Re: Using the 5th valve


[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ TubeNet BBS ] [ FAQ ]

Posted by modern math on July 18, 2001 at 22:24:54:

In Reply to: Using the 5th valve posted by Dick on July 18, 2001 at 08:34:16:

First, the valves:

Your 2nd valve lowers an open tone 1/2 step. The 1st valve, 2 half steps. The 3rd valve, 3 half steps. The 4th valve, 5 half steps. The 5th valve (probably) about 1.3 whole steps (a "long whole step" or a "flat 1st valve" tuning).

Next the problem:

When you depress the 4th valve, your typical 4V BBb tuba is magically transformed into the key of F. It becomes a 3 valve FF tuba (an octave lower than an F bass tuba), with a problem -- the tuning slides for valves 1,2,3 are only long enough to lower open tones as per the above paragraph when you tuba is in the key of BBb, NOT the key of FF. So any note you try to play with 4th valve down will be sharp. The more extra valves are depressed, the more "depressingly" sharp the result will be.

Now the solution:

You can substitute 5th valve for 1st valve for minor corrections in low register sharpness. Hence low FF = 4th, low EE = 2+4, low EEb = 1+4 PULL 1 OR 5+4, Low D = 5+2+4 instead of 1+2+4 (yet this may start to get sharp, so you may have to pull the slide on 5), etc. Using this approach of "adding up the results of the valves" you can pretty well figure out the fingerings for the low register. But use your ear, as somewhere along the line, you'll probably have to switch over and use the fingering for the note that's 1/2 step lower than the note you want, due to significant sharpness, even with the 5th valve trying to correct things. Your low BB (B natural) will have to be played 1,2,3,4,5, for example.

Go have a look at the fingering charts on another page of this site. If the BBb charts are not for a 5V, then use the 5V CC fingering charts, but "transpose" them.

Or you may be able to search the archives, as I think the question of players' most popular 5V tuba fingerings has been asked before.

Regards,

Steve Inman
Kokomo, IN



Follow Ups: