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It's so easy to describe, I don't even believe I need to draw a picture (nor superimpose the proposed gadget onto a photograph of a tuba).

see...?? I've begun using the word, "onto".

- a typical push rod extending down from a Minibal link attached to the front of the (rotary or front-action piston) upper #1 slide bow
- fastened to a teeter-totter assembly (with another Minibal link) just above the pistons or rotor mechanisms...
- from the other side of the teeter-totter, another Minbal link and rod feed (if rotary, underneath the action rods) to a little threaded stick brazed to the main slide cross-brace (attached with yet another Minibal link) whereby
- when the #1 slide is pulled out or pushed in, the main slide also goes out or in.

This means that every #1 slide adjustment requires LESS movement, and - when playing that rats-ass-sharp 5-2-3-4 (low D on a C tuba, or low C on a five-valve B-flat tuba), the #1 slide can STILL BE pulled out (even though the #1 slide circuit isn't engaged) to flatten the tuning on 5-2-3-4 (as well as using the #1 slide bow to tune OTHER non-#1-circuit pitches.

I cannot think of a downside to this (other than the need for there to be known "default" position for the #1 slide). It doesn't even need a spring.

yes: "venting", but - well - mine are vented.
yes: "slide alignment", but - well - both of these slides (on the instrument that I'm most interested in doing this) are already aligned.

Unless I'm NOT seeing some really obvious reason to NOT do this,
stay tuned.

You have to have a way to move the main slide independent from the connected slide. The Conn 24i has a mechanism to adjust the mts when using a trigger.

Isn't it just better to always move only the mts when any adjustment is needed, so it works regardless of which valves you're using? You don't have to flip around pulling multiple valve slides, don't have to vent, or maintain all those valve slides.

Front-action tubas are set up to comfortably pull #1 slides.

Most gadgets set up (factory, aftermarket, special order, shop, or garage) to operate main slides (alone - at least most I’ve seen/tried) are awkward.

Marzan horns are set up to comfortably to pull/push the main tuning slides.
They do, however, require a good ear (as does playing trombone).

OK...
I'm getting random "main tuning slide trigger" comments rather than specific criticism or praise of the described mechanism...
...so (as people are much more visually oriented than verbally oriented) here's a PICTURE:

I may actually go through with this cockamamie scheme.

I email-chatted up Christian N. (Miraphone boss and smart guy) about possibly sending me some Miraphone-matching raw materials, so I could build this thing and have it look Miraphone-ish.

The #1 slide will surely feel heavier, but I DO like the idea of being able to flatten 5234, flatten "open" 2nd partial, flatten "open" 6th partial. and flatten 3rd partial 2-4 - ALL: by (simply) pulling on the #1 slide bow. (Every "sharp" issue - OTHER THAN the 5234 thing, on this instrument - is very subtle, but - as y'all know - I'm a subtle type of guy.)

Sounds awesome, let us know how it goes!

And if you have a follow-up call with him, maybe discuss the possibility of changing your 5th valve to be the same length as your 4th valve.

bort2.0 wrote: ↑Thu Aug 25, 2022 3:12 pm Sounds awesome, let us know how it goes!

And if you have a follow-up call with him, maybe discuss the possibility of changing your 5th valve to be the same length as your 4th valve.

deep bass...or a double (BB♭/BBB♭) tuba.

Double tubas have always turned out great !

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The main slide on this instrument moves remarkably nicely, but might not quite be dead-on...I'll have to measure.

Something else:
These rotors' tolerances are so close that - if I use anything thicker than lamp oil - they slow down, rather than speed up, which means that I need to lubricate the slides with the same thing - or else whatever is used as "slide oil" will eventually (and it won't take long) migrate to the rotors.

I've yet to get the stuff that is actually MUCH more basic done to this instrument. Currently, it even has a floppy (just about cut in half) #2 rubber rotor bumper.

Peeps still be tearin' up they marching enscrumencks - and lots of 'em...and blokeplace's grass (even though mostly turf and not many weeds) is about 10" - 12" high: FINALLY repaired mowing machine (various pulleys, bearings, and the PTO), and too busy to run it, anyway.

...I'm sorta tickled at my 20K sousaphone lower mouthpipe tube rescue-and-bolster technique. (There ain't no new ones to be had...for a good while.)

ALL of this b.s. I type on this site...resting up between fixing up torn-up stuff, and (also) checking emails about (GULP !!!) sales 'n' stuff...
...people are TUBA-crazy, right now. ...and sousaphone-crazy, and bass trombone-crazy, and French horn-crazy, and clarinet-crazy, and....

bloke wrote: ↑Thu Aug 25, 2022 5:32 pm ...people are TUBA-crazy, right now. ...and sousaphone-crazy, and bass trombone-crazy, and French horn-crazy, and clarinet-crazy, and....

…People are just plain crazy. Some of them just happen to play some of those instruments.

What about a 6th valve that, with all other slides properly adjusted, will make it so you never have to do a slide pull or push for anything?

I had a similar thought, but not that one, nor so well conceived...

I thought i might posit it in a more appropriate thread here...

So all of your significant intonation issues are first valve related? Or could be with alternates?

MikeMason wrote: ↑Sat Aug 27, 2022 6:45 am So all of your significant intonation issues are first valve related? Or could be with alternates?

The little bit - on this particular instrument - that is flat - isn’t very flat. The little bit that is sharp - on this particular instrument - isn’t very sharp, other than the 5234 low pitch - which is always very sharp (as “double low“ D and C are found more and more often in written music, with composers using midi - or whatever the current technology is – keyboards to compose, as well as more and more players mastering control of these pitches).

If I can hook this up and make it work smoothly, I think I might possibly like it.

I’ve never liked using a finger for more than one lever, and I’ve never liked using a hand for more than one slide. I hate releasing the #1 slide and jumping my left hand over to the #4 slide (which defines that I will often choose to play D or C – depending on the length of the instrument - with 1-3 and pulling the #1 slide - rather than 4). I have owned a couple or three tubas in the past whereby I had to do a ballet dance with my left hand - operating the #1 slide with my thumb and index, and operating the #3 slide with my third or fourth finger of the left hand. I do not like it having to move the #3 slide at all (which eliminates quite a few tubas for me, as so many of them feature very wonky 2-3 combination overtone series). I sold any of those instruments - within months of buying them – regardless of how nicely they resonated…
‘ too much choreography creating too much stress, too much muscle tension, and too much distraction and energy directed away from the music. (I really don’t like being constantly reminded of an instrument or of a mouthpiece.)

Finally - if I am thought by many to be a jackass on discussion lists, I really-really-really try to NOT be a jackass on gigs, as far as intonation is concerned.