Posted by Josh Calkin on August 26, 2003 at 01:45:00:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Vienna Valves on the Tuba posted by Citation... on August 26, 2003 at 00:01:44:
The biggest critique I have heard of the Vienna valve is that the air flows straight through the valve set with no turns at all when the valves are not in use, while each valve adds TWO sharp right-angle turns in addition to the other curves in the valve tubing. This leads to a vast difference in the feel of the instrument with depressed valves vs. non-depressed (perhaps not a real word, but I'm tired) valves.
True, the two major valve types available to tubas both add bends to the open bugle even when the valves are not in use, but my first instinct tells me that this would make the horn more consistent in feel when comparing the open bugle to the "valved" bugle.
Just my 1 a.m. opinion.
-J