How Do YOU Tune a New Tuba?

[sliphorn]

Hi there.

I just got a new tuba and the question came to me: what's the best method for tuning a 4-valve non-compensating BBb?

Before the weird stuff flies, here is a disclaimer: I'm a full-time professional musician and know how to do it. I'm just curious what the variety of methods is among tubists.

I thought it might be an interesting and helpful thread for some folks.

[EMC]

First I find the mouthpiece that I like the most on it, the most desirable sound to me, ease of play, comfort, that kind of thing. And then I go about tuning the horn, while playing a few excerpts to see how they sound, a bordogni etude and some brass gym before I find the best configuration of slides and pulls if any that I'm happy with.

[windshieldbug]

Use your ears. Any "professional" knows the difference between even-tempered and just tunings, and you can only apply them playing with other people. Some flexibility is required in addition to comfort.

[sliphorn]

Use your ears. Any "professional" knows the difference between even-tempered and just tunings, and you can only apply them playing with other people. Some flexibility is required in addition to comfort.

Like I said, I'm curious about people's methods, though I'm more interested in the actual technique people use, rather than "use your ears."

Good thread so far. Very explicit and detailed answer, Bloke.

[southtubist]

On F tuba, I sorta set all the slides in the position that best matches all the notes. I rarely lip more than 20 cents on that horn. I have a 2nd valve trigger for low stuff. I don't like to fiddle with F tuning much- this F tuba has extremely wide slots, so I just sit there and play it without really thinking much.

The Alex is a whole nother' story. I tune 4 to be a dead on 2+4 combination. I tune 5 (2 step) to be shorter than the 2+3 combination to compensate for a dead on 2+4+5 low Eb, with low E being 1+3+5 and a 1st slide pull. 3 is pulled so that 1+3 G's and D's are on with a 1.5" 1st slide pull. It's also dead on for 2+3 A/Eb's. 2nd slide is all the way in, as well as my main slide. I use low range fingerings in and above the staff and it works beautifully- a friend used to to play Bydlo on an audition he won recently. I only have to fiddle with my 1st slide on 1+3 notes and a handful of others, and I usually pull less than 1.5" except for pedal D with 1234.

My Alex is easier to play in tune than most tubas I've played. It just h8s everyone else who has played it. I love that tuba.

[iiipopes]

1/ Adjust the room temperature to your average gig temperature, and warm the tuba up well.
2/ Tune the main tuning slide the the average/best spot for the Bb overtone series. If judgment calls must be made, error on the side of "flat". ([a] Lipping up is easier than lipping down. Louder = sharper.)
3/ Tune the 2nd valve slide loop to the A overtone series (same strategy).
4/ Tune the 1st valve slide loop to the Ab overtone series (same strategy).
5/ Tune the 3rd valve slide loop (in conjunction with the 2nd valve) to the Gb overtone series. Likely, this will be the most squirrelly overtone series, and thus will require the most judgement calls.
6/ Tune the 4th valve loop to low F (loud!)
7/ Evaluate the fourth valve C, the 2-4 B natural, and the 2-4 low E, and decide if any further 4th valve tuning slide loop length compromises should be made.
8/ Play up and down the 1-2 G overtone series, and weigh the G overtone series' overall tuning to that of the Bb (1) and A (2) overtone series.
9/ Go back and play the (no valves down) Bb overtone series, and make sure that you're starting point is consistent to where it was when you began.
10/ Play the tuba with these slide settings for a few days, and reevaluate.

What bloke said. I would only add to that see if the 1st valve is engineered so it can be pushed on the 5th partial note that it plays (mid line D on a CC tuba, 2nd space C on a BBb tuba), but still pulled if necessary as the near-pedal notes are approached.
And another way to sharpen the pitch is to raise the back of the tongue, increasing the velocity of the air.
Schlep - This needs to be a "sticky." It can be used to evaluate tubas before purchase, to see if a particular specimen makes the player's short list for purchase, as well as learn the idiosyncrasies of the tuba after it is purchased.

[sliphorn]

I'm glad for so many responses. Wide slots are definitely nice for getting pitches to lock easily when you play, but I wonder about this from an engineering standpoint. I feel like newer instruments 'tend' to be much narrower slots and more efficient. Older horns often have more wiggle room but seem to be less efficient.

Thoughts?

[Dan Schultz]

It hasn't been said yet so I'll be the jerk. If it's not already tuned and will not play three octaves of chromatic scales perfectly... send it back to the factory!

[jsmn4vu]

Schlep - This needs to be a "sticky." It can be used to evaluate tubas before purchase, to see if a particular specimen makes the player's short list for purchase, as well as learn the idiosyncrasies of the tuba after it is purchased.

Second!

[bort]

Here's what my band director (a sax player) taught me in high school. It's stupid, but frankly, a lot of times it's not all that far off.

Main tuning slide out 1 inch
2nd valve slide out 1/4 inch
1st valve slide out 1/2 inch
3rd valve slide out 3/4 inch
...and by extension...
4th valve slide out 1 inch
5th valve slide out 1 1/4 inches

I don't do it this way, and it's really just uninformed guessing. But for horns that play pretty well in tune to begin with, it's actually not too terrible.

Edit -- maybe it wasn't exact measurements like this, but an eyeballed "a little, a little more than before, still a little more, etc...)

[Dan Schultz]

Whatever you decide with your tuning slides... be sure to move them once in a while to avoid a trip to the repair shop.

[swillafew]

What does it matter, if they're stuck in the right places...??

Then I can't call it new anymore.

[k001k47]

But how do you tuna tuba toothpaste?