Owning only an F (or Eb)

[Wyvern]

I will admit that rapid passages below low BB flat are a bit difficult even with 5 valves!

That is the area where the 3+1 valve set-up helps a lot, as fingering down there is then just as easy as on a BBb

[Lee Stofer]

This can be done, and I have done it once, with a Rudolf Meinl F-tuba. As Bloke mentioned, it takes months of concentration to really master an F or Eb.

The best idea is to find the tool that is best-suited for what you do, and within your budget. I have played tubas in BBb, CC, F and Eb. I find that some tubas are better for me and others are more problematic. I have tried playing bass tubas in situations normally reserved for contrabass tubas, and while I generally managed to pull it off, I found it to be pretty exhausting to pound out a lot of low notes on an Eb or F tuba. I have also played solo, and bass tuba parts on larger tubas, and while that also may not be optimal, it seems that a larger tuba really does not limit one's high range.

If you can comfortably do everything that you need to do on an F or Eb tuba, there is no reason to invest in longer tubing.

[J.c. Sherman]

.728" bore on the contrabass tubas (combined with the tortuous bends involved in "compensating" systems) offer considerably "stuffiness" which a player must learn to overcome.

You would think so, but it's shocking how easy it is to play down to pedal G on my tiny Eb tuba. . It comes out better on my Eb fingering 2345 than my 835 bore piggy using just 4th valve for the same note.

I have a 3+1 '70's vintage B&H/Besson tall BBb (currently disassembled) with nice tight pistons. It took about a half an hour, but (pre-disassembly) I "figured out" how to make the low range "go". Most of those old tubas have leaky valves (which also scuffles the low range)...and (well...) many newer ones don't play as well as the best of the older ones (pre-leakiness) did.

If I had to decide one instrument to survive a fire, it'd be my Imperial Eb.

It's what I bring when I don't know what I'll face. It can do anything at least satisfactorily. It's nimble, powerful, and with great pitch. As for F on the staff, I can play 1 just fine, but prefer 4 or 1&3 for hanging for a while on it, depending on the chord. The Bessons are the only Ebs I know that can get away with not using 1&3.

I've played everything from Bassoon-tuba duets to 110 piece orchestras with chorus with it. I vote these double tubas as easily the easiest single horn to own. But you need one with solid valves and learn not to muscle the low range, but slow your air down and let it ring

YMMV

J.c.S.

[opus37]

It's what I bring when I don't know what I'll face. It can do anything at least satisfactorily. It's nimble, powerful, and with great pitch. As for F on the staff, I can play 1 just fine, but prefer 4 or 1&3 for hanging for a while on it, depending on the chord. The Bessons are the only Ebs I know that can get away with not using 1&3.
J.c.S.

For the sake of completeness, the Kanstul 66 series can also play that F on the staff using just valve 1 just fine. I agree that for hanging on a while, 4 or 1&3 may be better, depending on the cord (although this is a very minor issue). I have also supported larger orchestras with the Kanstul with great success. A shallower mouthpiece is sometimes advantageous in those situation. I have yet to overblow the horn. It seems to take all that I can give it.

[J.c. Sherman]

It's what I bring when I don't know what I'll face. It can do anything at least satisfactorily. It's nimble, powerful, and with great pitch. As for F on the staff, I can play 1 just fine, but prefer 4 or 1&3 for hanging for a while on it, depending on the chord. The Bessons are the only Ebs I know that can get away with not using 1&3.
J.c.S.

For the sake of completeness, the Kanstul 66 series can also play that F on the staff using just valve 1 just fine. I agree that for hanging on a while, 4 or 1&3 may be better, depending on the cord (although this is a very minor issue). I have also supported larger orchestras with the Kanstul with great success. A shallower mouthpiece is sometimes advantageous in those situation. I have yet to overblow the horn. It seems to take all that I can give it.

Interesting; I'd assumed that it was a copy of the York, and would have it's intonation tendencies

[Bob Kolada]

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[Tom Holtz]

I use Eb all the time. I did pull out the CC once in 2014, and that was to play Dvorak 6. I only brought the CC because I didn't know jack about Dvorak 6th, nor the orchestra with which I was playing. In all honesty, the Eb would have been more than enough given the situation. Lesson learned.

I'm fortunate to have more than one horn, and therefore, a choice. Honestly, I think most of the players out there who do everything on one horn do so because they only have one horn. It works for a lot of folks. Don't worry about the key so much. The real trick is finding a horn that kicks ***. Don't limit yourself to any key.

[eupher61]

I'm finding that the low end on my F is not nearly as easy since I've had a BBb that I've used for a lot of things, especially jazz.

[KevinMadden]

Despite my last post in the "Me and My tuba and You and Yours" thread, I've been using only the Eb this time around out on the ship. CHICAGO is a bit in 'that range' so it's been.. a project. I think with either a compensating system (or at least a 5th valve) 90% of my concerns would be alleviated and doing only Eb for just about any gig shy of a large orchestra would be cake.