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Thread: Tube valve slide

  1. Tube valve slide

    I've been watching several tuba videos, and I was wondering why tuba players pull the slides while perform.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
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    Summerfield, Florida Sturgis, SD (summers)
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    Welcome to the forum. Tuba players pull slides to get notes that are out of tune in tune. They usually won't pull the slide if the music is fast, but if they land on a longer note that is out of tune, they will pull the slide to get it in tune. Sort of like the triggers on euphonium that move the main tuning slide. Tuba players will know what notes are out of tune on their tubas (they should at least) and will usually pull the slide as they land on the note, because they know in advance that certain notes need adjusting. Tubas are even made so that the slide(s) needed to put notes in tune are more or less easy to reach and get to. This is a very normal thing.
    John Morgan
    The U.S. Army Band (Pershing's Own) 1971-1976
    Adams E3 Custom Series Euphonium, 1956 B&H Imperial Euphonium,
    1973 F. E. Olds & Son Studio Model T-31 Baritone
    Adams TB1 Tenor Trombone, Yamaha YBL-822G Bass Trombone
    Year Round Except Summer:
    Kingdom of the Sun (KOS) Concert Band, Ocala, FL (Euphonium)
    KOS Brass Quintet (Trombone, Euphonium)
    Summer Only:
    Rapid City Municipal Band, Rapid City, SD (Euphonium)
    Rapid City New Horizons Band (Euphonium)

  3. #3
    1. because they can. many tubas are designed so the slides are easily accessible in playing position. this is not so much the case with the standard modern euphonium design. some euphoniums have a main tuning slide trigger, but that can be less comfortable than pulling slides. Most tuba players like to tune their valve slides sharp and then constantly adjust to put them in the right spot so they have latitude to go up as well as down.
    2. the larger the instrument, the more acoustic compromises are involved in its design. tubas inherently have more tuning problems than euphoniums, etc.
    3. even if you have an instrument that lines up with a tuner perfectly, musicians realize that there are still somewhat large adjustments that need to be made to play in just intonation.
    --
    Barry

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