Private teaching tuba selection...

[tubaribonephone]

I'm not a private teacher so I'm not going to give a response on the poll. But here is what my teacher does: he plays CC most of the time but what he does during lessons is play/demonstrate on his CC but if there is a need for him to play/demonstrate on a BBb during lessons, then he just uses my horn but with his mouthpiece.

[Henry Gertcher]

I figure some one has to start off the pole. Any way I don't teach much any more but I always played CC for my students. If I needed to show them something on their horn I would play their horn. I liked playing the CC because students could not cheat during scales and look at what valves I was pushing down. I learned that the hard way from one of my teachers.

Henry Gertcher

[TonyZ]

I use my Eb mostly, but will switch frequently to show students that what works on one tuba works on all tubas.

[Kevin Miller]

I use a Besson 981 TOP ACTION EEb for 3 basic reasons.

1. It's light and compact and easy to tote around to 2 or three schools a day.

2. Like Henry said, the kids can't cheat off your fingers.

3. Last and certainly not least: 99.9% of my kids play front action Mirafone 186's. My top action right facing bell makes it easier to read off the same stand with the left facing front action horns. When you teach all day, it's the little things that make the job bearable.

4. And because it's a sweet sounding, easy playing horn and has been my main axe for 14 years.

A bit of an aside- I was talking to a collegue the other day and mentioned that I believe I have found the perfect horns and the perfect mouthpiece (1 for both horns) that will serve me till my dying day. I feel sort of lucky that I found a bass and contrabass that fit ME as well as my needs.
F. Schmidt 3302 BBb
Besson 981 EEb
Monette 94

I'm turning 40 in December and my eye is not wandering for a younger, sexier trophy horn. I guess I'll have to quench my mid life crisis in other ways.

[joshwirt]

With my tuba students, I usually play my F as the etudes they work on are great for me as well on my B&S. Sometimes I'll bring along my CC, but I don't like lugging the Yorkbrunner out and having it anywhere near high schoolers.

With my horn students, I always have my F to play duets or demonstration with them.

I like playing duets together with my students, and also I find that they benefit from my demonstration. But I don't let them off the hook from playing their prepared works just because I'll play with them sometimes.

I've studied primarily with trombone players and that has forced me to not rely on matching another tuba player. I didn't have regular lessons with tuba players until this past year in Manchester (UK) and even then, Bobo has retired from playing! His teaching is so effective though he doesn't have to play in a lesson.....same for Mel Culbertson and James Gourlay (although having Jim play with you in your lesson makes you just want to practice all day because he is just soooooo good!!).

After having both experiences, I prefer being able to mix talking with demonstration as I think they are both effective methods of teaching and learning.

-Josh Wirt

[Sean Greene]

Most of the time I just sing.

[Bove]

The youngest students need to hear sounds; they need to be aware of what is possible on the tuba and what to shoot for when they are playing.

Along those lines, exposure to the sound of a variety of different tubas (and players, for that matter) will only enhance the younger student’s growth as a musician.

[ai698]

I'm helping out my son, who just started playing french horn, using my F tuba. Works great for that.

[Chuck(G)]

Most of the time I just sing.

Better to have the student sing, maybe?

[TonyZ]

I usually play my F (or when possible, my euphonium) with students learning trombone or euphonium; my experience for some reason has been that they match the sound better.

Absolutely -- playing in the correct octave with beginners is essential. The smaller tuba makes this feasible. It's also not a bad idea to just play the instrument that the student is playing. The young ones need to hear good tone on their actual instrument, as well!