tuba anger

[iiipopes]

I have seen more than my share of Yammy tubas with broken valve guides and valve casings that the metal was too thin and would warp badly, even trying to take care of them.

Part of the problem is Yammy does not use thick enough metal on the casings, and they try to be too close on their tolerances.

The vast majority of Yammy tubas are purchased for school bands. They need thicker valve casings, about a half-thou more valve clearance, and beefed up valve guides.

Yes, they do have good tone and intonation, and are consistent. But you still can't play one when it breaks, no matter how good it is at the retailer's showroom.

For a high school tuba: King 2341 any day, any time, any place, any mouthpiece, any condition. It will still play.

[Leto Cruise]

Fight fight fight!!

You support Chinese tubas. Do you also complain about the economy? Economical tubas don't help the economy!

So you're saying I should spend all my money on expensive products just to balance out the economy? Yeah that makes sense. /end sarcasm

[Lee Stofer]

I get frustrated with all these people that think that they "need" 4 valves. Jr. high tuba and euphonium players don't need 4 valves. They need to figure out what playing is all about to start with, and to master, yes, master playing on a good-quality, three-valve instrument. Kanstul and Yamaha both make very high-quality, 3-valve instruments that will serve well for years, and not break the bank to purchase.

For a number of years I taught middle school low brass players. For the first two years, their band books have 3-valve fingerings, and I found that the schools that had 4-valve instruments, had young players using 3-valve fingerings on 4-valve instruments. This is bad in more ways than one, for the slide tubing length is different on 3-valve instruments to accomodate 3-valve fingerings, so playing a 4-valve instrument using 3-valve fingerings is more out-of-tune than playing on a 3-valve instrument. Four-valve instruments are necessarily more expensive to make, buy and maintain, and are heavier, which is an added burden on young players, so if they are not ready to use the 4-valve instrument to their advantage, it is wasted money. Why burden the parents with the extra expense, and the children with a more cumbersome and complicated instrument? If someone has mastered the three-valve fingerings, switching to four-valve fingerings at a later date is only a short and simple transition, whereas if the student has never mastered three-valve fingerings, they will be at a disadvantage whenever they need to play three valves, ie., marching band.

Finally, if one really learns how to master the low brass instrument, whether one has three, four, five or six valves is of secondary importance, unless you are doing it for a living.

[Uncle Buck]

Disagree.

There are low range exercises i like my student to do, even advanced beginners, that are impossible to do on a 3 valve instrument

I would also rather them start on a 4 valve horn and get the pinkie strength and coordenation started earlier rather than later

That's the DFW-area band program "system" speaking . . .

[Euphtub]

Disagree.

There are low range exercises i like my student to do, even advanced beginners, that are impossible to do on a 3 valve instrument

I would also rather them start on a 4 valve horn and get the pinkie strength and coordenation started earlier rather than later

I'm with you, Mark.

However, they still have to learn those 3-valve patterns for marching band.

[Jay Bertolet]

Let's just say my 25 years of teaching experience leads me to firmly believe there's benefit to having 4 Valve horns in Jr High

+1

On topic...
I'm angry that tuba players on this board can't answer direct questions with being flippant.

There's an obvious solution to that problem.