Affect of Tuning slide.

[JCBone]

What affect does the tuning slide have on the horn? I see that a lot of people are switching out their stock tuning slides with aftermarket ones but what does it change exactly?

[robcat2075]

I recall we already had much ado about that recently...

Tuning Slide

[GabrielRice]

The tuning slide is a crucial section of the taper of the bell section. Different tuning slide tapers - meaning the rate and shape of the expanding tube - will change the tuning relationship of the partials and the general feel of the slots.

For example, Shires has two tapers available for large and medium bore tenors: the standard unmarked (formerly marked B), and the X taper. The standard taper feels a bit bigger, maybe more free-blowing than the X, and the 5th partial D is a bit sharp relative to the Bb. The X taper has a slightly more focused slot, and the 5th partial D is maybe a bit flat compared to the Bb, more like where you find it on most Bach trombones.

Shires also has two different tapers of bells: the TI (or unmarked) and TII. Basically, the TI is more like a Conn and the TII is more like a Bach. Likewise, the standard tuning slide taper is more like a Conn and the X is more like a Bach.

I am a bass trombone player, but when I play tenor I use the X tuning slide and a TII bell.

As to materials, they do what the different materials do. I don't want to debate that, but I will say that I have tried many trombones, and I used to work at Shires doing fittings for customers. I have heard literally hundreds of players try different combinations of alloys on trombones. Different alloys sound and respond differently. They just do.

[OneTon]

I used to work at Shires doing fittings for customers.

Thank you for your insight Mr. Rice.

[JCBone]

Geez, I make a minor grammatical error (which as oneton pointed out, is actually correct) while asking a valid question and I get in response 2 helpful answers and 6 unessecary jokes concerning the error. I think some people forget that not everybody here is from english speaking countries. It's one thing to politely point out the error. It's another to be mean spirited about it. And people still wonder why this forum isn't popular.

[atopper333]

Whilst I do enjoy a good written sparring concerning the etymology of a word…perhaps a different take on the OP’s post?

Maybe it isn’t so much the sound that is the point of changing out individual components as much as it is feedback to the player? As an amateur I’m not really in a place to get into warm, dark, bright, rich, heavy, etc…sounds as most of this is quite subjective. Perhaps the issue lies in what components better fit a particular player in forms of response and feedback.

Does the feedback allow for an ease of playing?

Do the sum of the parts of the horn give the player more confidence?

Do the components help them achieve their ‘sound concept?’

Is it all a placebo? I don’t tend to think so, but I think feedback to the player is often interchanged with ‘sound.’

If we really want to go all in…does not the shape of a person’s jaw, lips, and teeth have an influence? Perhaps maybe a player’s embouchure has more of an effect than a counter weight, slide bumper, cork or rubber rotor stops…etc.

I think it may come down to, if you have the coin, try it out…if you have the ability and a friend has a snazzy modular horn, try out different tuning slides on their horn and see what it does for you…

Most people don’t really care all that much about the rotation of hand controls on a motorcycle…after riding professionally for a few year (previously not caring about this at all) I find that I care greatly due to a change in grip on the brake and clutch levers. I could probably say that if I was skilled enough to unlock more potential from my horns, maybe I would give way more thought to a tuning slide or leadpipe…just don’t know at this point..

Again, maybe just a feedback/playability concern to that player…just a thought…

[Matt K]

I split out the topic as that was, well, quite the tanget!

I really wish that I didn't notice a difference between the various material sand whether or not the slides were seamed or not but... ugh, I do and that's quite expensive for me.

I'm not sure if I can provide a particular "one material does X" though because it seems to depend on the rest of the horn. For classical setups, I like Conn-ish bell sections with two-piece, unsoldered red bells and a seamed yellow tuning slide. For commercial setups, I seem to like drawn yellow brass tuning slides most of the time. I haven't tried the copper ones yet and I really want to pending having the funds for it...

[GabrielRice]

Maybe it isn’t so much the sound that is the point of changing out individual components as much as it is feedback to the player? As an amateur I’m not really in a place to get into warm, dark, bright, rich, heavy, etc…sounds as most of this is quite subjective. Perhaps the issue lies in what components better fit a particular player in forms of response and feedback.

Does the feedback allow for an ease of playing?

Do the sum of the parts of the horn give the player more confidence?

Do the components help them achieve their ‘sound concept?’

Bingo

[Macbone1]

And now for the elephant in the room - how do DENTS in the tuning slide affect the instrument? Obviously, a half caved-in tuning slide should send you running to your repair shop with all due haste. But how about little dings? 1, 2, even 5? Same question applies to the slide crook I suppose.

[greenbean]

Re: The joke answers, etc.

I don't think all the "goofing around" on the site is mean-spirited. Insensitive, at times, yes. Obnoxious, too, at times. Sorry for the offense caused.