Re: Re: Mirafone 186 vs. Rudy Meinl 3/4


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Posted by Jay Bertolet on December 20, 2002 at 07:28:10:

In Reply to: Re: Mirafone 186 vs. Rudy Meinl 3/4 posted by Steve Inman on December 19, 2002 at 00:18:03:

I think this is one of the aural illusions that we run into as players. Perhaps one of the most difficult things to do when playing a tuba with any large ensemble is to accurately assess how the horn sounds within the blend of the group. The sound we hear in the back row is not always what is present out front. I think the Rudy horns in particular (mostly the 3/4 and 4/4 models) have a very pronounced difference in sounds up close and out front. For my taste, the Rudy sound up close isn't the prettiest sound to listen to. Especially if you're really centering the sound and using the proper air, the sound can be very penetrating, almost strident. It is a very focused sound. Out front, it is a completely different story. The horn sounds huge. The sound is much rounder out front and without the edge that seems present near the bell.

I think this is mostly an illusion for the player. The particular spread of tone and overtones that make up the Rudy sound are well suited for ensemble playing. What you hear up close really isn't an indication of how the horn sounds out front. Conversely, I know of some horns that are exactly the opposite. For example, horns like the Miraphones sound to me very nice up close. They have a very sweet sound, very rounded and lush. In the ensemble, it is a very different story. They don't come across like that at all. In the ensemble, that sound tends to come across as much less present and, sometimes, edgy. I loved Roger Bobo's earlier solo recordings. His sound is simply amazing. If I were doing more solo work, you can bet that I'd be seriously considering using my Miraphone 184. I just think that would be a good sonic match. By the same token, you won't catch me using my 184 in anything larger than chamber groups. To get the volume of sound and the projection, I feel you have to push that horn past where the sound is good, at least for my taste. That was the same feeling I got with the 185, 186, and 188.

Like always, it seems like you have to compare horns with an eye toward what you intend to use them for. The right tool for the right job? Perhaps.

My opinion for what it's worth...


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