G contrabass concert tubas?

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Bob Kolada
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G contrabass concert tubas?

Post by Bob Kolada »

It seems that about every year or so, someone on here mentions making a concert tuba out of a G contrabass bugle. Has anyone ever? :D
A 3 valve horn would play down to Db, and a 4 valver would give a solid A and possibly avoid ever playing a pedal note.

Pictures, anybody? :tuba:
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bort
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Re: G contrabass concert tubas?

Post by bort »

And the upper range would be... :?:
djwesp
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Re: G contrabass concert tubas?

Post by djwesp »

Bob Kolada wrote:It seems that about every year or so, someone on here mentions making a concert tuba out of a G contrabass bugle. Has anyone ever? :D
A 3 valve horn would play down to Db, and a 4 valver would give a solid A and possibly avoid ever playing a pedal note.

Pictures, anybody? :tuba:

I have played a very poorly done botch job of a G Contrabass tuba. It was a 4 valve Kanstul (with a fifth valve on the left hand) We played it in Rockford, Ill in 2002. Some traveling horn repair crew had it.

At the time I was playing G Contra in a corps. It altered my perspective quite a bit, I had not touched a CC tuba in 2 months.

All I can remember thinking was that it wasn't very practical. Played some of the orchestral stuff on it and thought... eh... this isn't my CC. The tuning on G Contras is gastly. Horrid. Horrible. Disgusting. Wretched. AWFUL. High range tuning is even worse.

I think part of what makes the low rep fun is where it sits in the horn. On GG you are playing that stuff in the ooompah range, not the snedecor range... it just takes away some of the appeal for me.
Bob Kolada
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Re: G contrabass concert tubas?

Post by Bob Kolada »

bort wrote:And the upper range would be... :?:
Well, just like one wouldn't (shouldn't) play a C/Bb on everything a G wouldn't be used on everything either. So, like the Montagues and Capulets but not Berlioz. Maybe a G euphonium for that.... :D
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cjk
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Re: G contrabass concert tubas?

Post by cjk »

Bob Kolada wrote:It seems that about every year or so, someone on here mentions making a concert tuba out of a G contrabass bugle.
Isn't that someone always you? :D
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imperialbari
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Re: G contrabass concert tubas?

Post by imperialbari »

djwesp wrote:The tuning on G Contras is gastly. Horrid. Horrible. Disgusting. Wretched. AWFUL.
Sound like what community bands are about.

K
Bob Kolada
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Re: G contrabass concert tubas?

Post by Bob Kolada »

cjk wrote:
Bob Kolada wrote:It seems that about every year or so, someone on here mentions making a concert tuba out of a G contrabass bugle.
Isn't that someone always you? :D
I think it's actually Wade! :D



Bob"would play such a horn!"Kolada
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imperialbari
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Re: G contrabass concert tubas?

Post by imperialbari »

Bob Kolada wrote:
cjk wrote:
Bob Kolada wrote:It seems that about every year or so, someone on here mentions making a concert tuba out of a G contrabass bugle.
Isn't that someone always you? :D
I think it's actually Wade! :D



Bob"would play such a horn!"Kolada
I am not sure you are right. Anyway you don’t have to follow his imaginary Wade Mecum.

K
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Re: G contrabass concert tubas?

Post by Bob Kolada »

I don't know how to take that- Latin, fishing,...? :D
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imperialbari
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Re: G contrabass concert tubas?

Post by imperialbari »

Fishing for Latin?
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Re: G contrabass concert tubas?

Post by DavidK »

Bob,

All you need is two things.
A Yamaha 201 3 valve top action tuba.
And...
A Yamaha Y201M Conversion kit.
It was actually a concert tuba converted to become a 3 valve GG Contra bugle.

Keep the concert leadpipe on the tuba. Add the tube extension kit and you have a 3 valve GG concert tuba.

Are you still playing bass bone or is it Eb tuba?

Anyway, I happen to have 6 of those kits if you (or anyone else) are interested.
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MartyNeilan
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Re: G contrabass concert tubas?

Post by MartyNeilan »

One of my first serious tuba teachers told me, "Stick a mouthpiece in a horn and blow."

The older I get, the more right he was.

(I had a dream last night I was still playing my F tuba, working on the Mahler 1 solo and Hungarian March. I realized I could get by with those on the Schiller and a #1 blokepiece, and I should probably sell the F due to finances. When I woke up, I realized I had already sold it :( )
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Kevin Hendrick
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Re: G contrabass concert tubas?

Post by Kevin Hendrick »

imperialbari wrote:... you don’t have to follow his imaginary Wade Mecum.
I do love a good pun (associating with oboists helps with this one):

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/vade_mecum

http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/Vad ... ist/166022

:) :) :)
"Don't take life so serious, son. It ain't nohow permanent." -- Pogo (via Walt Kelly)
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Roger Lewis
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Re: G contrabass concert tubas?

Post by Roger Lewis »

bort wrote:And the upper range would be... :?:
"like a bluejay fartin' in an empty silo"

Just my thoughts.

Roger
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djwesp
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Re: G contrabass concert tubas?

Post by djwesp »

Roger Lewis wrote:
bort wrote:And the upper range would be... :?:
"like a bluejay fartin' in an empty silo"


Roger

Pretty much.
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