Re: Re: Re: Re: adding a dependent fifth valve


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Posted by Joseph Felton on August 07, 2000 at 17:08:13:

In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: adding a dependent fifth valve posted by Rick Denney on August 07, 2000 at 13:13:57:

Bravo!

I've gotten on my soapbox regarding this topic in the past and I'm really glad to see someone else take this up for a change. :)

My soapbox(leave quickly!):
The bore size numbers don't actually tell you anything unless you are able to put them in perspective with the size of the rest of the instrument, how it's wrapped and where along the taper of the instrument the valves are placed. By the time you've done that you've mapped the whole instrument and would have been better served to have to have just played it. If Rudy Mienl or Hirsbrunner were ever to build a five thayer valve 1" bore tuba I suspect that it would be a complete flop unless they did something magical to bring the rest of the horn into proportion.

Secondly, as trendy as the idea of graduated bore may be there are good reasons for placing a fifth valve before the rest of the valve set. For one thing most of us, whether we want to admit it or not, use the resistance of the horn in the lower register. Having a slightly smaller bore fifth valve could very likely give a player a little extra flexibility down low. Another potential benefit of placing a fifth valve rotor first is that it creates a very deliberate 'bump' in the airstream early on in the horn. This 'bump' has the potential to create the illusion of more responsiveness in a horn that is otherwise very open. This is my currently theory regarding the design of many of the more trendy horns on the market at the moment: big open horn with strategically placed resistance where consumers don't think to look. For the record, I own two great examples of very trendy horns so I suppose I'm guilty of fueling the mania.

FWIW,
joseph


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