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Back earlier this year in an article I described my compensating triple as being sort of a super single B-flat horn. But there is a lot more to it than that, and this is a model of horn that deserves a bit more of a look.
In my Horn Articles site there is a page with general information on descant and triple horns. One specific type of triple horn is the compensating triple. This photo is a close up of the valve section of my Paxman. How it works is this.
- The high F side will be as on any other triple.
- The B-flat side also looks like the B-flat side of any other horn. It will be on top though because of the way low F is achieved.
- The big difference is the low F side is accomplished by combing the B-flat tubing with extra tubing to make low F. This is the “compensating” part of the equation. That tubing, not very visible in the photo, is located on the “middle story” of the valves. B-flat slides on top, extra slides in middle, F alto slides on the bottom.
How this works then is for example if you push down the the first valve on the F horn air goes through the B-flat horn first valve slide AND the short valve slide in the middle. It is easier to see visually on the compensating double horn, see this article for more.
Another way to think of this, if you are familiar with lower brass, is it works just like the compensating loops on a Euphonium.
Also note if you are a bit stumped by the valve at the top in the photo it is a stopping valve. More on that here.
While I have seen triple horns that can only be set up to stand in B-flat, most can be set up to stand in low F or in B-flat.
The standing in B-flat can be a big negative for the average player trying on in the USA, as we are on the whole very used to horns that stand in F. Those that I have heard of making that switch, to standing in B-flat, say that it can be done in anywhere from a couple months to a couple years. But again, most of these can be set to stand in F, which will feel more at “home” for most players.
For more on this topic, if you have access to back issues of The Horn Call, see my article “The Case for the Compensating Triple,” The Horn Call 36, No. 2 (February, 2006), 86-87, or my book Playing High Horn (Horn Notes Edition).
