5/4 or 6/4 CC??

[Kevin Hendrick]

22/7

hat size ?

It's for all our tubas

Tubas go well with pi(e) (as long as it's not in the valves )

[Allen]

Regarding PT-6 versus Neptune, two thoughts:

First, I wasn't aware that tubas had "intonation." I just thought that different tubas required different amounts of adjustment (and in different places) and effort to play in tune. And, some tubas are easier than others.

Second, I'm quite happy with the ease I feel playing my rotary Neptune in tune. Of course, the real reason I have that instrument is THE SOUND!

Allen

[Full Metal Ratchet]

I think a 5/4 is a good compromise between breadth of tone and focus/edge. Perfectly capable in a large ensemble and can cover a wide variety of musical settings.

[S.G.F.]

To argue that one or the other plays out of tune would imply that you're relying on the instrument to set pitch.

Another thought would be to consider the link between different orchestras playing at different pitches, A438 up to A445, and also the comparisons between the varying styles of interpreting pitch, just, diatonic and so on.

Either way play the instrument you have and stop making excuses. And I currently play a 6/4, but have had two 5/4's and found them to be more hard work than the 6.

If my opinion offends, I offer a heartfelt apology.

[Hirsbrunner6/4]

I own a 6/4 and love it! It is definitely the sound for me, however i do like the sound of 5/4 as well. The main reason for asking this question is just to see what other people like. As in an orchestral audition, it does not come down to the sound you like, its the sound the orchestra likes, hence do more orchestras in the states favour 5/4 or 6/4 tubas. I was wondering if there was any trend at all in americn orchestras these days..

[cjk]

I think it may be a bit too broad a brush to paint with, implying that all 6/4 horns have serious intonation problems...

I agree with cjk. It's not too broad of a brush. It's true across the board. bloke "There. I said it."

seriously??

absolute, utter crap...confuses students and panders to a "point and shoot" mentality about playing

... simplistic to the point of anti-pedagogy

--or--

perhaps (yet)another troll-ish post seeking to liven things up in the sandbox a bit

meh.

The MW6450 is popular because it's a 6/4 tuba with a decent scale.

Personally, I find the 6450 to be a bit dull. I honestly find the 2165 to be a nicer sounding tuba than the MW6450. In my lap, the 2165 has a prettier tone quality. However, the MW6450 has a nicer scale and is much much easier to play.

If you've got a tuba which you can blow the tuner pretty much down the middle, then it's much easier to make small adjustments with the chops and with the slides to play non-root parts of chords. One will always have to adjust for sharp 1+2 combos and there will usually be one or more 2+3 combos that are different pitch wise from the rest. That's normal stuff.

If your tuba wants to play a note 30 cents sharp, but you need it to be 15 cents flat to fit in the chord, you've got to bend the pitch 45 cents (a whole lot) somehow, either with your face or alternate fingering or slide movement.

If your tuba wants to play the note dead on, but you need it to be 15 cents flat to fit in the chord, then it's easy to just play the note a bit flat with your chops or a small slide movement.

Seems to me that pros are gravitating to the MW6450 because it's more of the latter than the former.

Most 6/4 tubas require *work* just to play the tuner pretty much down the middle. Holtons often have pretty goofed up 3rd and 6th partials. Neptunes often have sharp 3rd and 6th partials. 2165s have some interesting and a bit random pitch problems. PCKs are "interesting" as well. I have not spent any time with a Yorkbrunner, so I can't comment. The benefits of a 6/4 tuba are the size of the sound and the presence of the sound (and to be "cool" like AJ), not ease of intonation . We deal with the intonation problems because of the benefits.

Having an instrument where one has to worry a bit less about intonation and can channel that extra concentration into the music improves the musical product.

All the best,

Christian

[toobagrowl]

I think the whole 6/4 tuba = worse intonation thing is overrated. There are MANY smaller tubas with pitch probs........"Monster" Ebs, most F tubas, and many 4/4 CC & BBb tubas. It's silly to single out the 6/4 tubas for intonation issues. As a side note: the old Holton and York 6/4 tubas have the prettiest, clearest and mellowest sounds of all tubas I have heard. The big M-W 6/4s have the most "growl" of all 6/4 tubas I have heard. It's all good






too "lovin the 6/4 sound right now" ba

[cjk]

... a lot of words to elaborate on "meh", eh?

pfft.

[J.c. Sherman]

What's pfft?

I just tried a Baer CC Friday. I had every expectation of hating it (the whole 6/6 Big-a$$-ophone American thing is usually not my thing) but I was very, very impressed. However, I was trying it at Severance Hall, and it was flat out too much tuba than necessary. I barely got into 5th gear and the I had the feeling I was about to earn the ire of everyone within a city block.

That said, I liked the sound and the intonation was plenty fine to cope. Really glad for the opportunity! (Thanks to John Hardisky; and the guy plays wonderfully too!)

J.c.S.

[JHardisk]

J.C.,

Great to meet you last week! You got to play a very "special" 6450/2.

Hands down, the easiest tuba I've ever played. I have played well over 15 of the 6450's, including the production model I owned before this one, and they were "meh", or "well,..ok", at best. The usual response when I let someone play mine is, "ooh", or "wow", or "How much can I offer you for this?". I made some "adjustments" to the original 6450/2, and I think they've really made an enormous difference.

For those who are preaching against the 6/4's, in favor of something smaller... what horns "do" play in tune? I have never played a tuba that is dead nuts on in tune with the tuner, no matter what the size. And as cjk mentioned, all too often we need to move pitches in respect to what position we are in a chord. (Though, I'll bet he'd rescind his statements about the 6450's being more bland than a 2165 if he played mine, or Herr Baer's.) For me, it's not "cool" like A.J. to play a 6/4 tuba. It simply puts out more sound with far less work. My 6/4 is extremely nimble, and can play the softest pianissimo, to the most broad fortissimo (without breaking up). And most of that capability lies in the player.

Of course, ymmv.. but I'm firmly in the 6/4's corner!

[Aardvark892]

Since I'm really new to all of this... kinda... I wish there was a standardized size measurement, whether it be in physical dimensions or even something as silly as just the top branch diameter.

Especially when researching online for a new instrument to purchase... I wouldn't want to buy a "4/4" horn that turns out to be a 3/4 compact student model. I'm vain that way; I don't want people to think I'm playing a euphonium (not to insult euphonium players at all). I prefer monstrous Tubas to overwhelm the audience when my playing really doesn't. And it usually really doesn't.