Posted by Art H on August 25, 2003 at 23:29:51:
In Reply to: Re: Tuba metallurgics, carbon sousas posted by Rick Denney on August 25, 2003 at 13:13:20:
Rick, you speak the truth and you say it well. If vibration of the instrument really made that much difference then we would all notice a big change when you put your hand on the bell. (After all, putting your hand on a vibrating cymbal or drumhead certainly makes a difference.) But in the case of tubas the hand seems to make either no detectable change or else a slight improvment in playing characteristics.
Extreme case: A friend of mine has a gigantic old brass sousaphone with a bell that rings so much it's like the spring reverb system on a cheap guitar amp. Some people like cheap reverb, but I find it very annoying.