Re: Re: YFB 621 pitch/mp?


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Posted by Rick Denney on February 16, 2001 at 13:13:26:

In Reply to: Re: YFB 621 pitch/mp? posted by Pitch on Yamaha's on February 16, 2001 at 11:09:07:

Okay, I'm confused. I would expect that all instruments (except, seemingly, Besson) sold these days have enough room on their main tuning slides to accommodate all common pitch references. Some German orchestras reportedly tune to A=444, but most music groups in the U.S. tune to A=440.

So, if Yamaha wants to design an instrument that works in all groups, it will have to be able to tune to a sharper pitch standard. If you play in a groups with a lower pitch standard, then pull the slide out.

The slide on my 621 is more than long enough to accommodate this, and I can peg the needle on a tuner without any efforts. The only note that requires some work is the G on the staff, which is supposed to be flat when played first valve on an F tuba, just as the C on the staff is flat on a BBb, and the D on a CC. Players routinely push slides in more than an inch to tune these notes. Every other note on the horn is right on the dot.

Having an instrument tuned to A=440 with the slide all the way in would be the real problem, it seems to me. Then you can't sharpen the pitch to play with a group that's sharp, which is just about every community band I've ever played in.

Rick "wondering how much slide it takes to move 3 Hz?" Denney


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