Re: Horn tuning/legato issues


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Posted by Rick Denney on July 11, 2003 at 11:57:07:

In Reply to: Horn tuning/legato issues posted by SHS Tubamaster on July 10, 2003 at 23:08:49:

Tuning a tuba to itself generally means one of two things. The first involves designing the instrument such that the series of partials that are supposed to be in tune actually do correspond to a usable scale. Thus, the octaves are in tune first and foremost, and primarily partials 3 and 6 correspond to a usable scale. The fifth partial can be replaced by the sixth using valves, so it is a slightly lower priority for designers, or so it seems. When I'm asked to played higher partials than the 8th, I'll worry about it, heh, heh. Another aspect is that with valves pressed, the corresponding partials that use that valve combination are similarly in tune. When this is true, then most folks will say a tuba is in tune with itself.

But I think you are talking about strategies for setting up a given instrument to play in tune. I think this varies from instrument to instrument, depending on its quirks.

For example, the York Master has a flat fourth and fifth partial and is sharp from the sixth partial on up. It is not terribly well in tune with itself, frankly, though it compensates in other ways. So, the strategy for setting it up works with those tendencies. I tune it on the low Bb rather than the Bb on the staff, and lip the Bb on the staff up a little. If I tuned it on the staff Bb like I would my other tubas, the rest of the horn would be sharp, and the high range would be super sharp. It took me a while to figure this out.

On the Holton, all the partials except the fifth are well-tuned, so I can tune on the staff Bb with no problem. The Miraphone, likewise.

Once I have the open partials tuned as best as possible, then I tune the valve combinations to deal with remaining issues. Usually, I tune the first valve to play a solid Eb and a good Ab. That will usually leave the first-valve staff C a bit flat, and most folks will push the slide in for that one note if necessary. The Miraphone needs that. The Holton's first valve is a bit long, and tunes Eb and Ab with the slide all the way in, so when I'm sustaining that staff C, I often do it on the fourth valve, which is wonderful on that instrument.

I tune the fourth valve for the low C, which on most Bb tubas is one of two notes that uses that pitch with just that valve (the other being the low F, which is easy to lip where it needs to be). I tune the second valve for E and A. The third valve depends on the instrument, and on your tradition. I use the third by itself quite a lot, which also seems typical of European players, on the YM because it provides an overall better compromise on D's and G's. I can therefore tune 1 and 2 a little sharp as a combination for use in the flat fifth partial D and the flat staff B. On the Holton, though, I use 1 and 2 where most Americans do, and tune the third valve to for Gb and Db.

There are zillions of variations on this depending on the tendencies of the specific instrument. It usually takes me a period of weeks or months to begin to understand where the slides need to be. I was adjusting slide positions on the Holton for two months, for example, and for longer than that on the quirkier York Master. But then again I'm a bit slow.

Rick "who will read the other responses on the subject of legato" Denney


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