Easiest key of trumpet for Eb tuba doubler?

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willako
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Easiest key of trumpet for Eb tuba doubler?

Post by willako »

Hi,

Any recommendations about the easiest key of trumpet for an Eb tuba doubler? I was thinking that a bass trumpet in Eb would be the easiest to adapt to. Thanks for any opinions. Bill.
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TMurphy
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Re: Easiest key of trumpet for Eb tuba doubler?

Post by TMurphy »

Honestly, just stick with Bb trumpet. Eb tuba fingerings are essentially the same as trumpet (notes/fingerings are in the same position on the staff even though the clef is different), it won't be that hard to pick up, just make sure you use a large trumpet mouthpiece (I like to play on a Bach 1/5C).
WC8KCY
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Re: Easiest key of trumpet for Eb tuba doubler?

Post by WC8KCY »

Trumpets, in whatever key, all use the same fingering system, which is also used by CC tubas as well as treble-clef tuba parts in the British brass band tradition.

The only fingerings any of them share with bass-clef E-flat tuba are for the top-of-staff G, F#, and F, so an E-flat trumpet won't necessarily be any easier to learn than a B-flat or C trumpet.

Your opportunities for ensemble participation with an alto trumpet may be quite limited. Many, if not most, alto trumpet parts specify an instrument pitched in F rather than E-flat.

Just get a B-flat trumpet, cornet, or flugelhorn and enjoy.

Or...get an standard E-flat trumpet, rather than an alto. You'd likely get a lot more performance opportunities with the regular E-flat trumpet, and you could use the E-flat tuba fingering system on it to play literature for the C trumpet.
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