Ergonomics: Where the heck does my left hand go?

[tubatodd]

I've had about 9 tubas over the years. Most of them were 4+1 CC tubas. I've become accustomed to their layout. Playing them feels natural to me. I usually place my left hand over the top bow to access the slides or through the tuba (under the top bow) to access the first valve slide. I will typically alternate between the 2.

I recently purchased a Rudy Meinl 4/4 CC, which plays very well.........but I'm fighting the ergonomics. I feel like I can't quite get the height exactly where I want it. That's something simple I'll eventually work out with my tuba stand. But the left hand placement puzzles me. The top bow is higher than my previous horns (a bit less comfortable of a stretch) with the bell fairly close. So the gap there is pretty small. Not quite....but in some ways like my Cerveny piggy was. Through the horn doesn't appear to be an option. I've never been a "grip the horn on the side" guy. But I feel like that is THE solution.

So for people with rotary horns, where do you place your left hand?

[Sousaswag]

That’s part of the reason I traded my MRP. I’ve never been able to comfortably hold a B&S rotor tuba. The first slide is just so low compared to the top bow, it feels like the reach is a mile long.

In general with rotor horns I’ve had that problem- Except for my Willson 3200RZ and my previous Tuono, both of which have plenty of space to reach through.

If that Rudy doesn’t need a ton of first slide manipulation, just put your hand on the side and support it that way. That’s what I did with the MRP.

[Lee Stofer]

Todd,
From reading your post, I am now assuming that by "4+1 CC", you are not referring to a 4-rotor tuba with a left-hand 5th rotor, but a 4-piston + 5th rotor tuba. Having played a number of Rudolf Meinl CC tubas over the past 45 years (I can't believe it's been that long!), I find that if you take a couple of days, find and set the slide pulls, you can just forget about slide pulling. These tubas were not designed for slide-pulling. If it has a 2nd slide trigger, then there'll be a nice, comfortable hand placement just under the top bow. Otherwise, I have always played these instruments with my left paw upon the side of the tuba. After a while, it should become second nature.

[Tubeast]

Left hand goes wherever valve paddles are or where slides need to be pulled.

On my Melton 46, that´s outside the left side branch, above the bracing that forms the solder joint to the top bow.
I might want a right-thumb-operated 4th slide trigger on that one...

On my Adams F, it´s a weird hand placement on the inside of that branch, palm facing down and slightly outward so the thumb can reach down and grip the 5th valve slide ring.
4th valve slide is unnecessarily out of reach, although it needs to be pulled frequently for water dumps.
A flaw EASY to correct with reasonable slide alignment. AAARRGH!!

On my Melton 2011 FA, it´s the wrist on top bow for what must be perfect access to the 4th valve slide.
On my Willson 6405, it´s either the wrist resting on a strap or forearm resting on the inside of the side branch against that same strap´s resistance, with the hand curled in to reach 4th slide. A lever mechanism would be nicer to the shoulder joint...

[tubatodd]

Todd,
From reading your post, I am now assuming that by "4+1 CC", you are not referring to a 4-rotor tuba with a left-hand 5th rotor, but a 4-piston + 5th rotor tuba. Having played a number of Rudolf Meinl CC tubas over the past 45 years (I can't believe it's been that long!), I find that if you take a couple of days, find and set the slide pulls, you can just forget about slide pulling. These tubas were not designed for slide-pulling. If it has a 2nd slide trigger, then there'll be a nice, comfortable hand placement just under the top bow. Otherwise, I have always played these instruments with my left paw upon the side of the tuba. After a while, it should become second nature.

Yes, I've been playing 4 piston + 1 rotor tubas almost exclusively (I did own a piggy for a couple years) since 1998. So the ergonomics are somewhat alien to me. My muscle memory and comfort are now "off." It's not any catastrophic but I need to find something comfortable. Looks like resting my hand where I'd have access to the 2nd valve "kicker" might be one of the obvious spots.

[tubatodd]

I've watched a bunch of Barclay Brass videos of Willie Clark playing his 5/4 Rudy. If you've not listened to them on YouTube, I highly recommend it. The ergonomics are different from the 4/4 model. It looks like Willie does seem to shift his left hand to various comfortable/accessible positions throughout his playing. Here's such an example.

https://youtu.be/BEuGcvSCFBY?si=A1tMBUBW7eAMEiI3

[anadmai]

When you play a 3+1 you always know what to do with your left hand. :-D

[tubanh84]

Not a completely on point answer, because mine was a 5/4, but a prior owner had installed metal rods on the first and main tuning slides that stuck up vertically, well above the top bow. So I used a Baltimore Brass tuba stand, rested my hand on the top bow, and used the rods to do the tuning adjustments.

Bonus was the rods were screw-in, so I could take them off for transport or when for whatever reason I didn't need them.

[1 Ton Tommy]

I have played a 3+1 top action for many years. I just bought a 4+1 front action and out of habit I'm using my left hand for 4th valve... at least till my pinkie gets stronger. This might be a bad habit in case I need to pull slides but so far that's not necessary. Of course on my 4 valve top action I can't do that. Can't pull valve slides either.