Problems with the top line A and Ab

[imperialbari]

The shared factor of the problem notes is the 2nd valve and its slide.

Does the A work well in sound played with 3rd valve alone (maybe a shade flat, but that is insignificant here)?

If so, there likely is a leak in the 2nd valve loop. It may be a faulty soldering, or maybe the male branches are worn/distorted? The test for the latter would be to use some very heavy grease on the 2nd slide branches (which grease should not end on the rotors).

Maybe bloke’s trick of putting thin plumber’s tape on leaky male branches will work until a competent repairman has fixed these.

Klaus

[Chris Smith]

buy a new tuba willie When I come home for spring break I'll let you play my tuba and see if you still have the problems.

[Rick Denney]

These notes correspond to the G and Gb on a Bb tuba. On most Bb tubas, I find those notes require a bit of a special blow. I suspect it really is an intonation problem either with you or the instrument. When I'm playing at home and subject to fooling myself on the subject of pitch, the notes are easy to nail. In an ensemble, when my pitch sense is based on those around me, the notes present a much bigger problem for me. When I've looked at it that way, I realize that I routinely play those 8th-partial notes sharp on contrabass tubas--possible a tension thing since it seems to follow me around. I have, on occasions, played those notes on the (normally quite flat) 7th partial and pushed my first slide in to bring it up to pitch. Sometimes, that helps.

My point is that the tuner in the practice room often seems to be calibrated differently than the prevailing pitch in the ensemble, for whatever reason.

Rick "who, conversely, has no trouble with those pitches on F tuba" Denney

[ginnboonmiller]

Definitely is an issue with the 3/4 Rudy. I struggled with that for years. Best solution is just to be Jacobs-like about the whole thing. Play the notes with intent and don't overthink the problem. Good news is that the notes sound fine, they just feel stuffy, and what sounds so weird to you is likely mostly in your head because the notes seem so strange in general to play. I've noticed this on three or four different Rudys. So it goes. You don't use those notes all that much - they're only really important on the two biggest orchestral excerpts for auditions!

[Chris Smith]

If it is the tuba, get to a shop. If it is you, get to a teacher.

Do both of these and you will be fine.

[Tuba Guy]

You could also try 4 for the A...that's what I do on 4v BBb's to get the G (and euph, when I see the note coming with enough time). My CC, I just yank the 1st slide for the A, and it always comes out perfectly fine (though my horn is a Getzen CB50, and I believe you said yours was rotary(?) could respond way differently)
If it is a timbral problem, mess around with different fingerings and see if somethng works out better. I mean,I just found out last week that my CC's low E is best as 135 (which doesn't make too much sense to me, but..w/e)

[ztuba]

Or just get a 4/4 rudy ... I dont remember any weird notes on those! Of course I had one where the serial number was a set of zeros and the valves were all vented and there was a trigger on the second valve slide! Some tuba player took it from the school and was never seen again!!! I believe he was even on scholarship! How about that?? But then when going for my orchestral package at WWBW! I tried a run of the mill rudy 4/4 and it played just as well ... no vented valves and no trigger, but it was still just as good.

[ztuba]

Also, if you had a leak in your valve... wouldn't it show up in the low register more than high register because of the higher volume of air?

[Plugo]

it has to be a rudy thing, because i had the same problem for years especially in the mid range. i tried not to dwell so much on them , it used to drive me crazy, the sound is good , it just feel weird blowing them. i have rudy 3/4 cc also. i love the sound of them.

[imperialbari]

Also, if you had a leak in your valve... wouldn't it show up in the low register more than high register because of the higher volume of air?

Small leaks do not necessarily make themselves heard where you would expect them to.

When I received my Conn 40K I applied my usual practice of using 3 for 12 in a lot of contexts. No problems. But one midrange note fingered 23 sounded weird. There were no problems with the 2nd loop. However the edge of the 3rd valve waterkey nipple had a radial scratch. I smoothened that edge and the problem was gone.

This problem of the OP appears to be related to a RM-model, which I have not tried. However other brasses have had similar problems.

Geyer wrap double horns have had the high Bb on the Bb side missing. It is very common with these horns, that the 1st slide is pulled thereby leaving two short portions of that loop with an extended bore. One smart guy cut two short pieces of tubing equal to the bore of the male branches and put them into the slide receivers. With the uniform bore that high Bb became playable.

Others have chamfered the male branches of tuba slides to avoid turbulences.

Klaus

[Ace]

Interesting thread. I searched through some old dog-eared files and found a fingering chart (origin unknown) which I hope offers a solution to your problems on that top A and Ab. For CC tuba, it shows 2nd valve for top line A (i.e., double flat B in the Cb partial series); and 1st valve for top line Ab (in the Bb partial series). Please let us know if this works.

Ace

[sailn2ba]

Hey, tubaguy, that 4th valve high G really works! Of course, if you can "hear" the note when you finger and blow it, it always makes a big difference. . . But I'm impressed by the accuracy and clarity achieved when I tried that. Thanks.

[iiipopes]

Interesting thread. I searched through some old dog-eared files and found a fingering chart (origin unknown) which I hope offers a solution to your problems on that top A and Ab. For CC tuba, it shows 2nd valve for top line A (i.e., double flat B in the Cb partial series); and 1st valve for top line Ab (in the Bb partial series). Please let us know if this works.

Ace

I can play the 7th partials like that on my Besson BBb, which, of course, is 2 for G and 1 for Gb on a BBb tuba. Fortunately, on mine they are actually in tune and can be considered the preferred fingering, while on a large majority of horns these partials will be flat.