new tuba! :D

[tubatooter1940]

t4s,you only had the horn a week.It takes more time than that.Relax, enjoy the horn and with access to a good tuner,all this intonation stuff will get worked out.

[phoenix]

the last conn 5xJ i played was for a couple weeks and the intonation was terrible on it. i tried a bunch of different mouthpieces, tuning the slides, etc., and nothing worked. i returned it and got a 1291 instead, couldn't ask for a better horn, unless it was a MW2000 of course. well good luck to ya!

[Matt G]

[quote="tuba4sissies"]
They said it has good intonation. And it does most of the time.
[quote]

The best way to come to grips with a horns intonation:

Play all 48 scales 2x on this horn in a fairly rapid fashion. (Arpeggios are optional) Major, Natural Minor, Harmonic Minor, Melodic Minor. Two octaves on each one (you choose) but try to keep it in the "cash" register.

Then, play long tones. Lots of them. Constant volume (-----), start soft get loud get soft (<<<->>>), and start loud get soft get loud (>>>-<<<).

Do this on just whole notes at a slow tempo (mm=60-80bpm) on whole notes in a major scale.

Next up are the Remington studies. Play through those at your comfort level.

Continuous use of this will allow your face to find the true center of each note. Do none of this with a tuner. As you progress though this, just look for the best sound possible on each note. If you do this for about two weeks (yes, that long) your face will find the center of each note. At that point, whip out the ol' tuner and see where the pitches lie, when playing with the best sound for each note. That way, you'll be finding the intonation tendencies of the horn, and not your chops.

Good luck.

[tubapress]

I recommend Eric Swanson for instrument repairs in D/FW area.

Eric did some work on my Rudy when I lived in the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex. He does some fo the finest repair work I've ever seen. If yoiu are anywhere near Fort Worth, make the trip to see Eric. If he can fit you into his schedule, you'll be happy to visited!

[Tubaryan12]

well.....ler's see it.......

[Paul S]

I would ditch that 7B yesterday! I am one of those guys that absolutely hate the 7B as well as the old Miraphone C4. On a horn like that, I would try to borrow someone's full-sized Conn Helleberg. ....... You might or might not stay on it for many years. But it is a far better starting point than your Conn Helleberg 7B.

Have a lot of fun, man. Post some pictures of your new baby. Make sure to give it a name. I always assign female names to my tubas (if they merit a name) because anything that is destined to spend so much time on my lap and my lips had better be female!

I 2nd all of this! Congratulations T4S!

[Tubaryan12]

OMG.....that's what I want my Marzan to look like when its redone (except with bright silver trim). Dude...you got a nice lookin' horn there.

[MartyNeilan]

That horn is way too nice for someone who has been playing about a year

Realize that:
A) You are VERY lucky.
B) You now have to WORK YOUR BUTT OFF to make it sound at least as good as it looks -
that horn deserves to be PLAYED.

I better not hear about it sitting in a closet 6 months now when you have gotten a new bass clarinet, electric guitar, trombone, or whatever your instrument of the month is then.

[funkcicle]

I remember playing 3 prototype 52Js in 99 plus a 4th prototyp 56J.. I had JUST purchased a nice VMI CC and was kicking myself in the *** HARD because they were being sold at a ridiculously low price. Not sure if this one was the 56 I played, though it was a satin lacquer horn.