a "slide assistant". I'll report back later, regarding any improved response/intonation, which are anticipated.

^Since you like more valves, maybe instead, you can install a 7th or even 8th valve on your 6-valve F. That way, all main fingers on both hands will be 'busy' while playing, kinda like a woodwind player!

[luke_hollis]

any of youz guys saying youz don't need a fifth valve iz juzt jealous and trying not to show it.

everyone knows fifth valves have more fun

[Jerryleejr]

I could cut blokeplace with a 42" riding mower...or (possibly, were I as big and strong as some of you National Sousaphone Championship finalists...??) a manual-powered push-mower.

I choose to do neither of those, as I have access to easier-to-use equipment.

And that’s the ballgame if it’s available why not use it...

JJ

[Bob Kolada]

Some of them feature saggy pitches all the way down to the 1-2 fingered pitch (even with the #1 pushed in all the way). The 5th valve (alone) - very often - is a solution to this problem (the otherwise 1-2 fingered 5th partial pitch)...and that's not a "low range pitch that I'll never need".

Would a 6th valve (flat half step) work as a 1st valve substitute?