Re: Re: Re: The true North HOLTON - first impression


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Posted by Rick Denney on January 09, 2003 at 09:50:39:

In Reply to: Re: Re: The true North HOLTON - first impression posted by Lew on January 08, 2003 at 19:03:04:

The low F on the Holton is not its strongest point, at least with the mouthpiece I'm currently using (a Miraphone Rose Orchestra). I can blast it out without thinking on the York Master, but on the Holton it requires a bit of finesse. Of course, the fourth valve is one of the York Master's strongest points (the other being the valve action).

I notice it most on the solo line at the end of the Song Without Words, which ends on pp low F. I'm having to work at it a bit to make that note speak easily without upsetting the shape of the phrase. The passage you mention is actually no problem, because you start on the F. The slurs are dead easy--this instrument is remarkably nimble. The only problem I have with the passage is my air supply, and deciding which notes to leave out to breathe. Now that the section is two of us instead of just me, that is a lot easier to manage, heh, heh.

My personal test for low-register sound and response are the low parts in the first two movements of Pictures at an Exhibition. The sound has to be extremely full and accurate, without edge, to balance to ensemble (not that I've ever played this with an ensemble), and some of it is in a key that requires lots of valve tubing on a BBb tuba.

But I have not ended mouthpiece experimentation on the Holton. With my big Doug Elliott mouthpiece, the low F speaks solidly, but the intonation is a bit wacky and it doesn't have the same agility. There are wonderful mouthpiece designed for BAT's that I have not tried yet, such as the Laskey. I'll be looking at mouthpieces at the Army conference. One advantage of a big tuba is that you maintain a big sound with a smaller mouthpiece, and the smaller mouthpiece makes technical passages easier to manage. But the Rose Orchestra may be a bit too small (especially in the throat). There's a balance point in there that I'm still pursuing.

Rick "who took a year to figure out the York Master and is still in early experimentation mode with the Holton" Denney


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