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Engelbert
Schmid Wagner Tubas represent
a revolutionary new development, which puts an end to decades of
compromises. |
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Intonation:
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They are in tune like
a good horn |
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Sound: |
They sound like a Wagner
Tuba should sound. In a way strange, mystic, not too round, not
too much euphoniumlike. A bit deeper mouthpiece than for the horn
suits most players best for a Wagner Tuba. |
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Response: |
Clear and fast. There are no bad notes.
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Feeling: |
A Wagner tuba needs
more air than a horn and it is harder to control the intonation
in fortissimo. The difference to a horn is cleary decreased with
an Engelbert Schmid Wagner Tuba. The horn player feels comfortable
immediately. |
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Machine: |
Facility and slurs
are as good as with an Engelbert Schmid Horn. These tubas are technically
so versatile, that they will find their way into brass ensembles.
Compared with the horn the thicker sound of the Wagner tuba blends
very well with these relatively loud ensembles and is able to mellow
the shrill dominance of the trumpets. A brass quintett could form
a tuba trio, or the quintett could be enlarged to a sextett by a
second horn player/Wagner Tuba player. |
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Holding: |
The left hand grasps the first branch of the Wagner tuba which
has approximately the same diameter as the grip on a horn.
Thumb and main levers have the same position as on a horn.
The mouthpipe is bent in a way so not to have to stretch the
head upwards. The whole instrument is ergonomically balanced and
you can see the conductor, as well.
The resulting bell direction has more advantages than disadvantages.
In some cases,
depending upon the position on stage or in the pit, you might
have to experiment in order to find a new, better sitting order.
The recommended position would be the following:
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