Don´t be fooled by mouthpiece descriptions and look at spec sheets to see if what it says in prose lines up with measurements. The 24AW has a bore of 8.84mm as its smallest diameter and a 31.25 mm rim. The 7G has a bore of 8.33mm and a 33.25 mm rim. (At least that´s what an online-catalogue told me)...

Great question, and very helpful advice already. You might need to get used to perceptions of low oxygen levels in your blood, too, and develop an increased tolerance thereof. I understand this would be a psychological phenomenon rather than a physiological one, but am prepared to stand corrected. I...

I´ve been to Flums, Switzerland the other day to turn in my 6400 RZ5 for a checkup. Took advantage of the opportunity to test the horns they had in their showroom. They had several piston and rotary horns of all kinds of sizes. Each of these rotaries worked better than mine, so I had a chat with Her...

I haven´t listened to all of these, but clicked on several throughout the playlist. Joyful, pleasant music, haven´t heard these in a while. “Oompah”- style is resonant and not too short (would “buoyant” be a good term?) so tuba won´t be mistaken for a bass drum. This gives both space and substance f...

On an EEb, the 4th valve turns the horn into a 3-valve BBb. I understand it is common practise to pull the compensating 3rd slide (the one pointing towards the player) as far as it´ll reasonably go to get an in-tune 4-1-3 combination. (i.e. for low F). There´s no reason why the E below that should b...

Maybe you can try the following: in our world, there is an institution called a "mission report", a protocol in which our mechanics conserve the whereabouts of their visits to broke-down excavators. - arrival-, break- and departure times - Description of the machine´s "symptoms" ...

Good luck and success with your endeavour. All one needs to substantially improve in your situation is an occasional, well informed kick in the butt to set one back on track. One such appointment will be good for several months of improved woodshedding, after which a checkup and gentle nudge will co...

Peterbas wrote The pressure isn't resting on the cross-section of the slide, I believe one can trust me on the phenomenon I described, but nobody needs to take my word for it. As was correctly observed, there will be a pressure distribution along the tubing of a tuba as air flows through. At the MP ...

I´ve bought seven tubas in my life and sold two. One was sold a few years after buying: B&S 4097 CC. Awesome horn, but became too small for my needs. Got replaced by the Willson 6400 RZ5 BBb I´m using to this day as my main concert horn. Since the latter is WAAYY too heavy to be marched and will...

I´d argue that a leak occurs when air passes through the gap between inner and outer slide tube. As long as a lubricating film is intact and no bubbles show up, no leak is occuring. On a side note: I can easily produce an air pressure exceeding 5000 N/m². (just tested blowing through a check valve a...

As a technician (or, for that matter, as someone who MAY have dipped their finger in a glass of wine and produced nice sounds rubbing over the glass´s edge, occasionally) one is familiar with stick-slip effect as well as static vs. sliding friction. I´m not saying the following is THE explanation to...

That´s one cool tuba! That unlaquered / patina look is great, too, if it weren´t for stains on hands and clothes. (I marched with my unlaquered helikon on a hot day this summer. Stains at the shoulder of my woollen "Tracht" vest likely have come to stay, says the laundry pro I handed it to...

Tweaking ergonomics is a favorite and reoccuring activity of mine. Tuba manufacturers simply don´t seem to realise that a tubist´s right arm will approach the valves from below rather than horizontally and the tuba doesn´t point straight up. On the Willson, this meant taking off the horrid thumb rin...

Cool: adjustable valve springs. By the way: "Man´fr" would be an abbreviation of "Manufaktur". In German, there is a gradual distinction between "Werkstatt" or "Handwerksbetrieb" (facility producing one-of items and small series, all manual labor, hardly any m...

Cool: adjustable valve springs.

I am too stupid or impatient to find the ISBN-number of that book on the internet right now.

Using that number, any book shop SHOULD be able to get this for You.

Maybe Daniel himself can chip in and provide it...

If You´re in the Streetband / Groove / Volksmusik crossover scene (La Brass Banda and the likes), you better bring something less shiny and more funky-looking to the stage, for coolness reasons.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9U5n11fJBNc This one. When we recorded this, we were a 6 piece tuba section responsible for a 90 piece concert band. To be used as test piece in an audition for concert- or Brass band tuba section. Test objectives: Breath control, carrying a melodic line, teamwork wi...

...and the video shows you have every reason to do so, Daniel. Gotta love that sound, especially below the 2nd partial. I wish manufacturers of front action piston machinery came up with ways to reduce the number of "bottom bows", i.e. slides to pull for water dumping. And no, I didn´t mis...

Introducing contrabass, bass AND Cimbasso to the audience could be an option. Maybe you can find suitable solo pieces to feature the strengths :smilie8: and weaknesses :smilie6: of each instrument. And in case You actually decide on an orchestral excerpt-section and maybe need some time to rest your...