Posted by Anthony on March 19, 2003 at 08:16:41:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Rapid Passages on Rotaries posted by Steve H. on March 18, 2003 at 23:51:36:
This should not be the case if you have a decent linkage. With a string linkage, for example, the action should be faster than physically possible on any other horn, piston or rotary. The only time I saw Dan Perantoni in recital, he was playing a rotary valve F tuba- the rotors certainly didn't seem to be holding him back from where I was sitting!
I think part of my preference for rotaries has to do with the reliability factor. I played an orchestra gig on a piston horn a few years ago... about half way through one piece my fourth valve stuck down(anyone who knows me knows I take VERY good care of my instruments, this wasn't the result of any kind of neglect), and I had to play the remaining 6 minutes of the piece as if I were playing a GG tuba. There was no where in the piece where I had more than 2 measures left, and I was not able to get the valve back up until after we ended(even then, I had to stick my car key underneath the button cap and lift up). I played the rest of the concert afraid to use my 4th valve, and bought a rotary horn less than a week later.
(incidentally, the same thing happened to me when I was playing euphonium a few weeks ago... slurring a high c# to a g#! I used my CC tuba on the performance.)
fwiw
Anthony