Posted by Tabor on April 29, 2003 at 09:32:01:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Mirafones - 186 CC (five valve) posted by Rick Denney on April 28, 2003 at 22:34:48:
I met and spoke with a tubist who owns a Yorkbrunner but plays a Mirafone 186 for the majority of his orchestral playing. His sound isn't bright to my ears, and neither is my sound. I find the sound quite dark, but not a broad sound and very consistant from top to bottom.
It was this unique sound which led me to purchase the Mirafone over other quality instruments. If one uses the Mirafone c-3 or c-4 mouthpieces, I think anything would sound "zippy". The mouthpiece which comes with the student model horns I find to be a better all-around mouthpiece. Perantucci of course makes great mouthpieces but recenty I have been practicing on the Jacobs MP. It is quite a bit smaller than the pt-88 I also use but has a nice focus. The 88 is just fun.
As much as I like my Mirafone, if I were to play in a large orchestra, I would want a BAT. It is exactly that broad sound which gives one player that "tuba section" sound. I really enjoy when there are thirty basses playing and one tuba playing at about the same (or greater) amplitude. This is even better when it doesn't sound as if the tubist is working hard to get that sound. My Mirafone, as much as I like it, sounds edgy at FF and downright "Bass Trombonish" above that. I think that some people like this horn exactly because of that quality.
Rick, what do you think of the big Cerveny horns? They certainly don't cost much for a large horn.
-Tabor