Lookin' for fingerset 4-valve EbTuba low range

[Dan Schultz]

Hallo,
Coming from Bb Tuba, I' m a newbie on a 4 valve Eb Tuba and looking for fingerset in the low range below the Eb until F1.
Regards
Ulrich

Here.... http://www.chisham.com/tips/fingerings/Eb.html

[Lew]

When you are playing with just the 4th valve you are essentially playing a Bb tuba. So for any of the notes below the Bb you can just use the Bb fingerings plus the 4th valve. For example, A is 2+4, G is 1+2+4, etc. It helped me when I was learning Eb.

[Jay Bertolet]

Yeah, notice the asterisk on the title above the fingering chart that Sean maintains. It is based on a 4 valve compensating instrument. Be clear that these fingering WILL NOT WORK in the low range unless you have a compensator. Also, remember that the compensating fingerings listed are only theoretical. In the real world, I've not played a single compensating instrument where these fingerings held totally true. The amount a tuba goes sharp in the very low range is not compensated adequately with this system and a set of "personalized" fingerings (those you find by experimentation on your own) are always required for at least some of the notes in that range.

From the A below the staff on up through the rest of the chart, these fingerings are very accurate. Almost all Eb horns will work pretty well with the fingerings provided. Be aware of the general tendency of most Eb tubas to be sharp in the area of A and Bb at the top of the bass clef staff. Most horns have this tendency and require some fix (slide pulling, alternate fingerings, etc.) to deal with that sharpness.

[Philip Jensen]

I'm messing with the false tones on my new to me old 3V Holton Eb. I'm able to get a reasonable sound and pitch by using the fingerings as if I were playing a BBb horn - i.e. the G below the staff is fingered 1,2.

At least people (who would know) tell me they sound fine. To me they feel just awful (no feedback? too much? - feels like no air is moving THROUGH the horn) and sound muddy. I keep meaning to record myself playing them and have a listen from the audience point of view.

I suspect you could do the same on an F tuba using CC fingerings for the false tones

[jlbreyer]

that only applies if he is playing a compensating Eb. If not, then all bets are off.

Sorry to disagree, but I don't think that's right. The fourth valve, whether on a compensator or not, should play the same harmonic series. The difference in a compensator is that, when 4 is depressed WITH ANOTHER VALVE, the combination connects extra tubing to make the resulting tube length more closely accurate for the desired pitch.

I play a Mirafone 183-4U Eb and I usually use 4 for the Bb below the staff and 4+ other valves for the notes descending from that Bb, down to 1234 for low E natural (which is very muddy, but I don't remember ever needing it). The 134 F on the 4th leger line is the lowest note I commonly see in the band lit I play, so that is about the lowest I go, unless playing down the octave.

If I'm wrong here, please let me know and I'll apologize to my horn for doing it wrong.

jlb

[Matt G]

I'm messing with the false tones on my new to me old 3V Holton Eb. I'm able to get a reasonable sound and pitch by using the fingerings as if I were playing a BBb horn - i.e. the G below the staff is fingered 1,2.

At least people (who would know) tell me they sound fine. To me they feel just awful (no feedback? too much? - feels like no air is moving THROUGH the horn) and sound muddy. I keep meaning to record myself playing them and have a listen from the audience point of view.

I suspect you could do the same on an F tuba using CC fingerings for the false tones

For some reason (probably a combination of bore size and taper and bell flare) American Eb's, especially the larger ones, have a usually rock solid false tone set. I had a York-made Eb that had false tones that made three valves more than sufficient. The notes do feel odd though, as they do not give a feedback that we are used to.

On the other hand, almost all F tuben I have played had extraordinarily BAD false tone sets. I mean really horrible. For any F tuba five valves is the absolute minimum. In fact I have seen a seven valve Alex F that makes complete sense to me.

Back to my York Eb. That horns false register sounded almost as good as any Besson 981's compensating register. In fact, I could play the false tones on my York without them breaking up at a much louder volume. On the other hand, those Besson's get a edge to them in that register that folse tones usually don't allow. I got rid of that York because it sounded too much like my CC! Oh well...

[Chuck(G)]

If you've a non-compensating 5v Eb and want to know how to finger it, just take the chart for F and transpose it down two semitones.

Or take the time to understand how a brass instrument operates and write your own fingering chart. It's not hard, really.

[Dan Schultz]

that only applies if he is playing a compensating Eb. If not, then all bets are off.

......
I play a Mirafone 183-4U Eb and I usually use 4 for the Bb below the staff and 4+ other valves for the notes descending from that Bb, down to 1234 for low E natural (which is very muddy, but I don't remember ever needing it). The 134 F on the 4th leger line is the lowest note I commonly see in the band lit I play, so that is about the lowest I go, unless playing down the octave.

If I'm wrong here, please let me know and I'll apologize to my horn for doing it wrong. jlb

Funny.... MY 183-4 plays the same way!