6 valve F Poll:
- TheHatTuba
- 5 valves

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- Location: Desert
6 valve F Poll:
For those that have them.
- Ben
- 4 valves

- Posts: 718
- Joined: Mon Jan 24, 2011 7:37 pm
- Location: NYC
Re: 6 valve F Poll:
I don't have a 6 valve F, nor have I ever had the opportunity to play one. I do OK with my 5'er alternates and slide pulls. Maybe 6 is nice, I may never know
Ben Vokits
NYC/Philly area Freelancer
Nautilus Brass Quintet
Alex 164C, 163C, 155F; HB1P
NYC/Philly area Freelancer
Nautilus Brass Quintet
Alex 164C, 163C, 155F; HB1P
- bort
- 6 valves

- Posts: 11223
- Joined: Wed Sep 22, 2004 11:08 pm
- Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Re: 6 valve F Poll:
What, no 3+3 Vienna-style option? 
I've only tried 4+2 in an elephant room, and thought it made sense. Though I wouldn't necessarily call 5+1 "goofy", to me it seems that if you're gonna commit to using your Left Hand for valves, you might as well go all in.
Besides, 4+2 looks cooler anyway.
I've only tried 4+2 in an elephant room, and thought it made sense. Though I wouldn't necessarily call 5+1 "goofy", to me it seems that if you're gonna commit to using your Left Hand for valves, you might as well go all in.
Besides, 4+2 looks cooler anyway.
- chronolith
- 4 valves

- Posts: 557
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- Location: Chicago, IL
Re: 6 valve F Poll:
I actually prefer the 5+1 config on my 181. By default my left hand is up on top to get over to the first valve slide which gets used fairly often. I can just reach down with my fourth finger and pinky to hit the 6th valve if I need to. From what I have been told, Alan Baer did the same on his 181. I use my F in quintet a lot so I am often in the lower register and using the 5th valve, so basically the split occurs with the valves I use often and the valves I don't.
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Bob Kolada
- 6 valves

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- Location: Chicago
Re: 6 valve F Poll:
I prefer 4+2 and, more specifically, 5 above 6.
-
tclements
- TubeNet Sponsor

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Re: 6 valve F Poll:
Every 6 valve F I had ever played was 4+2 (except for the 3+3's I have). Suddenly horns started coming in 5+1. NO way can this old dog learn the new trick. Please 6 on top!
Tony Clements
https://www.symphonysanjose.org/perform ... s/?REF=MTM
https://www.symphonysanjose.org/perform ... s/?REF=MTM
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TubaSailor
- bugler

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- Joined: Thu Mar 15, 2007 8:45 pm
- Location: So. Cal
Re: 6 valve F Poll:
I've only played on 5+1, but it makes sense to me - the 5th is used much more than the 6th, so it frees up the left hand for other things...
Rudy RMC50
Rudy 4345R
Mira 181-6GB
Gronitz BBb Kaiser (for sale)
Custom Kanstul 1662
King 4B
York pea-shooter
French Tuba in C
Rudy 4345R
Mira 181-6GB
Gronitz BBb Kaiser (for sale)
Custom Kanstul 1662
King 4B
York pea-shooter
French Tuba in C
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Bob Kolada
- 6 valves

- Posts: 2632
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- Location: Chicago
Re: 6 valve F Poll:
The 6th SHOULD be used more- 24 alternate, slurs, instead of 1 on flat partials,...TubaSailor wrote:I've only played on 5+1, but it makes sense to me - the 5th is used much more than the 6th, so it frees up the left hand for other things...
- Rick Denney
- Resident Genius
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Re: 6 valve F Poll:
Me, too. Unless I need to play standing without a harness.Bob Kolada wrote:I prefer 4+2 and, more specifically, 5 above 6.
Rick "who also owns a 4+1 5-valve F" Denney
-
bentuba7
- bugler

- Posts: 48
- Joined: Tue Apr 26, 2011 1:44 pm
- Location: Chicago
Re: 6 valve F Poll:
4+2 with 6 on top please
the 6th valve makes the run up from low F in the 1st mvt of the Vaughan Williams much easier. I agree with Bloke, and I have actually put an adjustable thumb ring on my first valve slide.
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Mark
Re: 6 valve F Poll:
Or, the right thumb could operate an aftermarket main slide spring trigger.bloke wrote:If "X" player with "X" 6-valve F tuba REALLY thinks they need to mess with slides, the 4+2 configuration is STILL best, because it FREES up BOTH thumbs: The RIGHT thumb COULD operate an aftermarket #1 slide spring trigger and the LEFT thumb COULD operate an aftermarket #5 slide spring trigger.
- muttenstrudel
- bugler

