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Re: Kalison 2000 with trigger instead of 5th valve?
Posted: Sat Nov 28, 2020 11:54 am
by bloke
I'm not interested in it...but (just based on a bunch of experience with very large B-flat vs. large C instruments...and with exceptions to that which will subsequently be typed) the really large B-flat things tend to offer fewer (or less-severe) pitch quirks.
I know very little about these...
I picked up a C version and tooted on it for 20 seconds (I'm thinking...??) at that international tuba shindig (decades ago) at the University of Kentucky. I've never seen a B-flat version... I've flipped a few Daryl Smith 4/4 C's, and agree that some are "I-wonder-if-I-should-keep-thing-thing" amazing and some are "usable". I'm wondering (with the B-flat 6/4 thing, here) about the chicken/egg issue.
Re: Kalison 2000 with trigger instead of 5th valve?
Posted: Sat Nov 28, 2020 6:48 pm
by donn
I don't have vast experience with a broad variety of tubas and am not a well trained player, just to put that little caveat before my comments. This thing doesn't have any quirks I noticed.
As I may have mentioned earlier, my suspicion is that the notorious Kalison quirk may be simply a problem with the removable leadpipe /valve assembly, such that certain pitches are defeated or subverted by resonance of a part that isn't locked down hard enough. This one sure had that problem, presenting in this case as a G below middle C that couldn't be found.
With that cleaned up, pitches seem fine. It seems to be more tightly slotted than anything I've played before, if I understand what people mean by that. I'm used to being able to play kind of sloppy, and this tuba won't have it, so that's kind of an exercise. Sounds real good, just doesn't play itself.
Re: Kalison 2000 with trigger instead of 5th valve?
Posted: Sat Nov 28, 2020 7:13 pm
by jtm
donn wrote: ↑Sat Nov 28, 2020 6:48 pm
It seems to be more tightly slotted than anything I've played before, if I understand what people mean by that. I'm used to being able to play kind of sloppy, and this tuba won't have it, so that's kind of an exercise. Sounds real good, just doesn't play itself.
If it doesn't play itself, would that mean it's loosely slotted (wide slots)? Or maybe I misunderstand the words.
Re: Kalison 2000 with trigger instead of 5th valve?
Posted: Sat Nov 28, 2020 7:26 pm
by donn
It responds only to correct input pitches. As any brass instrument might, but more so than I'm used to. If the input isn't on target, the tuba isn't going to respond. (I mean, relatively speaking - it's well within the normal range of tuba behavior, just a little noticeable.)