Posted by Matt Walters on April 20, 2001 at 18:40:12:
In Reply to: Leadpipe Taper posted by Phil on April 20, 2001 at 10:08:45:
One of my favorite subjects. Everything Carl said is correct, but I think he's wrong. Okay, this is what I mean. You will experience and perceive everything just as Carl said you would. However, the intonation characteristic is nearly imposible to change in the leadpipe. What you CAN easily change is the response and most importantly the PLAYER'S interaction with the horn. Want to be able to lip more notes in tune? Get a larger leadpipe with a slower taper. Carl is right on the money that it will be an unresponsive pipe. Yet, if you have a good ear, you will be automatically lipping it more in tune and there you are, the tuba is more in tune. But not really. The taper design that Carl likes, I call a York taper. I first noticed the minimal tapered front that waits until just before the valve section to rapidly expand, in some older large Yorks. It seems to work well when someone wants to be able to lip notes but still get a reasonable articulation. You can make a leadpipe that will favor one thing but not it's opposite. However, when you have a great compromise between the player and the horn, it will seem as if the highs and lows both got as easy as the middle. Feel free to flush the toilet twice if you don't like my opinion on this subject. I found the taper that works for how I play my York.