Posted by Rick Denney on February 17, 2000 at 13:16:37:
In Reply to: How is a Tuba named by pitch ? posted by Randy Mac Iver on February 17, 2000 at 11:37:59:
The problem is that instruments of a class are in groups split by thos octave designations. If you move the octave boundary from between B and C to between C and D, then it gets a little easier:
BBb Contrabass Tuba, CC Contrabass Tuba, Eb Great Tuba, F Great Tuba, Bb Great Euphonium, C Great Tuba (as in small French tuba), and so on.
The larger instruments would be the same as they are now. But it's not very satisfying for the tenor tubas, who get lumped as a class with the F and Eb tubas.
It seems to me that the standard German terminology makes a lot of sense:
Bb and C contrabass tubas, Eb and F bass tubas, Bb and C tenor tubas, and so on.
That would use the generic term "tenor tuba" to describe the two common variations of euphonium and baritone. The alto horn is an alto tuba, and the Fluegelhorn would be a soprano tuba.
These descriptions, of course, refer to the Length.
These terms would be specific without being tied to an arbitrary octave system on the piano. And they are at least partly in use for tubas already.
I really like the latin genus concept for describing the relative sizes of the outer branches. Let's call this description the Breadth:
Horribilus (an accurate description of me playing anything purporting to be a 7/4)
Magnificus (including all the York-o-phones)
Grandilus (let's say a 188 or a Rudy)
Medius (did I forget to mention that this was Mock Latin?)
Petiticus (compared to the middle size for that class--a Yamaha 621 contrabass is one of these, but a 621 bass tuba is a Medius)
ToysRUs (did I forget to mention that this was Silly Latin?)
So, my Mirafone 186 is a Contrabass Tuba Medius. That is, a long tuba of medium breadth. And my Yamaha 621 F is a Bass Tuba Medius. My old Reynolds Euphonium would be a Tenor Tuba Medius (a big Besson would be a Tenor Tuba Grandilus).
Standards for the breadth could be quantified for each length by using a volumetric scale. "Our Rick-o-phone is a true Horribilus, with a volume of 74 liters." (I'm guessing about the volume, heh, heh. I like using volume, because it places great emphasis on the outer branches and little emphasis on the tubing bore at the valves.
That's my story and I'm sticking with it.