Re: Re: Mirafones - 186 CC (five valve)


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Posted by Rick Denney on April 28, 2003 at 22:34:48:

In Reply to: Re: Mirafones - 186 CC (five valve) posted by Doug Whitten on April 28, 2003 at 09:30:14:

In terms of dynamic range, I have tried the experiment with others doing the judging. I can play much more softly on the Holton, and the sound that soft is much better than what I can hold together on my 186. And the Holton will play louder and fuller, though it has edge that still manages to avoid the adjective "bright". The Miraphone's edge at loud volumes doesn't have the same character. The difference is what you'd expect comparing a 4/4 tuba to a 6/4 tuba.

The Miraphone is stiffer compared to the Holton, too, with less pitch flexibility and more difficulty making clean slurs.

But the Miraphone has a clean sound without the bottomlessness of the Holton. I would prefer it in situations where I want to project that kind of clarity.

I'm not sure that the 186 was ever a preferred instrument for orchestras. The 188 was popular for a while in some circles. But let's face it, when Ron Bishop got his Meinl-Weston 2000, at least one top orchestra pro in my acquaintance said that Mr. Bishop's conductor didn't really want him to have a "big" tuba. Even when orchestral players used rotaries almost exclusively (except for you-know-who), they seemed to prefer an Alexander or a Rudolf Meinl. And not all trends are cyclical.

But for many other professional gigs, however, the 186 was a standard instrument to own up until the 80's, anyway. And I don't see why it wouldn't be just as valuable today. It was the standard dream instrument for those of us in school in the 70's who could not afford them.

As to versatility, I agree with you. If I could only own one instrument, my 186 would likely be it. It doesn't do any one thing the best, but it does everything pretty well, it seems to me.

But I don't only own one instrument. I have a BAT, a 5/4 piston tuba, and an F to go with my Miraphone, and so the 186 doesn't get played that much.

Of course, I manage to avoid your "cool tuba crowd" accusation: All my contrabass tubas are BBb's.

Rick "who agrees that good tubas are always good tubas" Denney


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