F Tubas

[Kevin_Iaquinto]

Just doing a little bit of Q and A. I am starting to look in to F tubas and I was wondering if anybody here on the forums has played both the MW 2250 and the 2182. I got to spend some time with the 2250 at the NAMM show and it was a really nice F tuba. The low register slotted well and the high range wasn't too harsh on my chops. I know that the 2250 is a 6/4 horn and it is meant for larger ensembles (I believe that any tuba can do anything if the player is competent) and could be used for solos, quintets, and small ensembles. My teacher has mentioned the 2182 is an excellent choice for a smaller F tuba that would work better for solos and quintets.

Question 1
What benefit would a smaller F tuba have for solos? Would the size of the tuba affect responsiveness and would the low range be hindered.
I know that Tim Buzbee plays on a 2182 and after hearing his "Tubifers Hymn" I doubt that the size (4/4) of the tuba affects (his) low register.

Question 2
Would the smaller F tuba be drowned out in an orchestra when playing pieces like Hungarian March, Symphonie Fantastique, etc and would the larger 2250 allow for a larger sound to spread through a hall?

[bort]

I don't know the specific tubas in question, but I believe that it's mostly a matter of what type of sound you're trying to make. The size of the tuba doesn't necessarily determine the volume of sound that it can produce, but it does affect what it's going to sound like at that volume.

I think of it like this -- you can drive pretty much any car at 75 miles per hour. Cars with small engines take longer to get to that speed, may not feel stable at that speed, and their small engines get loud and try to tell you "alright, this is all I can do." Cars with large engines can get to 75 miles per hour pretty quickly, feel stable and smooth, and you *know* that if you jam the pedal to the floor, you *will* go faster.

But it's up to you to decide -- will you be driving 75 miles per hour? And if so, how often?

Personally, I like to err on the large side of things, and do what I need to do to make a bigger horn sound smaller. A small tuba has its limits, and can only be pushed so far.

[Kevin_Iaquinto]

I think of it like this -- you can drive pretty much any car at 75 miles per hour. Cars with small engines take longer to get to that speed, may not feel stable at that speed, and their small engines get loud and try to tell you "alright, this is all I can do." Cars with large engines can get to 75 miles per hour pretty quickly, feel stable and smooth, and you *know* that if you jam the pedal to the floor, you *will* go faster.

Your analogy is very easy to understand and makes a lot of sense.

Thanks, Kevin

[Kevin_Iaquinto]

Bloke, thanks for the insight on how long it takes one to make the right choice. I still have some time before I make a purchase and I will definitely try to attend another convention or two to get a better feel for more than just those two horns.

[windshieldbug]

For question two, it is entirely situational. It depends on the equipment the rest of the brass use, the way they use them and the approach of the conductor. I've played actual ophicleides in those pieces, and blown my rear off on a 6/4. You won't know until you are actually in the situation, then you do whatever's asked for, whether you have the right equipment or not.

[RyanSchultz]

Bloke has the right idea and, while you're trying those horns, make sure you try a Miraphone Petruschka as well. I think it might be the tuba you are searching for.

[spanky2482]

Kevin, I have a MW 45 SLP which is a big ole F horn. I recommend giving one of those a try if you get the chance. Worked great for me in solo and ensemble situations.

[jasoncatchpowle]

Tim Buzbee sounds like Tim buzbee whatever horn he has, seriously! FYI