| Pryorphone: The fourth fills in the missing notes from low F# down to pedal C on a CC with no "false tones".
5 & 6 can be different lengths, depending on the setup, but basically give you alternate fingering possibilities to cover, say, that annoying flat 5th partial. It is very much like having a compensating horn, only YOU get to pick how much compensation you get and when you want to use it.
Adam Peck: Extra valves just give you more options. The 5th valve has become very popular these days and probably 80% of all CC tubas have five valves. A five valve F tuba is a neccessity and many players would not do without a 6 valve f Tuba. I personally would not own a 4 valve CC tuba unless it played out-of-this-world well. An Eb tuba with 3 valves can only play down to A below the bass clef staff. For this reason I am adding a 4th valve to my old Tourville&Cie Eb tuba so I can use it in my groups.
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