6 Valve Tuba Thought

[TheHatTuba]

Could the triggers for the two rotors on a 6 valve tuba be arranged like a bass bone's (this style, http://www.oberloh.com/gallery/edwards.htm" target="_blank, where both are controlled by the thumb) instead of the 4+2 or 5+1? This would allow you (if possible) to still have a free hand for slides, water, or a phone/ipod if the piece is boring

[MartyNeilan]

Most bass trombone players hate the split thumb trigger arrangement. Virtually all modern bass trombones with both the independant and dependant valve designs now use a thumb/finger trigger setup. Many of the older horns have been converted to this kind of linkage.
The trigger in the above link was converted for a very specific purpose due to a disability.

[Kevin Hendrick]

For those of us with arthritic thumbs, any thumb valve is pretty much useless (and eliminates the instrument from consideration for purchase) -- might be one of the reasons that 3+3 and 4+2 were the standard configurations for so many years.

[tubaforce]

Hi!
I would think independent side by side triggers would be useable, but a nightmare to locate on a Tuba! I think the linkages would be a serious pain to synchronize, especially if their rotors couldn't be placed side by side on the horn. A thumb actuated solenoid might work, set up A, B, or A+B, but where would one plug the Tuba in?

Al