How did you get started playing tuba?

jlbreyer · Post by **jlbreyer** » Sat May 01, 2004 11:50 am

When I was fourteen and a freshman in High School, I walked into the new band director's office and the departing band director was there. He looked at me (6' 200lb) and said " You look like you could carry a Sousaphone." Thus began my love affair with Gertrude, the 20K that I played for the next four years. 3 South Jersey and 2 All States (though just by the skin of my teeth - 13th of 13).
Still love a 20K, but haven't owned one for years. Currently have a 26K Eb and a Mirafone 183-4U Eb.
Have a good blow...
jlb

ContraDude · Post by **ContraDude** » Sat May 01, 2004 9:00 pm

I am one of the few, the proud, the original Tubists. We had an Instrument tryout day in 6th grade for band class (since I knew I wanted to be a musician for a long time), and I saw the Tuba and gravitated to it since both my dad and my grandfather were tuba players. The guy told me the 30 second version of how to play tuba, and after my first note looked at me and asked if I had ever played tuba before. So, lo and behold, I was a tubist and I still am (even though I play around with jazz bass on the side). What drives me crazy is the fact that my tone was bad for a long time, because I had huge tonsils. They wouldn't remove them, and everyone knew it was impairing my playing. I finally got them out a year ago, and am now first chair in my high school. I am also just starting into drum corps, since I realized I ageout in 4 years

. Lovin all of your stories. Keep 'em comin'.

Christopher Parker
Contra Guy

chipster55 · Post by **chipster55** » Sun May 02, 2004 12:27 am

I played trumpet from 4th grade thru 9th. When I got to high school, the director told me he had enough trumpets, but needed tuba players. I wanted to be in band, so....I made the switch. I played tuba until I graduated & began playing again in '99. After a 26 year break, I'm still working on getting my skills back-----family, job, etc. make it hard to practice as much as I'd like, but I do play in a community band once in a while - and, of course, TubaChristmas.

ThomasDodd · Post by **ThomasDodd** » Mon May 03, 2004 10:18 am

[quote="ContraDude"I am also just starting into drum corps, since I realized I ageout in 4 years

.[/quote]

There's always the Marine Corps Drum and Bugle Corps. Not an easy gig, but worth a shot:)

Thomas "who didn't make it, but glad I tried" Dodd

runelk · Post by **runelk** » Sat May 08, 2004 5:37 pm

Started playing tuba in 1972. I was a REAL bad trumpet player, so my band director suggested euph, but I knew there were not very many tuba players in the HS Band that I was going to so I decided to take up Tuba.