Interesting configuration. I wouldn't mind seeing a b-flat with five valves for both concert band and marching band. Looks very easy to retrofit a lyre for March music.
Most BBb tubas I encounter in the wild are in desperate need of a 5th valve, esp the 186 and its clones. Lots of band pieces are starting to utilize the pedal register, and getting a reasonably clean, in-tune pedal Db can be lots of trouble with 4 valves alone.
Old comment but heh. Wouldn't work at all. This thing has all the slides and valves right in the crotch. Also, if you knew how heavy a marching Bb tuba with 4 valves is to carry on your shoulder, you wouldn't be asking for a 5th. There's the problem of projecting such low notes that need a 5th valve throughout a *football stadium* as well. Real marching tubas have a "tune any note" slide that is essentially a second tuning slide for the whole instrument instead of reaching for every single slide they'd have to pull or the need of a 5th valve.
When you place first at UIL with your trumpet and think I wonder if I’d be good at the tuba. This was absolutely impressive. Most tuba players couldn’t play 1/10 the music you just did (including myself). Well done
My schools’s band sounds like this… Maybe of slightly lower quality but I’ll tell you what it’s impressive to see in concert considering the students are all in 7-8 grade.
