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Thread: Wessex tuba -- what does the trigger do?

  1. #1

    Wessex tuba -- what does the trigger do?

    Community band has started up after a year's layoff, and the tube player who sits next to me has inherited another [former] player's Wessex tuba. It's a rotary 4-valve, but it also has a trigger-operated rotary valve for the right thumb. The player figured out that it seems to add a minor third's worth of tubing to the sounding length, but neither he nor I can figure out how it should be used. If an expert could fill me in, I'll pass the word on to him. Thanks in advance.
    David Bjornstad

    1923 Conn New Wonder 86I, Bach 6 1/2 AL
    2018 Wessex EP100 Dolce, Denis Wick 4ABL
    2013 Jinbao JBEP-1111L, Denis Wick 4AM
    2015 Jinbao JBBR-1240, Denis Wick clone mouthpiece of unknown designation
    Cullman (AL) Community Band (Euph Section Leader)
    Brass Band of Huntsville (2nd Bari)

  2. #2
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    Here is a nice article:

    https://composerstubaguide.blog/stan...ring-patterns/

    The 5th valve should lower the pitch a flatted whole step (usually). The above article may help in understanding it a bit. Your tuba player friend probably has a BBb or CC tuba, and the article shows fingerings with a 5 valve setup for both of those (as well as F and Eb). Have him take a look and play some of those notes to see just how it works. It actually might be very useful to take a lesson or two from a very experienced tuba player to get a lot more insight on how to use the 5th valve properly. When you have 5 or 6 valves, the alternate fingering possibilities are rather mind numbing. But in general, the extra valves allow for more notes to be played and/or played in tune based on the type of horn you have.
    Last edited by John Morgan; 03-23-2021 at 01:25 PM.
    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
    Thanks, John -- I'll pass that article on to him. I think he'll find it to be a big help.
    David Bjornstad

    1923 Conn New Wonder 86I, Bach 6 1/2 AL
    2018 Wessex EP100 Dolce, Denis Wick 4ABL
    2013 Jinbao JBEP-1111L, Denis Wick 4AM
    2015 Jinbao JBBR-1240, Denis Wick clone mouthpiece of unknown designation
    Cullman (AL) Community Band (Euph Section Leader)
    Brass Band of Huntsville (2nd Bari)

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