Posted by Eric Bamberg on February 03, 2004 at 20:23:56:
In Reply to: Playing a 3 valver in tune? posted by Frankie ThreeFingers on February 03, 2004 at 10:45:13:
I play mostly 3 valve tuba and sousa, and they play. I just tune the 3rd valve flat enough so that low C plays in tune, then I lip the Db slightly sharp and the B slightly flat. Those are rarely sustained notes in any music a sousaphone is likely to play. The horn is important too, since the tone on some just collapses if you try to lip it around. Maybe a 4th valve is so necessary now because instruments are designed not to be flexible. I've never felt it necessary to have a 4th valve at all except on an Eb tuba for playing lower notes.