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Just recently I found out that I made principle tuba of the All-State Orchestra, I first I was like WO0O0O0O!!!!!!!YAAAA!!!!!!WOOT!!!!!!!!!!!, but then I stared to think I have never played in a orchestra before. I have worked and studied on orchestral experts but never with an orchestra. I have always been in a concert band or wind ensemble of some sort. So, I am asking you TubeNet guys if orchestra is different than concert band for the tuba, is there anything I can do to prepare for a group like this?

Learn to count rests--lots of them -- and "Tacet" means you don't play.

Have all of your valve slides perfectly lubricated and ready to push or pull immediately to match the strings intonation. Even though they may all be as much as 10 or 15 cents off, it will be YOUR fault!

Orchestra is the ultimate quintet gig. You ARE the brass bass/base, and you are all of it! And you need to use your ears every bit as much, but with whom will depend on what pieces you'll play. Play out. Learn viola jokes, learn to count rests, and take advantage of the fact that now you can get (and listen to) every piece you'll play on CD to learn it.

Depending on the piece, the orchestra will live or die by your sound, intonation, and musicality. There is no experience I know of that equals this at it's best. Enjoy this!

You don't mention how far off in the future this is, but playing in smaller groups where you are the only tuba, and playing with authority is a good way to prep.

It's good to be in the orchestra. Start collecting small paperback books. There will be many times in rehearsal you will feel totally neglected and other times, the times you actually play, when you want to go home and cry. Stick with it. Work hard. Come in at the right times. Practice more. It'll be great.

I'd heard from a prominent orchestral tubaist that his job was much like that of an airline pilot: 95% boredom and 5% sheer terror.

I concur.

Be aware that the tuning note is a concert A.

Chuck(G) wrote:Learn to count rests--lots of them -- and "Tacet" means you don't play.

HAHAHAHA

TOOOOOOOO true, my teacher tell me orchestral stuff is nothing, that i should wait till i play an opera

Second hand information?

You have to work your way up. Playing with singers in quite difficult, mainly because some soloists have no since of rhythm, and it's THEIR show, not the orchestra's.

You play wherever you get the opportunity or there will be no opportunity later on!

Actually the biggest waste of a tuba part is the Dvorak New World Symphony. You would think there would be a great tuba part in the finale. Nope. The tuba part is only in the chords at the beginning and end of the Largo movement.

I think where playing Sibelius finlandia, Saint- Saens Bacchanale, and Von Suppe light cavary overture. Anybody know of or have the tuba part to these?

These pieces have some nice tuba parts. Finlandia even has a tuba solo. Danse Bachanale has some technical challenges (i.e fast passages).

some points to ponder...

- In an orchestra you have to think of yourself as the bass of the brass section... instead of the bass of the entire group (as tubas are in the wind ensemble). The double basses are the bass of the entire group.

- You are there, essentially, to augment the trombone section. The bass trombone player can be your best friend (or worst enemy).

- In a band... it is better to be felt instead of heard. In an orchestra... it is better to be heard (it's the double basses that will be "felt"). Therefore, I would tend to play "darker" in band, and "brighter" in orchestra.

- In a band the tuba section is extremely important. Good bands balance and tune to the tuba section. In the orchestra, the strings are in charge. You must contort to their wishes, desires and dysfunctions.

- You're the only tuba. There is nobody to hide behind. When you play, people know it. If you miss an entrance... people will know it. You must be perfect.

- In a band people watch and follow the conductor. In an orchestra people listen to each other and often ignore the conductor. Look at the conductor, but don't watch or follow. If you follow the conductor and nobody else does, you are wrong.

- In a band people tend to play on the conductor's beat. In an orchestra people will play wherever they need to play such that they are not the first player to come in. Coming in early is the biggest evil. Play as late as you possibly can without being late. If this means playing half a beat behind the conductor, then so be it.

- You missing an orchestra rehearsal is like the entire french horn section missing a band rehearsal. If you're not there, your part is missing. Show and and be on time!

- Besides military bands, orchestra is where the money is. Professional wind ensembles (that pay members) don't really exist (in North America at least). Take playing in an orchestra seriously.

- Bands tend to have rehearsals to learn the music. Orchestras tend to have rehearsals to rehearse the music. Prepare your part before the first rehearsal.

