Re: Tuning Slide In Leadpipe??


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Posted by Art H on January 23, 2004 at 23:46:02:

In Reply to: Tuning Slide In Leadpipe?? posted by Steven on January 23, 2004 at 19:13:35:

In recent years the trend has been toward bigger and fatter tubas. If that is the kind you like then a short leadpipe is a good idea because it gets you into the tapered tubing sooner. The Conn 20J is an example. But if you don't really need to have the fattest tuba in town then the old-style configuration with the tuning slide in the leadpipe works very well. The older Kings (from the 1930's) were built that way, and played beautifully if not over-blown. The belgian tubas (dePrins & Mahillon) imported in the late 1950's by Walter Sear were built that way, and they played well too. One advantage is that most of the water condenses in the tuning slide, and you can yank it out and dump it easily. Most rotary-valve tubas have a long leadpipe that could have included a tuning slide if they were arranged differently, and many tubist like those instruments. What does not seem to work well is a long leadpipe with tuning slide going into a rapidly-tapered (fat) bugle. Instruments like that tend to be rather disappointing in the low register, at least the ones that I have tried.



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