Piston or Rotary Vavles?

[shawn craig]

For the most part other brass players don't have this quandry. Trumpets, cornets, flugelhorns, and for the most part euphoniums all use piston valves (except in Eastern Europe).

Horns use rotary valves

But tuba players must choose. After doing some surfing on various tuba manufacturers and instruments it seems about half and half piston vs rotary.

I have a CC 4 valve piston, not a great horn, but ok. I'm hoping sometime to purchase a new one so was wondering about rotary valves.

In college most of the other players had rotary, actually mirphone 186's for the most part. I can't really remember any discussions about it back then (maybe there were and I just forgot).

So what do you tuba players that have experience with both think/prefer?

Thanks! :)

[m_basey]

To me, it is just a personal choice. It would depend on what the player prefers and feel comfortable with.

When I was in college, I also had a 186 Miraphone. I loved it, because I was comfortable with it, it was the same model horn that my high school had.

Now I own a Miraphone 1291 5v, four piston/1 rotor. It did take some time to get used to the differences from 30 year old rotors to stiff new pistons, but I love playing the 1291.

Of coarse, personal choice is the same answer I give when asked about the CC to BBb question also.

[camel lips]

The perfect tuba.

:P

[Dave]

I think it's definitely a personal choice issue. And there are rotary trumpets out there, they just aren't as popular as the standard piston valve models. I prefer piston valves because I'm just more comfortable with them and because they're easier for me to maintain (although my 5th valve is rotary), but other people feel differently.

[shawn craig]

I noticed the German and East European makers use primarily rotary valves for everything: trumpets, flugelhorns, valved trombones, cimbassos, euphoniums, etc. I'm assuming if you have the chance to see one of those orchestras you'd be seeing and hearing mostly rotary valved instruments throughout the brass section.

Thanks for your comments.

I read a negative comment on another site about ratary valves, related to articulation, and didn't know if it was jusst one person's opinion or what the concensus was on the rotary/piston valve issue.

[Dave]

It's all based on what you're used to. If you're not used to rotary valves, you'll find it trickier to line up articulations with the valves until you've practiced enough.

[VolcomRemoved]

I'll take a GOOD set of pistons(Hirsbrunner) over rotors any day

[m_basey]

It's all based on what you're used to. If you're not used to rotary valves, you'll find it trickier to line up articulations with the valves until you've practiced enough.

Correct, and that goes for any horn you aren't used to. Even piston to piston changes, if one horn had 3/4 inch vavle stems and the other had 1 inch valve stems. But I have found that rotary valves allow for "sloppier" timing between the fingers and the tongue. But that could just be the way it feels to me.

[Shadow_7]

The main issue with rotary valves are that they're generally made from a solid chunk of metal. Which for a tuba makes for one heavy valve. Which makes for a bit of sluggishness on fast passages. I remember reading somewhere that Roger Bobo had a set of hollow rotors made for one of his tubas. Just so he could play fast passages.

Rotary valves can have a more natural feel to them. You don't have to move them over an inch to engage them. You don't have to spread your hands out like you're playing a bassoon either. But pistons are easier to repair and clean. Not that you need to clean a good set of rotors much. Although a bad set of rotors are a PITA. Like my all brass rotors on my F. Schmidt bass trombone. They really should be nickel plated IMO.

[G_Bass]

After playing on various different tubas at Texas Bandmasters Association's convention in San Antonio, I've chosen to go piston. I now have a tuba being refurbished that is a 4v piston BBb. I just think the pistons are more reliable, and yes, they are easier to manage.