A five step fourth valve would certainly offer the next pitch down, but the combination 5-2 wouldn’t make for a very nice next half step, and I’m thinking that 5-1 would err just as much on the other side of the pitch. What am I missing? 5-2 would be a useless fingering. On my 72H with the valve pul ...

Of course, this isn't meant to replace a 4v compensating setup at all. Just a way to make the most of a 3v comp set you might be starting with.

Now my big question... do I tell my band students that Schiller is a fine brand to go buy? I'd want to try and enjoy more of their stuff first. As far as I know, the Schillers are not quality controlled like the Wessex and Mack are. This means it's a roll of the dice whether or not you get a good ...

I've been pondering various alternative valve configurations for both Frankenhorn jobs I have planned (alto euphonium and G bari bugle-based cimbasso). It's a fun game of "are there better ways to configure the additional valves after the first 3 so that you get additional mileage and less slide ...

I don't think the Wessex is worth the premium over the Mack. I've played both (as well as the Festivo) and didn't notice an appreciable difference. They all play very well, though. If I had to, I would have no problem using a Mack professionally. All that said, for the sort of money that the Mack ...

I've tried the Wessexes in C and Bb and didn't like them very much. Just kind of annoying to play. The ZO, on the other hand...I tried the CC one at NAMM 2020 and was blown away. It was honestly one of my favorite tubas that I've played, though perhaps it's because I'm a bass trombonist and the ...

The best false tones I've ever found come from a small Eb sousaphone a friend has. The false tones are BETTER than the real ones, and the real ones are good! Wish I remembered what the brand was...I should ask him. If there was a 3-valve Eb tuba out there with false tones that good, I would just get ...

If you want to hear a massed ensemble whose performance is so out of sync that it truly doesn't sound even a bit like music, I give you this.

This was a successful attempt at breaking the Guinness world record for largest trombone ensemble, about 10 years ago. I was there!

It's already been done. Look up the miraphone contra alto. It was in F and Eb. Believe me, the 4-valve version of that Miraphone oval alto has been a white whale of mine for a long time. But I'm not sure it's quite the same thing...it was designed for French horn players after all (see how the ...

Let's say you wanted to make an alto euphonium from parts. By "alto euphonium", I mean a wide-bore conical instrument pitched a 4th or 5th above the euphonium. The alto euphonium would be to the euphonium as the alto horn is to the baritone horn. Not an alto flugelhorn, because those are typically ...

A 3v compensating Besson for $29? That's a steal and a half!

A Sovereign for $1,400 is pretty good, but this looks fishy. Hopefully someone didn't get their Sovereign stolen.

$1300? And nobody's bought it yet??

I could use an F tuba...

There were some interesting J. Higham euphs. In addition to the normal 3+1 compensating models, they also made a 3+2 non-compensating. I'd love to get my hands on one of those.

Is your Higham high pitch or low pitch?

#1 is a weird one. Every trombone (or euph/tuba) teacher I've ever studied with has skipped #1 entirely and started students with #2. #2 is much easier and more digestible musically so it makes sense, but #1 never gets returned to later. What makes it more interesting is that while every other etude ...

It is called the "Train Yard Tuba" because I could not think of or find the name used to describe the grunt locomotives that never leave the yard and just move other train cars around. You got the technical name with "switcher", but the informal term you're looking for (from the steam days) is ...