443 vs 440 instruments

[DonO.]

If one buys a European tuba from the usual sources (notably Miraphone), the specs will often say A=443. I have read here that A=440 is a longer main tuning slide. Some stores say they “special order” A=440 instruments “for the American market”. Some questions: why is just replacing one slide with another a “special order”? Why don’t they just put on the longer slide if they know the instrument is going to America? And with such a small difference, isn’t it possible to tune to A=440 even if you have the 443 slide? And when they come up with the tuning spec, is it with the MTS all the way in? Or partially pulled out? Thanks. Been wondering about this for a long time.

[jtm]

The length difference for a BBb tuba is less than 4cm. So if you have 2cm of room left to pull out the main tuning slide, then you're good to play at 440. I'd guess that nobody mentions the other tuning slides because they'll all need proportionally less adjustment, like 12mm for 4th, and less for the others.

[bloke]

My Miraphone 98 tuba has the same "443" jazz on it's specs. I had to remove over an inch (probably about 1-1/2 inches...ie. 4cm) total about 2cm off of each of the main slide ferrules) to get it to safely play UP TO 440.

As it was, I MIGHT HAVE played up to 440 if the room was 70 - 72 degrees, and I had been playing on the thing for at least five minutes.

I now have (FULLY WARMED UP, which SELDOM is the case) about a 5/8" pull (1-1/4 inches total lengthening) for 440.

Typical (orchestral playing, lots of rests, etc...) the main slide is pulled 3/8 of an inch.

players:
I notice that a whole bunch of players use extra-deep mouthpieces (rather than generous teeth-spacing/mouth cavity size) for a so-called "round" sound.
I'm probably doing it wrong.

I played the Star Wars - Main Title (constant playing on that piece, as is known) this morning (two shows - Memphis school kiddies) with the Symphony.

With wall-to-wall loud playing such as that, I went ahead and pulled the slide out the 5/8".
ALSO (with the tuba a bit longer like that) it kept my downbeat low B-flat "honest".

I guess all I'm really saying is that after chopping off well over an inch from a Miraphone so-called 443 instrument, it's now just short enough to be maybe a 442 instrument.

[Doc]

My 496 came with two tuning slides. I use the short one, as I tend to play low (most likely attributed to my big mouth).

[JC2]

Players with good sound production play with less tuning slide. Tension makes makes the pitch go up a lot. The most resonance is in the bottom of the slot.

[Mary Ann]

I would have thought the most resonance was in the middle of the slot.

[peterbas]

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