Posted by Joe Baker on April 20, 2001 at 11:16:12:
In Reply to: why compensating, really? posted by Joe S. on April 20, 2001 at 09:45:53:
I'm with you, Joe. Euph typically plays in and above the staff. Why carry around all that extra tubing for notes that almost NEVER get played by a euph? In fact, I'd prefer to 'march right into Bagdad' so to speak, and wonder why a euph needs four valves at all. A lighter instrument, one less valve -- it seems to me that a four-valve euph should be more of a specialty instrument, like a bass trombone. Ideally, I'd like to be able to add or remove the fourth valve like you do with convertible trombones, and have a trigger for tuning notes that use third valve.
Mark Finley, a frequent poster on this list, has a nice Besson 3-valve comp. euph that I really like. That makes the longest 'path' 10 passes through valves, whereas with a 4vComp it would be 14 trips through the valves, a 40% increase. Even to play the same note, using 2-4, the 4vComp does 12 passes through valves. Also, the 3-valve comp fixes notes that the euph really does play more often.
Joe "My next instrument will probably be a 3-valve euph" Baker