Posted by Rick Denney on March 21, 2003 at 10:39:28:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Rapid Passages on Rotaries posted by Well, I'll be... on March 21, 2003 at 10:12:21:
It may be that the piston, with their direct actuation, are easier to get the timing right, as opposed to a linkage. Familiarity with the instrument over the long-haul would be the solution if that's the case, but most of these judgements are made in the elephant rooms of conferences or in a tuba superstore.
There was also an indication, subsequently refuted, that the way in which piston valve interrupted the passage and opened the new passage allowed a quicker transition from one resonance to another. The refutation stated that it was actually the piston location in the bugle that made the difference, and not the fact that it was a piston, but I'll take the results either way.
Joe S described lip slurs as being a timing coordination between a pulse of air and a change of the embouchure. I believe that the best players do this whether or not the valves are being moved, while the rest of us depend on the resonance of the new valve tubing to make things happen. His description fits with yours pretty well.
Rick "whose timing sucks" Denney