Posted by AW on June 02, 2003 at 22:00:30:
In Reply to: Re: 5th valve on Bb and Eb tubas posted by Gus Pratt on May 30, 2003 at 13:02:43:
Although you're certainly right about the fifth valve being primarily useful for the very low range, there is one note in the cash register that really benefits from the fifth valve: B-natual below the staff (fingered 235). If you normally have your fourth valve slide set for a good in-tune C below the staff, you will have to pull a slide for B if you only have four valves. It's not a big deal, but B below the staff is in the range where a tuba can still be expected to play rapidly, which makes slide pulling difficult. Perhaps a slide trigger would help.
Allen Walker