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Alto Tuba
Posted: Fri Jun 12, 2020 6:02 pm
by tobysima`
So, I was talking to Bret Newton (Yes, the person who wrote Bandestration) about the possibilities of an alto tuba. Now, I know he's not a tubist, but he said something about a four-valve compensating alto tuba in f, styled like a british euphonium. This raises a couple questions for me, and hopefully someone has some degree of opinion/answer for me. Should the tubing of this alto tuba go above the valves like a euphonium, or below like a baritone? Also, should it take a large shank euphonium mouthpiece, small shank trombone mouthpiece, or something like the alto horn, or maybe a completely new shank? I definitely think it should be in the key of F, though.
Re: Alto Tuba
Posted: Fri Jun 12, 2020 6:34 pm
by Mark
Pitched between a euphonium and a trumpet?
Re: Alto Tuba
Posted: Fri Jun 12, 2020 6:53 pm
by tobysima`
Mark wrote:Pitched between a euphonium and a trumpet?
Yes. The same F as a mellophone
That way maybe KIng's Singers pieces can be played by tuba ensembles, and maybe new fun solo stuff too!
Re: Alto Tuba
Posted: Fri Jun 12, 2020 8:07 pm
by tobysima`
the elephant wrote:That is essentially what we in the US would call an Alto Horn (tenor horn in the UK system), and they are in Eb. Find an old King and cut it to F, then figure out your valves. Word of warning: the Americn ones all pretty much suck. (No real market, so not much R&D, I guess.) Perhaps a larger leadpipe and mouthpiece would help, but it won't be much.
At least looks these up and look at how they have been wrapped. I think you can also look them up under the name of "altonium"…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenor_horn
Other instruments in this zone would be the F mellophone and the F alto flugelhorn. Most of these horns suffer from the same weird intonation, again, I believe, due to a lack of R&D because not many people want these.
I know Bret Newton says that the alto horn is the alto voice of a cornet but I don't necessarily understand the taxonomy? of instruments much. Would a british one be better in tune and to work with? Should I just learn Eb as well?
Re: Alto Tuba
Posted: Fri Jun 12, 2020 8:13 pm
by tobysima`
bloke wrote:<sidebar>
sort of related, I guess...??
...and I've posted about this before, so... 
I have one of those sorta-French-horn-shaped "mellophone"-ish instruments - except it is in C - and those in C are/were called "ballad horns".
Mine's Czech-made and in remarkable condition. The raw nickel-silver pistons are not worn. It has crooks for Bb and A, but plays best in C.
The mouthpiece I use is a prototype TINY (trombone mouthpiece frame) bass trumpet mouthpiece that I would like to market, someday...
INTONATION of this particular instrument:
ONLY a flat 5th partial (as with rotary Miraphone and Meinl-Weston B-flat tubas
Every once in a while, I will pull it out and play Mozart horn concertos (as I don't have the skill - with such instruments - to play Strauss, or anything harder than Mozart) at actual pitch.
I DO put my hand in the bell, and "open" for the 5th partial (to raise the pitch).
Again, this is a 3-piston OLD-style "mellophone-LOOKING" instrument, except with a longer (8 feet long) bugle.
This picture is NOT mine...(Mine's actually in better condition), but is a picture on the web...Notice (again) the additional "windings" in the bugle
</sidebar>
Maybe I'll look for one of those! Maybe something like that could work really well! I bet it's really fun to play! And you've peaked my interest with that mouthpiece!
Re: Alto Tuba
Posted: Sat Jun 13, 2020 3:35 pm
by marccromme
tobysima` wrote:
I know Bret Newton says that the alto horn is the alto voice of a cornet but I don't necessarily understand the taxonomy? of instruments much. Would a british one be better in tune and to work with? Should I just learn Eb as well?
Yes. Learn eb. There are plenty of good British style alto horns in EB. Not hard to find a good one used either.
Re: Alto Tuba
Posted: Sat Jun 13, 2020 3:40 pm
by tobysima`
marccromme wrote:
Yes. Learn eb. There are plenty of good British style alto horns in EB. Not hard to find a good one used either.
Alright. I'll try and figure eb out then. Once I get my hands on an alto horn though.
Re: Alto Tuba
Posted: Mon Jun 29, 2020 8:41 pm
by tobysima`
Mark Finley wrote:I have an F alto horn. It's made by miraphone
What model is it?
Re: Alto Tuba
Posted: Mon Jun 29, 2020 8:50 pm
by tobysima`
Mark Finley wrote:tobysima` wrote:Mark Finley wrote:I have an F alto horn. It's made by miraphone
What model is it?
Not sure. They call it a contra alto. It's left handed
Seems like it was made for French Horn players!
Re: Alto Tuba
Posted: Thu Jul 16, 2020 2:01 pm
by tobysima`
bloke wrote:<sidebar>
sort of related, I guess...??
...and I've posted about this before, so...
I have one of those sorta-French-horn-shaped "mellophone"-ish instruments - except it is in C - and those in C are/were called "ballad horns".
Mine's Czech-made and in remarkable condition. The raw nickel-silver pistons are not worn. It has crooks for Bb and A, but plays best in C.
The mouthpiece I use is a prototype TINY (trombone mouthpiece frame) bass trumpet mouthpiece that I would like to market, someday...
INTONATION of this particular instrument:
ONLY a flat 5th partial (as with rotary Miraphone and Meinl-Weston B-flat tubas
Every once in a while, I will pull it out and play Mozart horn concertos (as I don't have the skill - with such instruments - to play Strauss, or anything harder than Mozart) at actual pitch.
I DO put my hand in the bell, and "open" for the 5th partial (to raise the pitch).
Again, this is a 3-piston OLD-style "mellophone-LOOKING" instrument, except with a longer (8 feet long) bugle.
This picture is NOT mine...(Mine's actually in better condition), but is a picture on the web...Notice (again) the additional "windings" in the bugle
</sidebar>
I think the St. Petersburg Althorn would be the best instrument to fill the alto tuba position. It has a .512" bore and a 9" bell. I'd just have to either make a decently large alto horn mouthpiece that I could play, or change the shank size to small trombone so I could use a 6.5 AL or a SM6U baritone. What is the cup diameter on your mouthpiece, Bloke?