Posted by RD on June 08, 2003 at 18:43:54:
In Reply to: Re: Top-Quality BBb's posted by Rick Denney on June 08, 2003 at 18:40:18:
I forgot to add that I don't really see the value in a fifth valve on a BBb tuba, depending on what literature you play. Rarely, I see a low Eb in the lit, and I can play that on the Holton with a pretty convincing false tone. Low E's and F's are common, but accessible on a four-valve instrument easily. The fifth valve might be helpful on some tubas for correcting some pitch problems or for executing a few tricky trills, but again I don't get asked to play those effects when I play Bb. (I do get to do that sort of thing from time to time in quintet and quartet lit, but I use my F tuba in those circumstances).
R "who knows how to use a fifth but who doesn't miss not having it on his BBb" D