Re: Piston vs. Rotary Valves Info. Request


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Posted by Joe Baker on November 10, 2000 at 12:46:27:

In Reply to: Piston vs. Rotary Valves Info. Request posted by Phil A on November 10, 2000 at 12:24:20:

One guy's opinion:
Rotary vs. Piston is mostly a personal preference issue. The only non-subjective difference is that if you want your bell to point to the right, it'll have to be pistons (or one of those custom-built-backwards-left-handed tubas described below ;).

Some might remember that I just recently quit the tuba, which I had taken back up after some years of ONLY trombone & euph, because I couldn't get the results I wanted on tuba (still for sale: my Conn 10J, price lowered to $800). But I did used to play both without any problems. The thing I learned is that you can't just take the same amount of practice and split it between the two horns. However much you're doing on baritone you'll need to keep up, and then add that much MORE time practicing the tuba. And if you want to be able to move between them during the course of a concert, mix them up (some) in your practice. For example, I'd start with long tones on euph, then long tones & scales on tuba, then scales & etudes on euph, then etudes and solos on tuba, then solos and improv on euph.... The next day I'd do the same thing but start on tuba and substitute trombone (bass bone at that time) for euph.

Good luck!


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