Posted by Todd Morgan on March 04, 2004 at 10:01:09:
In Reply to: play testing posted by Kenneth Sloan on March 02, 2004 at 17:31:07:
This is what I have learned over the last several years having gone through about 5 horns.
1. ERGONIMICS is important. I can play on a 6/4, but that doesn't really mean that I should own a 6/4 horn. I once owned a 6/4 Meinl Weston that had a great sound, but I was never comfortable playing on it. I'm just too short.
2. How it SOUNDS is my biggest deciding factor. If a horn doesn't match what is in my minds ear, then I move on. With that being said, it may take some time getting used to a different horn. Once you feel adjusted then you can critique the sound.
3. AGILITY wasn't a huge consideration in my first few purchases. I just figured I could work around that. Boy was I wrong!
4. INTONATION - I never checked a tuba with a tuner before I purchased it. I'm sure a lot of people would say that is a big mistake. I believe you really don't know what your pitch tendencies are until after you have adjusted to a horn. You may need to break some old habits (ie. lip adjustments for your previous horn, alternate fingerings, etc).
5. TRY EVERY CUSTOM HORN THAT MATT WALTERS HAND-MADE. I have never met a Matt Walters hand-made horn that I didn't like. That quality of craftman ship, the sound and the small bore (I believe he always used Conn sousaphone valves) make for very comfortable, sweet sounding horns that are very easy to play.
My $0.02
-Todd Morgan
www.geocities.com/tubatodd/