Re: AMERICAN & GERMAN


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Posted by Rick Denney on February 15, 2004 at 21:45:49:

In Reply to: AMERICAN & GERMAN posted by LDC on February 15, 2004 at 12:47:21:

Dale's post (dp) has the description that always seemed best to me, but I like Klaus's description as well.

I've measured some spectral responses, and found that American-style tubas (no matter where they are made) have more spectral color than German-style tubas (no matter where they are made). Exceptions abound. But I think the bigger difference is not in the spectral response, but rather how the sound propagates from the bell.

American-style tubas propagate sound over a wide angle, with relatively little central emphasis. This means that a listener gets the tuba sound from a wider range of directions, and this in turn increases the multipath error between those various directions. This has the effect of smoothing out the sound, and that gives it an omnipresence--it floats under the ensemble. German tubas with tall, narrow bells tend to project right into your face, providing a clear sense of their source and less of that smoothing effect from the room.

As Joe points out, there are many exceptions, and it's a bit hard to put one's finger on why these differences exist. And they represent a continuum, and only comparing exremes is like to make a noticeable difference. But if you compare, say, a Conn 20J, Holton, or York (or any American-made sousaphone) to an Alexander, Rudolf Meinl, or Miraphone, you might find the latter more intense and powerful, and the former more foundational. Or, you might not. Neither approach makes up for bad playing.

Rick "who thinks there is a difference" Denney


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