Posted by js on November 23, 2001 at 11:19:23:
...think it's "funny" that the definition of a "professional quality" euphonium = "compensating"?
-Compensating pistons are long and heavy, requiring stronger springs and a bit more work.
-The air must (by definition of mechanics) pass through more twists and turns (something trombonists pay about $1000 extra to avoid) prior to leaving the instrument.
-The pitch on fine non-compensating euphoniums is as flexible as butter, and there are fine NON-compensating euphoniums that seem to play even better in-tune that some of the very best trumpets (even if the trumpeter is allowed to manipulate slides #1 and #3).
-I've come across some mainstream model "compensating" euphoniums that play consistently and hopelessly out-of-tune.
-The only pitches that the compensating plumbing really SIGNIFICANTLY seems to help are a few that are below (99.99% of the time) the written range of the instrument, and even low Eb on a non-compensating instrument can easily (and cheaply) be "triggered".
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Is perception reality? I occasionally am hired to play baritone/euphonium, have easy access to two Willson 2900 instruments (and I readily admit that these instruments are wonderful), but don't view borrowing one as at all being worth the trouble.