Re: 5 th valve


[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ TubeNet BBS ] [ FAQ ]

Posted by Paul on July 20, 2002 at 09:13:07:

In Reply to: 5 th valve posted by Clyde Cook on July 19, 2002 at 18:30:42:

As Thomas points out, a fifth valve is exactly like the second rotor on a bass trombne. A fifth valve can be used either of two ways. In my opinion, the best note to judge the effectiveness of your fifth valve (on a CC horn) is low F. Most players today use it as a flat major second. Many people assume this to be a quick "safety net" when learning CC fingerings. That is not the intention of that configuration, and intonation can become a problem. The second way to use the valve is as an added major third. If you have a piston horn, it is extremely difficult to hide this much tubing on the horn, and many piston horns don't offer this type of tuning. It seems to me (and with the input of Matt at Dillon Music) that the major second configuration is more prevalent now because of the current popularity of piston horns. Some horns are able to do both. If you use the major third the entire length of tubing is used, and if you use a major second you have a "dead" section of tubing that is not connected to the rest of the tubing. Abe Torchinsky had a tuba (Meinl Weston I think) with this configuration at the top the the horn by the left hand. Matt Walters very cleverly hid this type of configuration on my horn behind the valves and in front of the players belly. If you get this type of set-up you can experiment with both types, and determine your own preference.


Follow Ups: