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C concert notation and pitch is the common frame of reference these days.

But the audible connotations of the C concert notation have varied immensely over even historically documented time.

When I studied early medieval music, I asked my professor about the existence of pitch references in form of organ pipes or the like. They didn't exist.

In the sphere of my other money making instrument family, the recorders, people invest immense amounts of money to own sets of instruments in pitches equalling A = 462, 440, 415, and 392 or whatever these numbers may be. But one person very recently admitted, that when he did his master classes, he invariably used instruments equalling A to 440. Which is the pitch, that my 21 recorders in 7 sizes adhere to.

Basically any pitch matter is relative. Some of us with almost perfect pitch have our preferences. When it comes to band instruments, the instrumental pitches of Bb and Eb are deeply engraved in my ears. In recorders the acceptable pitches are C and F (very odd as I cannot play a CC tuba). In more freaky instruments like piccolo trumpet, horn, and flugelhorn, the pitches of A, G, and C become acceptable to me.

My conclusion would be, that pitch always is a relative matter, but that each player may have his own, and often odd, biases.

Klaus

I don't see how any key is any easier or harder to play on any key tuba, but that's just me. It's true that if you don't practice in a particular key, you will find it difficult.

I had a conversation with a very experienced tubist about a piece I was arranging for myself. I had used Finale to print out parts in the keys of G, Ab and A, and I was trying them out on my CC tuba to see which I liked best. He said, "why don't you just play it in the easiest key?" I said, "I wasn't aware that any keys were easier or harder."

It turned out that we had entirely different attitudes about keys. I have played woodwind (and keyboard) instruments many more years than tuba, and he had played only brass all his life. He thought that some keys required more complex fingerings than others. My attitude was how can a brass instrument have complex fingerings; there generally aren't more than five valves. Further, in the upper half of a tuba's range we usually don't use more than three valves.

I conclude that keys (of both tubas and pieces) are very personal in perceived difficulty. Further, with work, any perceived difficulty can be overcome. To answer Bill's (the original poster) question: There may be good reasons to play a CC tuba, but I don't think the relative ease of different keys would be a consideration for a serious tubist.

Allen Walker

Allen wrote:I don't see how any key is any easier or harder to play on any key tuba, but that's just me. It's true that if you don't practice in a particular key, you will find it difficult.

The beginning method books (well, a lot of them) start out in one key, then add another, until at the end of the first year or two a student is reasonably competent in maybe five or six entire keys.

Then, ensemble music is written while taking into account that the kids only know five or six key signatures.

All of this drives home those few keys, while the others get ignored (unless the instructor spends extra time drilling the band in other keys & modes). Then, badabing -- other key signatures are more difficult.

It's like being taught how to walk without using your arms. Do that until you're seven years old, and then try adding the arm swing.

Guitars, however, are just plain painful in flat keys -- hence such things as, "Use 'A' -- it's a good country key."