What is Bollinger Tuning?

[ThienHuynh43]

I’ve heard about Bollinger tuning as it helps with arpeggios but I never really understood it. Can someone explain it to me please? Thanks!

[Burgerbob]

Kind of halfway between G and Gb. The first position note isn't useful, but it puts all those major arpeggios in the staff in a easier spot than either of the other tunings.

[Neo Bri]

I wonder how many people actually use it. For me it feels like too big a compromise to lose that 1st-position real estate.

[Burgerbob]

From what I can tell, mostly Blair's students.

For me personally, I don't like anything shorter than Gb because it puts low C and B too far out.

[tbonesullivan]

Does anyone know where there is a chart showing the different tuning systems and the slide positions they entail? It would really make it a bunch easier to do a real comparison of the different tuning systems. I looked around for a while, and couldn't find one.

[hyperbolica]

When I first started playing bass, I was enamored with the G tuning, but after getting a Gb valve, with the D in first position, and a full Bb arpeggio, with Db and Gb on the staff in b1st with 2nd valve, I was sold. My indy is Bb/F/D, but my dependent is Bb/F/Eb. Eb dependent doesn't really buy you anything except a slightly lighter horn. I don't mind low C in b5th, or low B. As a lifelong tenor player, I've learned to use all 7 positions.

[JohnL]

I've used the flat G tuning for a long time; I tune so the second space C is just a little past 3rd position. Initially I was experimenting to see if I could squeeze a full Gb out of the P-24G's stock second crook (you can't). Since I never played G or Eb in first position anyway (always needing to match pitches with tubas that insisted on playing sharp), I realized that tuning the second valve down a bit made the C and B natural fall better for me.

Sadly, I don't know of any one place with position charts for everything. Here's one for Bb-F-G-Eb:
http://itsabear.com/Olds_Docs/P24G_Facts.pdf
It's got charts for extended second valve (Eb or D), too.

[tbonesullivan]

When I first started playing bass, I was enamored with the G tuning, but after getting a Gb valve, with the D in first position, and a full Bb arpeggio, with Db and Gb on the staff in b1st with 2nd valve, I was sold. My indy is Bb/F/D, but my dependent is Bb/F/Eb. Eb dependent doesn't really buy you anything except a slightly lighter horn. I don't mind low C in b5th, or low B. As a lifelong tenor player, I've learned to use all 7 positions.

I know that some people like the G a lot as a standalone valve, and a good option to the F tuning on single valve horns. I never really got my head around it though, as I really tried to work using my F-attachment into my lower register tenor playing. Having the valve and not using it as much as possible seemed a waste.

My only bass is dependent, with a choice of Bb/F/Eb and Bb/F/D. I usually keep the D crook in. I feel the horn is better balanced and more in control with the heavier crook.

[bh2001]

This book has charts for most tunings:

https://www.hickeys.com/music/studio/me ... dition.php

Also it's really good book.

[Mv2541]

To be completely honest I am not Blair's student nor am I a great bass trombonist, but I did just have a year to study with a really top tier player who is an advocate of using the 2nd valve alone. I also really love this horn and the tuning system.

I tune mine so E below the staff is in 4th (all the way in). With this you get:
Gb a tiny bit higher than the high G
F slightly sharp 3
E 4
Eb flat 5th
I suppose D somewhere down there

In both valves
Db a little higher than the F
C in flat 4 (higher than D in F valve)
B in sharp 6

While this is great I think one of the greatest parts is that C/B in the staff is pretty much the same spot as an octave above with no valve.

This makes alot of slide patterns the same as the octave above. For instance most people would play a 5 note Bb major scale above the staff 1-3-4-3-1. With the C in slightly sharp 3 in the 2nd valve down the octave is the same pattern. Also this means most of the notes you are playing in the 2nd valve alone (Db/C/B/Gb/F/E) are pretty close to places you already know (#2/3/4 with some minor adjustment). Same for the double valve notes being in #2/b4/#6.

In the ideal world (one where I had lots of disposable money) I think I would have my valves reversed so the flat G is on the thumb. Then I could have my large tenor valve shortened to flat G with perhaps an F/E crook if I have to play L'Historie or something.