Re: Re: Re: Conn 2XJ playing characteristics


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Posted by Rick Denney on December 25, 2002 at 13:31:35:

In Reply to: Re: Re: Conn 2XJ playing characteristics posted by Scott Norberg on December 24, 2002 at 17:23:32:

What you are describing sounds like Large Mouthpiece Disease, which seems to be a particualar problem on these large tubas. If I'm right and you are using a large mouthpiece, try something smaller.

Also, make sure you don't have any leaks. My 20J does not at all sound fuzzy or uncentered, though you can't expect a BAT to have the same focused sound as a German-style 4/4 rotary tuba. It isn't a question of loudness, which is a measure of pressure. It's a question of volume, which is a measure of quantity. I can play louder on my Miraphone than on either the York Master or the 20J (no comparison yet with the Holton), but the sound is cutting rather than enveloping. It's fine for a beer tent, where that bottomless rumble would be muddy, and in the beer tent the Miraphone can cut through crowd noise pretty well.

On your scale, if my Miraphone were able to produce a loudness range of 20-80, the York Master would be 20-75, the 20J would be 30-75, and the Holton might be something like 15-90. But if you arrange the scale in terms of flow (i.e. quantity) rather than pressure (i.e. force), the Miraphone would be more like 10-60, the York Master 20-80, the 20J 30-90, and the Holton 20-100. Of course, putting numbers on this subjective assessment is nonsense, but it gives an idea of the impression it makes on me.

Rick "always disinguishing between big and loud" Denney


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