compensating/non/fingerings/eb/so confused....

[ebtubasrock]

Help! I've been reading about fingerings/ compensating, non-compensating, etc, and I am so confused!

A little while ago I bought a Yamaha YEB321, and have been playing with the notes in the low register. But I am not sure I have things right! Not that it is a 4 valve, Eb horn.

I checked the fingerings here, but they are for a compensating horn. I also read in an old post that I could take the F fingerings and use them for a note down a step, but they are for 5 valve horns!

Can anyone help with fingerings for an eb, 4 valve tuba?

I am so:

confused in Canada

[RyanSchultz]

any notes in particular? I would imagine the F chart probably only uses the 5th a few times. Let us know which notes. . .

[Chuck(G)]

To a certain extent, the low register below A (24) depends somewhat on your flexibility and your horn. Some can overcome the sharpness of 14 for the A flat, some can overcome the flatness of 124 for the same note. Usually, 234 will get you a good G and 1234 will get you a decent F sharp.

As an alternative, you can use the false tones for the low register; A flat would be open, G would be 2, F-sharp would be 1, F would be 12 and so forth. Depending on your horn's tendencies, this may take some tinkering with fingerings.

[ebtubasrock]

Thanks Chuck, it was the low register that I was talking about. I will try some of your suggestions.

Any other ideas out there?

[winston]

.

[Bob Mosso]

Any other ideas out there?

I think Chuck is spot on, with one comment. Depending on your horn and how you set the slides, 134 may be closer to Gb/F# than 1234.

[windshieldbug]

USE A TUNER! They're easy enough to find and borrow, buy, or get through the mail. Once you've got one, whatever works, works, even "non-standard" ones... but double check both you ear and your horn!

[Tom Holtz]

On my 4-valve (non-comp) Eb tuba (helicon), here's what happens for me in the lower register...

Bb - 4 (duh)
A - 24
Ab - 124 - a bit low, push 4th slide in (it's an easy reaching slide)
G - 234 - dead on
Gb - 134 - pull the 4th slide out
F - 1234 - pull the 4th slide way out, and pray
E - nope
Eb - pedal tone. Kickin'.

YMMV

[Uncle Buck]

The fingerings that have been suggested by Tom should work, with slide pulling.

On your model, a false tone for the low E natural should be possible with the third valve depressed.

[Lew]

Here's an Eb tuba fingering chart for a non-compensating tuba. As you can see, the fingerings are the same as for a compensating horn, but intonation will be off without some adjustment. This chart at least shows where the particular valve combination will be flat or sharp.

[ebtubasrock]

Excellent help, thanks all.

Lew, what book did you scan that Eb chart out of?