- When you play in an orchestra, you should be familiar with the piece(s) you are playing. Find a good recording and listen to it. Play along with it. It's good to know what you'll be in for. Orchestra people tend to be less forgiving with unpreparedness. Get a copy of the score if necessary.

My youth orchestra is playing the Bacchanale right now, it's not that hard, and there are A LOT of rest. You should get a recording of each song, try to memorize your entrances and then just go from there.

Oh, and that the orchestra tunes to Concert A would've been useful a couple months ago. I played Bb, and it took like 2 rehearsals to actually figure it was A.

Water Music wrote:I played Bb, and it took like 2 rehearsals to actually figure it was A.

Yes, but think of how far you can lip notes down now!

Well, my first rehearsal, I was clueless to the tuning portion, so I played after the trombone started, and I couldn't figure it out until the next rehearsal, when they tuned again, because after break we didn't tune again.

... and the tuba player's mantra: if the conductor does not say anything to you, it means you're doing everything right! What you want to hear, when it's all over, is "Great sound!"

There is no tuba part to Light Cavalry. But there is a euphonium part! When I played this piece 26 years ago, the euphonium part was handed to me. It was just too high to play. So the bass bone player and I traded parts and no one was the wiser. I think this is the usual practice on this piece, unless a euphonium player is hired.

(My only post for today, I promise.)

All the above posts are great advice, but I think some of you may be forgetting some key points:

cultivate a taste for Jim Beam Bourbon whiskey and fine cigars. limit yourself to under $10 per cigar though because with the amount of rests you will be counting, you'll be smoking pretty much non stop. Both hobbies should help you pass the time during the rests. Dont worry about counting those 128 measure breaks, because the director either will cue you or not notice your absence.

To go along with your love of bourbon and cigars, you should definately purchase a zippo lighter. While no self-respecting cigar afficianado will light his cigar with a zippo (so I am told, because the fluid taste sucks up through the tobacco and flavors it unpleasently.) they sure do look cool. Be sure to make as much noise as possible as you learn to light the zippo in cool ways http://www.lightertricks.com Drop it as often as possible.

Blow your cigar smoke in rings, and endeavor to land one on the bassoonists head. If this proves too difficult, or you don't have a bassoon, simply blow them at the trumpet players. Act like you don't know where the smoke is coming from at all times.

Sip the bourbon straight from the bottle. Be sure to procure the largest possible size and drink as much of it as you can during rehearsal. (a possible alternative to the bottle would be a nasty old Mc Donalds cup.) Exclaim loudly during break at the amount you drank: "hey look guys, when we started rehearsal it was up near the top, now its halfway through the label!!" Not only will you cease to care about that important entrance as you drink more whiskey, but your playing will vastly improve due to your gargantuan confidence boost.

Above all, it is vital to remember to make loud comments and farting noises when other sections screw up. On farting noises: Get a straw and stick it just below your armpit hair and trap it against your body with your arm. Blow into it with much gusto, and you should produce a ripping good "bronx cheer." These are usually loud enough to get the attention of the cello section, which is exactly what you should be aiming for.

If you screw up, don't say anything. Either act like nothing happened and deny the event or assume a puzzled expression and choose between pulling out all your slides and inspecting them carefully, or oiling a valve or two. Extra points can be had if you do a complex maintnence procedure with your rotary valves.

Arrive at rehearsal late and make lots of noise setting up your stuff while the strings are tuning. Bring a tuba stand, not to use, but simply to drop and bang around. Explain to the trombone section about your bad back and that the stand is there "just in case." If you have a mute, bring it and make it roll up under some string player's chair. When they offer to grab it for you, rush over to them and dive to get it.

Well, I think that pretty much sums up the tricks of playing in an orchestra. If the above doesn't work, just do crosswords the whole time and don't even bother taking out your horn.

This is a fantastic post!! If this dosen't fill your kicks just keep showing up later and later to rehearsals until someone notices. Also, try wearing a black mumu instead of a tux to concerts (one famous brethern of ours did do this and was fined accordingly). Don't hesitate to try different tubas on Dvorak 9 either. CC, Blat, F, Eflat, Cimbasso, D tuba, G tuba, contrabass trombone, etc....

BTW I prefer sudoku to crossword puzzles these last weeks....

DB