Posted by Mike Solms on January 08, 2003 at 17:39:51:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Re: A hypothetical situation... posted by Anthony on January 08, 2003 at 16:07:06:
This particular thread got me thinking a bit on what really constitutes "good" intonation. I purchased a four-valve Alex 163 CC over the summer, knowing full well that it had some quirks. Like Rick D and his Holton, though, I knew after a couple of minutes that I was going to buy it. After a few months figuring out the right mouthpiece for me on that horn (Doug Elliot R cup, 132n rim, R5E backbore) I discovered that playing the horn in tune was a snap. You pull out the fourth valve slide until the 2-4 combination is in tune, then play all the D's and G's 1-3 and all the Dflats and Gflats 2-4. Set up this way the only note where I might even think about touching a slide (other than the sub-Gflat below the staff fourth valve register) is the F in the staff. It's a few cents flat but very manageable. The response and tone quality of the 1-3 and 2-4 notes is very consistent with the notes that employ less tubing.
Yes, the fingering is a tad more complicated, but I do not have to do any wrestling with the horn at the embouchure. I never feel the need to "micromanage" the horn, to use one of Rick D's expressions. The horn never gets in the way of my making music. So on one level I guess you could say the intonation is lousy- after all, the first valve D in the staff is 25 cents flat. The bottom line, for me at least, is that with a few fingering adjustments I can play in tune comfortably and I look forward to picking it up and playing it.
In contrast, I once had a Willson euphonium that really was, for me, a pain in the butt to play. I used only one alternate fingering- fourth valve for the F in the staff. There were no other notes that were way off, but it seemed that almost every note was enough off that it required some tweaking. Despite its outsanding response and very nice tone I began to dread having to play it. After a two hour rehearsal with the Willson I always felt like I'd just finished a boxing match with a far more skillful opponent, and managed to win on a split decision.
Pretty much anyone who spent a half hour in a shop with those two horns and a tuner would tell you the Willson had better intonation than the Alex. I'm also pretty sure there are a number of folks who would never be happy using as many alternate fingerings as I do on my Alex. For me however, after some miles on it, the Alex is far easier to play in tune. No matter how carefully you select it, buying a tuba is always going to be a bit of a crapshoot. My advice to Josh in his hypothetical question is to simply go with your gut and hope for the best.