Posted by Klaus on July 05, 2000 at 19:39:27:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Key air demands posted by Leland on July 05, 2000 at 10:51:50:
I might be somewhat biased from my past on the trombones. Low Bnat and E in 7th position are very beautiful in my ears, when played with the proper breath support. A beauty hardly achieved with a valve involved, no matter how good the air passage of that valve has been constructed.
And I happen to disagree with your comparison of the open 2nd partial against the same note played with 1+2+4.
First of all that fingering is inherently flat, so any lipping up will destroy the tone quality.
And with all due respect to the original designs of 4 or 5 valve tubas, then my experience is, that the numerous alternative fingerings, which these "extra" valves do open up for, are not effective in the mid-up ranges.
They are only intended to be effective in the lowest range, where their use is the only way to get certain notes.
Klaus