Check out this horn...

poomshanka · Post by **poomshanka** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 5:03 pm

bloke wrote:Never...but if you have a knack for buffing sousaphones, you can give me a call - as long as you leave your trumpet at home.

Not much for buffing, but I *have* done some pretty Tastee work with a homemade DentEraser...

poomshanka · Post by **poomshanka** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 5:09 pm

bloke wrote:Never...but if you have a knack for buffing sousaphones, you can give me a call - as long as you leave your trumpet at home.

And I'm *wicked* good with some sheet brass and silver solder...

iiipopes · Post by **iiipopes** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 5:47 pm

You should be a-shawmed of yourself for posting that picture!

poomshanka · Post by **poomshanka** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 6:20 pm

bloke wrote:I'm glad you said somethin'. I was afraid some bloke was gonna have to come after him with a strap.

<img src="http://tinypic.com/k0gd3a.jpg">

You stay away from my butt with that strap!!

windshieldbug · Post by **windshieldbug** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 6:25 pm

Beergardenblatter wrote:I imagine some slight further digging will easily reveal some additional more conventional multi-valve brass instruments that are "truly chromatic". There's a multitude of configurations and ideas that have been tried over the last 200+ years, making a claim to be "first" can be tenuous.

I'll make it easier for ya... how about the first truly chromatic instrument, even the first microtonal instrument... the sackbut!

Dan Schultz · Post by **Dan Schultz** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 6:37 pm

bloke wrote:un-dicked-with

izzat in the word book

Lew · Post by **Lew** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 6:50 pm

bloke wrote:Originally, it was a plain-ol' four-piston King...except with one less pair of bows that the "normal" version. (I saw the un-dicked-with instrument back around 1974 in Knoxville.)

I wonder how much better in tune it plays than a plain wrapper 2341?

...

It was turned into what it is by Gronitz, to Dr. Youngs specs.

Allen · Post by **Allen** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 6:55 pm

I never understood about that "perfect intonation" stuff with more valves. The reason I pull slides is not so much to deal with the sharpness of using valve combinations (as opposed to using single valves), as to deal with quirks in pitches. Many tubas do not have their open tones absolutely in tune, and there are further variations from theoretical pitch while using valves.

I think in the case of this double tuba, the quest for theoretical perfection has outstripped practicality by a big margin.

Here is a top two list of what we need for perfect intonation:

2) A separate valve for each and every note the tuba can play.

1) A separate tuba for each and every note (think panpipes).

[My personal finding is that practicing more makes my tuba more in tune!]

Cheers,
Allen

poomshanka · Post by **poomshanka** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 7:14 pm

bloke wrote:You don't scare me a bit !

Not so fast, my knuckle-dragging friend. I *will* target your *** for some kicking!!

poomshanka · Post by **poomshanka** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 7:40 pm

bloke wrote:Don't make me open this...You won't like me when I open this...

Been there, done that... or didn't you get the memo?

trseaman · Post by **trseaman** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 9:08 pm

Tubadork · Post by **Tubadork** » Mon Jan 09, 2006 10:01 pm

Well,
ummm.... according to the good Dr. himself, he doesn't let anyone play it and well, as for the sound, ummm....... let's just say that it was less than desireable, but hey that was many years ago (gosh, 1995 ish).
Bill

Art Hovey · Post by **Art Hovey** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 12:17 am

Dr. Young published a series of articles in the TUBA Journal about the theory and design of that instrument. Maybe somebody can tell us exactly what year that was. He claimed it played beautifully. Thanks for posting the photos; I had not seen them before.

Allen · Post by **Allen** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 11:18 am

harold wrote:
The reason I pull slides is not so much to deal with the sharpness of using valve combinations
Interesting. I saw Chris Olka's masterclass at the University of Washington last month and he manipulates his first valve slide so much, I thought he was a trombonist.

Obviously he is a great player, but I'm not certain to the efficacy and accuracy of these slide movements relative to each pitch.

Since he had a full studio, there are now several students that have likewise adopted that habit. It would seem to me that the actual change that you can get from a fractional movement of a tuning slide while playing could be accomplished within the embouchure.

One generally does not pull slides to play in tune. Buzzing the accurate pitch does that. A tuba sounds better (and notes are easier to hit accurately) when the correct pitch you are buzzing is at the center of the tuba's resonance. Slide pulling centers the resonances.

The argument my teacher gives me is that I should not be working my chops lipping pitches up or down to be correct. Rather, I should use my chops to produce a good tone, articulate well, etc.

I have the good fortune to own a tuba with generally good intonation (a Meinl Weston 32). My personal compromise is to do no slide adjustments when playing fast. I do adjust the first valve slide for some notes while playing them loud or long.

Incidentally, slide adjustments can open up the possibility of using different fingerings. For example, in one piece I had to do a long sustained trill between E (normally fingered 3) and D (normally fingered 4) -- awful. With a pull of the first valve slide, I could trill between E (3) and D (13) -- easy. There have been other times when a bit of valve retuning has helped to avoid moving a lot of valves for a quick passage. My fingers can move fast enough, but getting all those many feet of tubing to respond acoustically is really tough.

I should add that I'm just an amateur. A really good player may not see any need to do some of the things I just described. As for me, I'll take any advantages I can get!

Cheers,
Allen

windshieldbug · Post by **windshieldbug** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 12:41 pm

harold wrote:
The reason I pull slides is not so much to deal with the sharpness of using valve combinations
Interesting. I saw Chris Olka's masterclass at the University of Washington last month and he manipulates his first valve slide so much, I thought he was a trombonist.

Obviously he is a great player, but I'm not certain to the efficacy and accuracy of these slide movements relative to each pitch.

Get better ears, or a tuner. It may be the way his horn is that requires it, but the bottom line is DO WHATEVER SOUNDS GOOD. You're implying that it may be in his head, but *how did he sound*!?