Posted by Jay Bertolet on March 12, 2001 at 10:53:29:
In Reply to: CC 5th valve fingerings posted by ken k on March 11, 2001 at 20:09:27:
I think the previous posts have given you some excellent suggestions. My current setup is:
Gb/F# - 24
F - 15
E - 234
Eb/D# - 345
D - 1345
Db/C# - 12345
In my opinion, the flat 5th configuration works best for the low range because it is about midway in length between a whole step and a step and a half, basically a step and a quarter. The good news in that is the fact that you have two fingering combinations (1, and 5) that will yield a quarter tone apart. Since the first valve is so commonly used in most fingerings, it is an easy substitution mentally to switch between 5 and 1. Just pick the one that fit best intonation-wise. Another thing to consider is getting used to the 5 valve configuration. Most players learn on 3 and 4 valve tubas and get into the habit of lipping the more out of tune low notes to compensate for the lack of a 5th valve. I found myself doing this when I first got a 5 valve tuba and I had to take some time to get out of that habit and begin playing the low range notes without large adjustments in the embouchure. This allows the player to get more consistency in the production of notes in this range and allows you to then really get a good idea of which fingerings will produce the most accurate intonation. It won't do you much good to start looking at intonation fingerings if you're still playing in that range like you have to lip things around. This will cause you to be inconsistent with the intonation, no matter what fingerings you use. Every tuba is a little different so it takes time and a little experimentation to discover the right patterns for your setup. Good luck!
My opinion for what it's worth...