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A year ago I made the switch. I didn't have a huge problem switching (I think it was b/c I HAD to learn from day one). The very first day of the switch I had brass choir and I was first chair and I had a ton of solos. Then I had a recital scheduled the next month. I learned Air and Bouree really quickly and even managed to make it "flashy" by playing the Bouree at half note equals 100 (that wasn't intentional...I was a little nervous). My advice is to play the CC for atleast 2 hours a day (I did 4 hours since I had no life last year). You will be amazed at how much you can achieve when you practice 4 hours a day.

I played a Yamaha CC in college, BBb instruments both before and after. Like the man said, just do it. Of course, it helped that I played trumpet/cornet in primary school and had a few years of piano lessons, so I could visualize it easier.

...treat it like a different instrument

Hi,

When I recently took up Eb after years of BBb I simply got out my Belwin Band Builder Book 1 and started there. It provided a slow, simple framework for learning notes (just as it is intended to do for beginners) and by the end of the day I could play book 1 pretty well. Next day...book 2. I spent a couple of days on that, but still, the same principle applies. Finishing that...Rubank Intermediate and then Advanced and within a couple of weeks...I could play new fingerings without thinking about it.

Pull out those beginner books...they will help you...and as mentioned before, provide a logical, structured format for learning fingerings. And it's quick, too.

Pulling out the old beginner books is exactly what I tell my students to do when converting from BBb to CC. On average it takes three weeks to a month to come up to speed on the new instrument. It's not such a big deal.

I went to E flat tuba after playing B flat tuba,bone and trumpet. The transition was surprisingly easy especially with a few years experience reading for trumpet in treble clef.
I understand that going from Bb to C tuba can be mind blowing for a while but persistence pays off.

When I came back to tuba after 20 years away, I did exactly the same thing as kegmcnabb to get my embouchure back in shape. The Rubank series is woefully underappreciated, and I heartily recommend the advanced method for anyone on limited time but needing a structured and diverse program progressing in difficulty by key signature to develop or refresh their playing. But, unfortunately, I don't think it has anything for CC fingerings, just BBb and Eb. One of the best fingering charts for CC, and for BBb, Eb and F for that matter, is here on this very website.

I think it is important to isolate yourself for a while as you learn CC feel and fingerings, but that you should keep the old stuff fresh as well. I switch horns, clefs and transpositions at random during my practice sessions, from CC to F to euphonium (Bb) and all 7 clefs as well as transposing. I remember sitting backstage, waiting to go on for the hearing for my Masters recital, and realizing that every piece was on a different horn as well as in a different clef or transposition. I panicked for an instant wondering "What the hell was I thinking??" - then I was told "You're on!" by the stage manager and just went out and did it.

For me, the ultimate BBb Prokofief recording is Chester Schmidt with Boston where I believe he used a giant Martin BBb 4 valve horn for Prokofief 5. You gotta' hear it to believe it, but what a sound! Props to Mr. Schmidt.

To add CC to my F, I first tried to get a feel for "what valve does what". I´m used to playing tunes without notes in front of me, and had to reprogram the connections between desired pitch and fingerings. That was weird at first.

As to fingering charts: make up your own, don´t use an existing one !! Look for the partials and take those as anchoring points, and work your way chromatically down from there. Later I took an empty sheet of music, made dots on it at random, and added fingerings later.

This and the previous posts will get you up and running in notime.

PORKCHOP wrote:Does anyone have any tips on easy ways to learn CC fingerings without getting confused with the BBb fingerings? Also, I havn't played in 4 yrs. Would it be easier to pick back up on the BBb or get into a CC?? Any info is appreciated....

Yes, it would be easier to pick up a BBb again if that's what you played before than to learn to play a CC. Everybody else's tips are good if you plan to switch, but why?

You say that you haven't played in about 4 years. This implies to me that this is more of a hobby than a profession. If that is the case why do you want to play a CC? Everything else being equal, BBb tubas cost less than CC tubas. For example a Miraphone 186 in BBb will cost less than one in CC. The only reasons that I can think of to switch is if you are going to play in a professional orchestra, or if you happen to have a CC tuba available already.

I don't want this to become another BBb vs. CC thread, but the way your question is asked raises this issue. If you decide to go with CC that's fine. It's always good to learn a new skill, and I think that professional tuba players should be able to play a tuba in any key, but you should make the change for a good reason.