Posted by Rick Denney on February 26, 2001 at 13:42:45:
In Reply to: From Mouthpiece to Bell Flare ????? posted by Randy Mac Iver on February 26, 2001 at 10:55:21:
Joe S. has said at least once that he thinks the leadpipe controls the response, the taper up to the bottom bow the intonation, and the bottom bow and bell the tone.
With that as a framework, it really depends on what you want. A faster taper makes the intonation less precise, and notes don't slot as easily (at least on some horns). This is a positive feature for many pros, and a negative feature for many amateurs. A wider leadpipe makes a more free-blowing instrument, which is a positive feature for some players and a negative feature for others. A wide bi-radial bell radiates sound in all directions for more of a floor of sound while a narrower-but-bigger-throated exponential-horn bell (ala German rotary tubas) have more directional projection for a column of sound. Different players like or don't like these characteristics in given situations, and choose accordingly.
And different players have different bodies, which resonate differently and work better on some instruments and not others.
Not all of these tendencies work in the same direction, and any horn is therefore a compromise between conflicting demands. Some horns compromise one way, others have a different mix of qualities.
I don't understand the frustration with debating these relative merits. Here is what I know to be true:
1. We don't know how all these processes work individually, let alone together.
2. We can't define one mix of qualities for a single situation, let alone one mix that works for all situations.
3. Some horns are valued for versatility, and others for special capabilities.
4. Most players are amateurs (like me) who aren't good enough to exploit all of these differences.
5. Even if we could define the perfect tuba, the standard of perfection would change, as it has throughout the history of music.
6. Talking about this stuff is fun.
7. If 6 isn't true, skipping the threads that talk about this stuff is easy.
8. I like the tuba I paid a gazillion dollars for much more than the one somebody else bought.
9. Most folks believe, even if they refuse to admit it, that if they use the same equipment as their favorite pro, some of that magic will rub off on them. Hope springs eternal.
10. The relationship between length and taper is not trivial, and therefore pitch is not trivial when talking about big enough jumps to make a real difference. A wide taper on a short horn represents a different mix of qualities than a narrow taper on a long horn. Therefore, horns of different pitch will have different qualities, though the differences may not be meaningful in all cases.
Rick "in the words of K: 'Imagine what you'll KNOW is true tomorrow'" Denney