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A condensed book that has all of the basics arranged in units for progressive practice is the Advanced Rubank Method. Fairly cheap, has been in print forever, and doesn't overemphasize one aspect of playing over another.

Over Thanksgiving i got my wisdom teeth pulled (all four). So Yeah i had a 3 week layoff from tuba. The part that is depressing, is that i was ready to get the all clear from the doctor to go back to tuba.....and yeah it was a no go. Still wasnt healed. i had 1 more week from tuba.

It was 1 week before my schools winter music program, and i was getting back to tuba right then. i picked up my horn the day i got back from the doctors, and i tried to play, but it was toooo depressing. so what i did was kill my lips in frustration. anywho i got advice to getting back to playing.

loooooong tones. specifically in the lower octave. and work at your chromatic scale. but most important, be patient. im sure you will be, but something like getting back to playing will take time. and i found that after working at those simple things to get back to playing, i had better tone, and bigger sound than before my surgery.

good luck.

If you are gone from the instrument for an extended period of time - I do this when I get back from a vacation for example.

First, stop playing. You need to work the breath a bit - maybe even a few days of getting the flow going with the breath.

Second, take the mouthpiece out of the instrument. Do mouthpiece exercises - the least resistance is best. Use a rim if you have one - take the horn out the equation.

Lastly, don't rush anything. Take your time. It took a month for you to heal, don't expect it to just come rushing back. Ease into things. Here is Steve Mead's great article on "coming back to the horn." I hope this helps.

http://www.euphonium.net/articles/playingtips.html

- Pat Stuckemeyer

Xavier,
Don't panic. It took awhile for you to get this screwed up. It will take awhile for you to pull it back together but you should fully recover and begin to progress before months end.
No need to make excuses for yourself. Don't over work or under work. Keep plugging away and all will be well.
Happy recovery!
tubatooter1940

Be patient. Don't worry much about how you sound now, because you'll only sound better later. Just work on fundamentals and playing correctly.

It took me quite a while to get back into ideal playing condition after four months off the horn, but I was "serviceable" much sooner.

Long tones, lips slurs, scales,(all slowly to build your lip muscles and to help your use of air) and easy etudes/solos.

I do some of this in my daily routine, I feel these are all essential to playing well. I added the easy etudes/solo so you don't get bored. You get some real music in and get some of your confidence back by playing things you played forever ago and play that easy stuff as well as you can. You have to walk before running. Good luck.