Posted by F Tubist on April 19, 2001 at 09:28:17:
In Reply to: German F syndrome posted by Sven Bring on April 19, 2001 at 01:38:06:
The other day I was able to compare two Meinl-Weston tubas...the MW 45 slp F tuba and a 2141 piston Eb tuba. The 45 slp had the typical "German F" low register...squirrelly around low C. The 2141 was a different matter. The whole horn was even from top to bottom. When I put down the 4th valve to play the low Bb, the horn felt like it was a Bb tuba playing it's fundamental...very resonant. Playing the corresponding low C on the 45 slp felt like the water key was open. There are slight design differences in the two horns (the valve section sits up higher on the Eb, and the shape of the bell flares are slightly different)but after playing two horns so close in pitch, but so far from each other in response, I'm even more perplexed as to why German manufacturers can't make an F respond well in this register. Maybe I'll become "Eb Tubist".