Posted by Jay Bertolet on January 01, 2002 at 12:08:35:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Yahama 842:Just another pretty face? posted by js on January 01, 2002 at 10:30:15:
I'm not familiar with the tuning idiosyncracies of the Willson 2900 euphs but I am pretty solid on their 3400 Eb tuba. Mine doesn't have the flat 4th partial problem you describe but it has another issue that I've been led to believe (by discussions with others including Marty Erickson, as well as my own experience) is common to the 3400. That would be the 6th partial open Bb (even more so the 6th partial 2nd valve A) being sharp. I've tried a number of different mouthpieces and nothing really altered those notes at all. So I have to play those notes 4 and 2-4 respectively, and that fixes the problem. Not a big deal and definitely something I'm willing to put up with for all the good things I get out of my 3400. Really, the top line A is the trickier of the two. I find that the Bb sometimes blows just right, as long as I'm doing my job correctly. Last season we did both Also Sprach and Midsummersnight's Dream which are both loaded with top of the staff A's and Bb's. The alternate fingerings work just fine and sometimes were not needed (depending on ensemble intonation).
My opinion for what it's worth...