Posted by Dan Mordhorst on May 08, 2001 at 18:21:06:
Hey guys,
The past 2 days i have been working very hard on intonation. My used Meinl Weston 20 BBb 4 valve rotary was amazing. Every single not was almost perfect, in the exception of the Ab right on the first space of the staff. It is very flat. But i am easily compensate and push the 1st valve slide in, and still have room to push more in. I am very happy with that tuba! Thanks to Matt at Dillon's for helping me pick it out, he was amazing.
Okay so here is my Problem. I have a Besson International Series BE-765, 4 piston valve, non-compensating, silver plated Euphonium. My main mouthpiece is a Denis Wick 6BL and 4AL. The intonation was horrible. I was using my tuner. The low Bb was a little bit flat, but I was able to get the pitch up quite easily. Now I played the C with the 4th valve. My god, it was almost a half tone flat, 50 cents flat, with the 4th vlave slide pushed in all the way, and with the main tuning slide in all the way. I guess my only way to fix this problem is to get the 4th valve slide cut... I was able to play in tune pretty well upto the Middle Bb, with one exception. The middle F was quite sharp. After the Middle Bb, the C through D were fine. Now the Eb, F and G is terribly sharp.
I don't know what to do. Is this horn known for being terribly out of tune? And is cutting Slides the only way to correct a flat horn?
I thank you guys in advance,
Musically Yours,
Dan Mordhorst