The Dark Tuba Topic: SPIT!

[Rick Denney]

Normal or not?

Normal. Top-action tubas usually spray the water out the bottom of the valve casings or collect it in the tuning slides. Rotary tubas usually just collect it in one spot, plus the usualy hiding place in the fourt valve.

But front-action piston tubas seem to find places everywhere to hide water. I get copious amount in my third valve, fourth valve, main slide, and in the next bottom bow after the main slide. I have to spin the Holton at least once per session, and that tuba is 50% bigger and heavier than yours. Kings are well-known for their various moist hiding places.

At least the 3301 will catch a lot of it in the loop of leadpipe before the first valve.

Rick "spit happens" Denney

[LoyalTubist]

Having lived in a dry climate for most of my life, I can tell you for certain that most of the moisture that comes through your spit valve is condensation. The hotter it gets, the more the tuba "sweats." I had a physician friend send some "water" from my tuba off to a lab for chemical analysis. (He is just as strange as I am!) The report came back that the water in that sample was purer than the local tap water, which really wasn't saying much. But you could wash your clothes in it.

[tubatooter1940]

Having lived in a dry climate for most of my life, I can tell you for certain that most of the moisture that comes through your spit valve is condensation. The hotter it gets, the more the tuba "sweats." I had a physician friend send some "water" from my tuba off to a lab for chemical analysis. (He is just as strange as I am!) The report came back that the water in that sample was purer than the local tap water, which really wasn't saying much. But you could wash your clothes in it.

So that's what all that stuff is. I wonder where all the beer went?

[pulseczar]

Whenever rehearsal is finished or I'm done practicing in the practice room, I look down and always feel sad for the person who will step on it. It's usually the diameter of a canteloupe and leaves wonderful trail marks.

[windshieldbug]

Whenever rehearsal is finished or I'm done practicing in the practice room, I look down and always feel sad for the person who will step on it. It's usually the diameter of a canteloupe and leaves wonderful trail marks.

We're still talking spit here, right?

... and I thought we had segued into "where all the beer went"...

[iiipopes]

We're still talking spit here, right? [/quote]

... and I thought we had segued into "where all the beer went"... [/quote]

Oh, Boy, do I resemble that remark! I put so much water through my Besson that I have to not only dump the slides, but take the valves out and shake it sideways in three axes in order to get the water out of the comp loops as well! Mine is definitely much more than just condensation! I might as well not have water keys, as I still have to pull to get all the water out. Thank God for gold brass, which does not corrode as easily as some other alloys, and for Roche-Thomas valve oil, which I have used for over 30 years, as for my body chemistry at least, it does not dilute from the water so long as you have good valves. Now, just where DID I set my beer?

[pulseczar]

Whenever rehearsal is finished or I'm done practicing in the practice room, I look down and always feel sad for the person who will step on it. It's usually the diameter of a canteloupe and leaves wonderful trail marks.

We're still talking spit here, right?

... and I thought we had segued into "where all the beer went"...

There was one time in high school, I pick up my sousa one day and started playing, and I tasted beer...


The visual director of the marching band borrowed the tuba to play in SJSU's alumni band and must've drank himself silly, because the sousa hecka reeked of beer.

[tubeast]

That´s what I love my MW46 for: the VALVE is the lowest spot on each valve tubing, so all valves get drained whenever I use them. ALL water will collect at the spit (read: condensed water) valve, and that´s it.

To the guy feeling sorry in a practise room:
in community band we have these shallow plastic bowls used to set flower pots in. (You know what I mean: the latter has holes to get rid of excessive water so the plants won´t foul, the former is there to collect same water).
One of those is somewhere around every seat.
All you need to do is aim before you drain...

The amount of condensed water collected during a practise session reminds me of a question in a Heat-and-mass-transfer exam I went through in university:
Given a jogger´s body temperature, breathing frequency, and amount of air per breath,
as well as relative humidity and temperature of surrounding air,
we were to calculate how much water the jogger will exhale during a 30 minute run. The assumption was that all air in the lungs will be at 100% humidity at 37°C before exhalation.
I don´t recall the result, but it was quite impressive.

