Volume of a Tuba

Benjamin · Post by **Benjamin** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 2:58 pm

I was reading an article about York vs. Miraphone, and it had the volume of the 2 Tubas on there. My question is, how do you find out the volume?

Captain Sousie · Post by **Captain Sousie** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 3:04 pm

Fill it up with water and measure the amount of liquid that it holds.

Really, it seems to be a personal assessment of the amount of sound that an individual can produce on the horn. I have found no tried-and-true method of figuring it out other than playing and listening.

Sou

lgb&dtuba · Post by **lgb&dtuba** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 3:26 pm

Try using a sound pressure level (SPL) meter.

Captain Sousie · Post by **Captain Sousie** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 5:33 pm

If I understand correctly, the question on the volume of specific tubas in relationship to each other is a subjective one. This being based almost equally on both the physical aspects of the horn and the ability of the individual player. While anyone can measure the specific volume of a given sound and compare it with another sound using a decibel meter, the question of how to measure the volume of a tuba in relationship to another tuba is rather more complicated.

Now, with all of the possible variations between tubas, some of these conclusions are easier than others (e.g. a Yamayork versus a Lyon & Heally Eb).

Do we have a SPL for potential volume? That would help.

Sou

MileMarkerZero · Post by **MileMarkerZero** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 5:35 pm

Cue Rick Denney in 5...4...3...2...1...

Search for some of Rick's explanations. They are by far more than I could do, and nearly more than I can understand.

*#$* it, I'm an artist, not a calculus book!

Rick Denney · Post by **Rick Denney** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 11:00 pm

Benjamin wrote:I was reading an article about York vs. Miraphone, and it had the volume of the 2 Tubas on there. My question is, how do you find out the volume?

If that was my article you were reading, then volume was cubic inches, not loudness. Loudness is so dependent on the player that I scarcely know how to measure it in a way that isolates the instrument.

And volume is cross-sectional area times length. I measured the diameter of the taper at key points along the bugle. That gave me the area of the tubing, and I averaged the area at both ends of straight tapers (or short enough sections so I could assume they were straight) and multiplied by the length.

Rick "space case" Denney

iiipopes · Post by **iiipopes** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 11:04 pm

Of course, since sound dissipates, the distance from the horn figures in. For example, to measure the efficiency (dB rating) of a loudspeaker, it is usually measured with 1 watt input to the voice coil and the meter set at 1 meter away, on axis. I don't know what the "standard distance" or the "standard breath input" would be on a tuba.

iiipopes · Post by **iiipopes** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 8:42 am

tubashaman wrote:you could be a tuba player and fill it with beer

Just where is that beer picture?

Geotuba · Post by **Geotuba** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 11:40 am

iiipopes wrote:
tubashaman wrote:you could be a tuba player and fill it with beer

Just where is that beer picture?

Which reminds me of that old joke - you know the one:

"There were two Tuba players who walked past a pub one day.........well, I suppose it could happen"

lgb&dtuba · Post by **lgb&dtuba** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 11:44 am

iiipopes wrote:
tubashaman wrote:you could be a tuba player and fill it with beer

Just where is that beer picture?

Here you go. Now that's what I call volume.

iiipopes · Post by **iiipopes** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 1:05 pm

Thanks. I just love it when I get to say that, and it gets posted.

TubeNet

Volume of a Tuba

Volume of a Tuba

Re: Volume of a Tuba