Posted by Jay Bertolet on November 20, 2001 at 21:52:20:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Marzan/Willson euphonium posted by Chuck(G) on November 20, 2001 at 18:54:07:
Chuck, you're bumfuzzled for a very good reason! That's because slide manipulation is not compensation, it is slide manipulation. If slide manipulation equaled compensation, every horn would be a compensating model. The whole premise of compensation is the consistent and absolute physical change in the length of tubing to compensate for the inherent intonation inconsistencies of the standard valved brass instrument. This involves specially designed valves and the redirection of the airsteam through additional tubing as a method to lengthen the instrument at the appropriate time and with the appropriate valves being pressed. I reject the notion that pulling slides is correctly called compensation, at least in the sense that we understand the term to refer to the Blakely system. Would you call a trombone a compensating instrument? A trombone adjusts pitches in exactly the same way as you do when you pull slides. For that matter, if I lip pitches in tune, does that make my tuba a compensating instrument? There is a definite difference between a compensating instrument and adjusting intonation. I believe that is called musicianship.
My opinion for what it's worth...