[windshieldbug]

Given a player's breath temperature, frequency of exhaling, volume of air, the outside temperature, and the total area of exposed metal inside a tuba, it's a wonder that there isn't *MORE* condensation...

Still believe that it's spit? Try spitting THAT much, even over a couple of hours!

[iiipopes]

All you need to do is aim before you drain...

We are still talking spit here, aren't we?

[tubatooter1940]

My dentist told me I was a very juicy person after working in my mouth for a while. I told him, " Thats what all the girls say."
However on second thought, if I don't dump my water keys between every
tune, I get a bad case of the pop-pop-pop before the next tune is over.
I try to remember to swallow before I blow but I am still spending too much time blowing juice that could be better spent swilling beer.

[windshieldbug]

Of course, it could be, as Paris Hilton would say, "You're just soooooooo HOT!". Try to play in warmer places!

[Rick Denney]

Given a player's breath temperature, frequency of exhaling, volume of air, the outside temperature, and the total area of exposed metal inside a tuba, it's a wonder that there isn't *MORE* condensation...

Still believe that it's spit? Try spitting THAT much, even over a couple of hours!

Of course, condensation is merely humid breath striking relatively cold metal. What makes breath humid? The same stuff that makes spit wet, right?

Rick "not underestimating the effects of condensation, even if what is condensing is mostly saliva" Denney

[Rick Denney]

My explanation that it was primarily condensation seemed to offer no comfort at all.

A large waterproof bathroom rug under you when you play at home falls into the category of sound marital advice.

Rick "not speculating on this" Denney

[MaryAnn]

The best way to demonstrate condensation to non-believing spousal units is to buy some clear plastic tubing, and have them exhale into it enough times to get beads of water to form. They will know for sure that they were not spitting into it.

If you want to see lack of condensation, try playing an outdoor concert in 110 degrees and near-zero humidity in Tucson. Over a two hour concert you will not have to empty your instrument even once.


MA

[TubaRay]

If you want to see lack of condensation, try playing an outdoor concert in 110 degrees and near-zero humidity in Tucson. Over a two hour concert you will not have to empty your instrument even once.
MA

I haven't had that particular experience(thankfully!), but I have gone through a couple of summers of amusement park playing here in San Antonio. With the upper 90's and over 100 degree temperatures, emptying water is rarely a problem. You're right about that.

[LoyalTubist]

I have had the opposite result. I live in Riverside and grew up in San Bernardino (actually, I was born in Riverside). If I do a lot of hard playing, especially outside, my tuba works like a "solar still," which collects a lot of water. I drink a lot of water when I play (I have been hospitalized for dehydration, so I know how necessary water is.) I will be moving somewhere near 29 Palms-Joshua Tree-Yucca Valley this summer so it will be fun to do some experimenting there.

I should mention that the 116 degrees on a typical summer day in 29 Palms is much more bearable than an 89 degree summer day in New Orleans or a 76 degree summer day in Anchorage!

[OldBandsman]

From the east coast..... It's amazing the amount of condensation you can get out of 16 measures rest in the cool winter rehearsal hall we use up here in Massachusetts..

My Miraphone 182 needs to be drained every chance I get.

[LoyalTubist]

When I went to junior college in San Bernardino, I studied privately with Jim Self. He made the comment then, "This is a tuba player's house. Don't worry about emptying your water. You can do it anywhere." I moved on. Then I dropped out of college.

After spending a few years in the Army, marriage, and a discharge from service, I finished my bachelor's degree and, once again, I was studying with Jim Self. Only this time he said, "Empty your water only on the mat under you. We don't want the floor all wet." Different wife.

[ken k]

Whenever rehearsal is finished or I'm done practicing in the practice room, I look down and always feel sad for the person who will step on it. It's usually the diameter of a canteloupe and leaves wonderful trail marks.

We're still talking spit here, right?

... and I thought we had segued into "where all the beer went"...

Sign on men's room wall:
We aim to please.
You aim too, please.


As far as the spousal unit is concerned just put a towel on the floor.

ken k