Trouble going from BBb to Eb tuba

[Bessontubaplayer]

I`ve been playing BBb tuba for about 16 years now . I bought a Eb tuba the other day to be my solo horn . I`m having a terrible time with the Eb tuba ! Its very stuffy when you get to the low Bb .Are all Eb tubas stuffy or is it just me ? Could being so stuffy just be me being used to the BBb tubas ? I`ve made some beautiful music on it but once its gets to the notes on the bottom of the staff it just falls apart . Don`t know if I should just give Eb up or just stick to what I know .

[GC]

The low register on Eb tubas is a crapshoot depending on the horn you buy. Some have great low ranges. Some are pathetic, especially some of the older horns. Most lie in between.

What kind of horn did you buy? Are you using the same mouthpiece you used on BBb?

Then again, it could just be you. The opinion of another Eb player would help. If another player thinks the horn has low range issues, it's most likely time to see a repairman.

[Jess Haney]

First I would like to know what Eb you bought. If the horn is a componsating Eb you might want to have the valve clearences alligned by a repair man. I have found with bessons and like componsators as the felts compress over use the lower register suffers first because of the componsation system design needing precise tolerances. The low Bb may be stuffy and the problem only increases as you add valves. The second reason could possibly be mouthpiece. If you are retaining the MP from your BBb you might think about moving to something a little shallower.

[PMeuph]

There are mechanical reasons that might explain what is wrong. Inspect your horn closely and have a tech look at it if you need to.

_____

Truthfully, If you have only been playing BBb for the past decade and a half you should give yourself 2 months of solid practice on the eeb before you make a final decision. Go back to basics on the Eb. Long tones, Flexibility, Scales, Studies, etc. Don't assume that because you can play something easily on the BBb, you will also be able to play it easily on the Eb.


I switched to tuba during the last year. During that time, I have play tested about 15 horns. (I purchased 6... ) The horn I finally settled on turned out to be a gamble that paid off. I tried a Besson 981 that a friend owns and I really liked it. I couldn't afford a new one and when I went on eBay that week, I found an older B&H EEb that was a precursor to the 981. When I got my horn I soon realized that focus on the 981 was better and producing a clear tone was much easier. However, the low range on my horn just pops out.

I don't think there is a blanket statement that can cover the playing characteristics of all tubas in the same key.

[Gilligan]

Switching from BBb to Eb takes a bit of time. You will need to learn how to change the air cavities of your body to tune the notes differently for Eb than you do for BBb. With BBb you tend to be reaching for big, low and full. With the Eb you don't want to be pushing for that low idea, they need more finesse. Exspecially the low notes.
Definitely get the horn checked out by a good technician, one who plays brass, better yet, one who plays tuba.
The most detrimental hard to locate problem a horn can have is a bad valve alignment. I once had a clarinet technician install pads on one of my cornets that were so far off that open tuning C was a half pitch off compared to the rest of the horn.
After that, is a bad mouthpiece gap or mouthpiece with an improper shank shank fit. Many of the older Ebs use a smaller receiver than the Standard American taper we are so use to. When the mouthpiece is out too far a lot of resistance to the airstream is created when going low. Start a mouthpiece safari to find a piece that works well with your Eb. The larger more funnel shaped mouthpieces used for BBb and CC horns rarely work well in Eb's of F's.
And check for a leak. I’ve had cracked seams that seeped and threw off single pitches instead of the whole horn.
Again like others have already said, we can give you better advice if we know what make and model you are playing.

[Jay Bertolet]

One of the biggest mistakes that players make when switching from contrabass to bass tuba is that they shoot for exactly the same sound as what they're used to (contrabass) and they assume that everything they do on the contrabass is what they need to do on the bass. Not true!

Bass tuba, whether in Eb or F, is an animal unto itself. It has a distinctive sound unlike the contrabass tuba. That is the key to being successful playing one. Always keep in mind the phrase "characteristic sound". Once you can establish in your head what the tuba should sound like, you need to make equipment and production decisions based on that ideal. Others have suggested that you might be using the same mouthpiece on your new horn and that is but one of the possible problems that derive from not changing your mind set when switching horns. it is truly like learning a new instrument and if you approach it that way, and give yourself the time required, I think you'll see more satisfactory results.

If it's any consolation to you, my opinion is that Eb tubas generally have a better low register than F tubas. I don't think that's true anymore with the newer horns but back when I was in college, there weren't as many of either horn to choose from and the Eb tubas I played were a much more natural fit for me, especially in the low range. That is why I don't play F tuba at all and don't even own one. All bass tuba work I do is done on Eb. They can be wonderful horns, if you find a good horn that works for you. Good luck.

[opus37]

I started out on a BBb but have been playing an Eb for close to 35 years. Yes, an Eb takes a little time to master, but I believe it is worth it. I find it much better for quintet and solo work. It is a very welcome addition to community band, especially when you play old marches. It fills a hole in the music that adds to the sound. I encourage you to keep working at it. Stuffiness is usually a mechanical issue. Get your horn cleaned and checked out (if you haven't already). Some horns, regardless of it being BBb, C Eb or F, just have some bad notes. You may have one of those horns. I have 2 Eb horns that are not stuffy. I haven't tried my third horn yet so I don't know. Lee Stofer has found that the placement of bracing on some horn cause sound issues. He has restored horns to be great players by moving some of the bracing. You might check with him to see if that may be a issue with your horn.

[Bessontubaplayer]

WOW !!! THANKS FOR ALL THE GREAT TIPS !!!! SHOULD BE VERY HELPFUL !! I bought a Amati Eb with 3 rotary valves .(wish I would have read the reviews of this horn before I bought it Oh well to late now). But i`m using a Marcinkiewicz N4 mouthpiece with the horn . I`m used to a Denis wick 3 mouthpiece in my Besson tubas . I`ve got 10 different mouthpieces that i`ve tryed with the little tuba . I hope I can get the hang of the Eb tuba I really love the sound of a bass tuba . Thanks for all the replys !!