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Thread: trigger question

  1. trigger question

    I have a silver Yamaha 321 with the Stoufer 5 valve. Everything is working fine but I do need a trigger for the mid B's and C's which are way out of tune (sharp). Would you go for a main tuning slide trigger or just the 3rd valve trigger? Link me to some proper articles if any on the forum please.

  2. #2
    Just pull your third valve. Or get a better horn. The practice of continually modifying a cheap, student-model horn baffles me... Are you using 4th valve for the B's and C's? Because if not, then that could be your problem. I understand that the Stoufer valve is a switch valve, yes? Just put it back to a P4 valve and hedge it flat as needed be, then kick it back in to a P5 valve when you need it to be. By the looks of it, you might have to mod the handle to get a good reach to your left hand, but it'd probably be cheaper and more practical than having a tuning trigger affixed to such a cheap horn. To answer your initial, question; no.

  3. #3
    I have no opinion on the trigger question, other than I generally do not like them. But I would say I do not share DaTweeka's opinion on the 321. It has a somewhat lighter sound than is the generally accepted euphonium sound today. But it is more than a cheap, student model horn, and finds use as a doubling instrument by many top symphonic low brass musicians as well as among many of the top doubling low brass studio musicians in L. A. (and those session guys, as a group, are among the finest musicians in the world).

  4. The Stauffer valve replaces 4'th valve tuning crook. You operate the trigger with your left thumb. When you press 4th valve you have F etc like a 6th position on the bone. When you press Stauffer valve ( holding 4th) it brings you to E-flat line up. You can pull the slide on the Stauffer and tune it to D. Same thing as bass bone with f attachment and the dependent e-flat attachment. I have masters degree in trombone performance but I fell in love recently (2 month ago) with the euphonium sound. I play the pea shooters using 7 size mouthpiece and I play bass bone using Yamaha 60b mouthpiece. I love the dark and rich sound when I play the bass mouthpiece on the euphonium and it permits me to blend with the tubas in the low register. I am very sensitive to the notes of the instrument that are way out of tune. As far as 321 goes the drastic ones are mid b's (3 valves) and c's 1-3'rd. The rest of the tones in question could be lipped and tuned properly. So those are the two valve combinations I'm trying to address. PS. I didn't realize this is a " over 10 thousand dollar euphonium" forum. Or is it ? Hahaha, nevertheless it won't stop me from exploring the euphonium ( the cheap one) now. You boys need to lighten up a little instead of hitting me with the "cheap, light sound bustard "label without even hearing me.

  5. #5
    I mean, I'm not trying to slam on your skills as a player, it's just that the 321 is a small bore, student model horn with a non-compensating valve system. While they're fantastic horns for what they are, they're a bit more limited than their pricier counterparts, but that's a given. And GOOD LORD, that's a really big mouthpiece for such a small horn. I'm still of the opinion that you should use your 4th valve for the middle C and 2-4 for the B, and then find some way to switch it over surreptitiously to an Eb slide when you need to (since I'm only passingly familiar with the design, it may already be set up in such a fashion. If so, hooray!). But, I come back to my original point; a tuning trigger seems like an unnecessary expense for that horn. You could easily end up paying $4-500 for the trigger and labor, and that, coupled with the Stoufer mod, would make the mods about equivalent to selling the unmodified horn used. I just.... It's your life, and you can do what you please, but I wouldn't do what you're doing, for better or for worse. I'm not here to stand in the way of you developing as a player. You asked if I would go for a tuning trigger on a 321, and I wouldn't. Heck, for right now, I'm not touching the Stoufer mod with a 40 foot pole, just because it costs half as much as the horn, and I wouldn't get my money back out of it, even though I've always wanted a P5 valve on my compensating euphs. All the same, I want to replace my 4th valve with a Hagmann valve, so...

  6. #6
    I personally would not knock a 321, and I put it in the intermediate class, not student (although it works nicely for students, too). It is capable of a lot in the hands of a good player. The basic tone is attractive and pretty consistent through the ranges, and with excellent skills and mouthpiece choices it can sound even better.

    That said, its smaller bell and bore compared to horns like mine mean that ultimately a 321 is not likely to produce as large and deep a sound. But who's to say how big your sound needs to be? And who's to say how large a horn you need to be able to sound the way you want?

    If I were really happy with a 321, I would not consider it unreasonable to upgrade it with a trigger or extra valve. It's a personal choice.

    I endorse and highly recommend Adams, but I don't say that everyone should buy one. I DO say everyone should TRY one if possible and see if they like it as much as I do. Different strokes, and all that.

    While I was in the CG Band, the Atlantic Tuba Quartet, and even to this day, Gary Buttery was/is often found using an old Alexander 4-valve F tuba that had had 3 more valves grafted on (yes, 7 total). Certainly there are newer horns that would satisfy many players more-so than the old Alexander. But apparently the Alex did & does what Gary wants for certain types of playing. I would hesitate to criticize his choice, particularly given the career successes he has had!
    Dave Werden (ASCAP)
    Euphonium Soloist, U.S. Coast Guard Band, retired
    Adams Artist (Adams E3)
    Alliance Mouthpiece (DC3)
    YouTube: dwerden
    Facebook: davewerden
    Twitter: davewerden
    Instagram: davewerdeneuphonium

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