- Posts: 68
- Joined: Fri Apr 29, 2011 8:21 pm
- Location: Dinklage, Lower Saxony, Germany
Re: 6 valve F Poll:
I like the 4+2 setup on my JBL and my good old Knoth with 5th valve on top as a long whole-step. I have to mention that I am used to a two hand operation from my 5 valve CC Conn 99J (aka Cerveny 681-5) which has a 4+1 setup and was my first tuba. The Miraphone 289b which I used to have had a 5+0 set up which didn't feel as nice as the 4+2.
My main instruments are clarinet and saxophone so I am used to fingerings involving both hands. Oh, and the 0+1 on my Conn 88H is very nice, too.
Regards,
Uwe
My main instruments are clarinet and saxophone so I am used to fingerings involving both hands. Oh, and the 0+1 on my Conn 88H is very nice, too.
Regards,
Uwe
Regards,
Uwe
Knoth F 6V (1950's)
Conn 99J CC 5V (2009)
B&S F JBL Classic 6V (2011)
Uwe
Knoth F 6V (1950's)
Conn 99J CC 5V (2009)
B&S F JBL Classic 6V (2011)
- cjk
- 5 valves

- Posts: 1915
- Joined: Fri Mar 19, 2004 12:16 pm
Re: 6 valve F Poll:
Agree. The B&S 4+2 6 valve layout makes the best sense to me. The first two fingers on the left hand operate the same intervals as the first two fingers on the right hand. It's fairly easy to wrap one's brain around.Bob Kolada wrote:I prefer 4+2 and, more specifically, 5 above 6.
The only factory 5+1 F tubas I've seen have been the new style Miraphone 181s and the Miraphone Firebirds. The Miraphone 181 needs some fooling with the first valve to be played in tune, lots more than a B&S. While I'm not a fan of the sound, I think the Miraphone Firebird is much better than the 181.
I always thought the 5+1 F tubas were for those who were used to a 5 valve tuba, but wanted a big shiny hood ornament.
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Bob Kolada
- 6 valves

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Re: 6 valve F Poll:
How was Roland Szentpali's 45SLPthing set up?
- cjk
- 5 valves

- Posts: 1915
- Joined: Fri Mar 19, 2004 12:16 pm
Re: 6 valve F Poll:
The 46SLP thing was 4+2 with a B&S format 5th and 6th (5th flat whole step on left hand top, 6th flat half step on left hand bottom). It is the only 6v Meinl-Weston tuba done like that.Bob Kolada wrote:How was Roland Szentpali's 45SLPthing set up?
Maybe there will be a 6 valve 2250 someday ???
- TheHatTuba
- 5 valves

- Posts: 1150
- Joined: Sat Nov 27, 2010 6:00 pm
- Location: Desert
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Bob Kolada
- 6 valves

- Posts: 2632
- Joined: Sun Jul 19, 2009 1:57 pm
- Location: Chicago
Re: 6 valve F Poll:
Didn't it have a quint valve somewhere? In his youtube videos it looks kinda like a garden hose wrapped up back there.cjk wrote:The 46SLP thing was 4+2 with a B&S format 5th and 6th (5th flat whole step on left hand top, 6th flat half step on left hand bottom). It is the only 6v Meinl-Weston tuba done like that.Bob Kolada wrote:How was Roland Szentpali's 45SLPthing set up?
Maybe there will be a 6 valve 2250 someday ???
Bob"likes the idea of 4 piston valve+2 rotary valve tubas"Kolada
-
bud
- bugler

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- Location: New Orleans
Re: 6 valve F Poll:
regarding the 5+1 or 4+2.
For a new tuba that I'm purchasing, I'm thinking:
4+1 plus triggers for 2nd and 5th slides (tri-tone 5th slide, I'm sold on the tri-tone now)
Versus
5+0 plus hand pushing/pulling of first, fourth, and fifth (tri-tone 5th slide)
Left hand 5th valve allows right hand agility since the right hand wouldn't have to do thumb squeezes in the low register, and triggers eliminate all pushing and pulling except the first slide (first slide is the problem with the left hand setup).
Versus
Right hand valve allows for pushing and pulling of the first slide at any time, and without triggers, 4th and 5th may need occasional yanking. I'm having a hard time deciding.
Boils down to agility vs g and eb being flat without the first valve slide push.
For a new tuba that I'm purchasing, I'm thinking:
4+1 plus triggers for 2nd and 5th slides (tri-tone 5th slide, I'm sold on the tri-tone now)
Versus
5+0 plus hand pushing/pulling of first, fourth, and fifth (tri-tone 5th slide)
Left hand 5th valve allows right hand agility since the right hand wouldn't have to do thumb squeezes in the low register, and triggers eliminate all pushing and pulling except the first slide (first slide is the problem with the left hand setup).
Versus
Right hand valve allows for pushing and pulling of the first slide at any time, and without triggers, 4th and 5th may need occasional yanking. I'm having a hard time deciding.
Boils down to agility vs g and eb being flat without the first valve slide push.