Re: Re: Tuning Slide In Leadpipe??


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Posted by Mark Heter on January 24, 2004 at 00:39:19:

In Reply to: Re: Tuning Slide In Leadpipe?? posted by Why not on January 23, 2004 at 19:53:47:

This configuration has been pretty much abandoned in modern instruments, with the exception of entry-level graded horns. Modern design (and "modern' is a term of art) dictates making the leadpipe as short as possible, and into the valve cluster as quickly as possible. The tuning slide before the valves introduces an interruption of the conincal expansion of the lead pipe (it gets bigger, then smaller, then bigger, then smaller, instead of continually expanding on its way from mouthpiece to valves - there's a gap in bore size when you pull out the slide to tune) The old set-up (tuning slide first) exacerbates the normally flat notes - on b-flats, the open "f's" and "d" and the top of the staff b-flat, and corresponding notes on other horns built in different keys. The advantage was mostly in manufacturing - the builder could position the same old valve cluster in different locations on various models. It's not to say that all horns with the tuning slide after the valves are in tune to themselves, that's not true, either. Most people who like the old Conns are hooked on that unique sound - what Dave Gannett used to call "Conn fuzz". If you love the sound, you may be willing to compensate for the anomalies.
Good luck with it!
MH


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