pocket tuba

Alan Baer · Post by **Alan Baer** » Sun Jun 06, 2004 2:04 pm

Hi all,
back in 1985 or 86 there was a Tuba conference in Texas and I played a little tuba that was made from a Euph. body and a Miraphone valve section. I believe it was in C and played pretty well. I'm wondering if anyone has any info on that instrument or something like it. I'm looking for a "pocket tuba" for touring. Something to warm up on in the hotel room when I can't get to my regular horn.
thanks much,
AL Baer
baera@nyphil.org

imperialbari · Post by **imperialbari** » Sun Jun 06, 2004 6:02 pm

There. may be a really easy shortcut:

My YEP641 will accept my PT-50 tuba mouthpiece, so that it sits securely. Actually much more securely than in the circa 1980 Besson BBb, which one of my bands wanted to force upon me instead of my far superior York Master.

A comp euph with the 4th valve locked down is a small F tuba with 3 valves. Not ideal in a performance context, but maybe not to be frowned upon in a warm-up situation.

I have added a main tuning slide trigger to the 641 for the sole purpose of getting an acceptable intonation from low C and B natural. You may take the same road for a wider scope of purposes.

Anyway your overview of fingerings and fake notes should provide you quite an array of available notes in the interesting ranges.

And yes, I am very well aware, that a tuba mouthpiece will skew the euph intonation. But then I have worked quite a bit with practice mutes, which also tend to skew intonation. The, often hard, work to optimise intonation using these mutes invariably had one result: my abilities to play in tune in normal open playing had improved immensely because my embouchure had gained considerably in strength.

Klaus

imperialbari · Post by **imperialbari** » Mon Jun 07, 2004 5:10 am

Sorry for you, Jay, that you were not able to understand my posting.

I was exactly on the right thread.

The original poster, Alan Baer, wants a manageable vehicle for warm-ups on tours, where bulky instruments like his are controlled by stage hands and truck drivers, as soon as they have been put into their cases after a performance.

AB goes for something sized down, which will be acceptable as a personal carry-on.

My point is, that when bells can be downsized for the intended purpose, then tubelengths also can be shortened. Albeit at some costs concerning the reliability of pitch.

At one tour my bassbone had to stay in the bus sometimes, when I would need it for warm-ups. I then used the tiny buzz trumpet (from the Alezzi mute maker I think). I had various extra tubelengths to add onto it. Yet I would rather have had a trumpet or an alto horn which would have taken a bassbone mouthpiece.

That would have allowed me to warm up in the right ranges, as odd fingerings and fake notes are no problem to handle.

My advise was given in that spirit.

But I also can grasp the idea outlined by Joe. The added leadpipe length necessarily must have been cylindric. In my humble opinion we then are approaching the cimbasso concept. Cimbassos have just about euph sized bells, maybe even smaller. They also can be had in CC.

However the spreadsheet continuously operating in my backhead tells, that buying one of the quite frequently offered post-1973 Imperial euphs off eBay would offer a much cheaper and more lightweight solution to the needs of the original poster. Post-1973 because the pre-1974 Brit euphs had a smaller receiver.

Warming up on different tubelengths than played in concert is not that uncommon. Peter Damm always played single horns in Bb (or higher), but he warmed up on a single F horn. Just to name one prominent player.

The original poster of course got my idea without these elaborations.

Klaus

tubajoe · Post by **tubajoe** » Mon Jun 07, 2004 1:24 pm

There is a guy in Germany I think (Tom Watson?? -- darn cant remember his exact name -- from the US -- went to Indiana way back), plays in an orchestra in Germany or Switzerland has a horn like that -- except it is an F I think.

It is a screwbell situation very much like a french horn and is about the same size -- and it fits into a case that fits into the overhead bins on a plane as a carryon. Smallest tuba I have ever seen. I believe he had it custom made.

It looked kind of like a euph with a french horn bell.

I met him about 6 or 7 years ago, so I dont know of his situation now -- but he did have this unique horn. I have his CD somewhere at home, I will try to find it...

BTW, welcome to the Apple!

Rommel72 · Post by **Rommel72** » Mon Jun 07, 2004 1:27 pm

I think the guy you are talking about is Thomas Walsh

tubajoe · Post by **tubajoe** » Mon Jun 07, 2004 1:37 pm

YES YES -- Thomas Walsh! Thanks!! Now I remember -- plays in the Munich Phil...

He had the funky litty tiny carry-on tuba!

http://www.muenchnerphilharmoniker.de/

http://www.blechschaden.net/

Matt G · Post by **Matt G** » Mon Jun 07, 2004 1:54 pm

I remember Mike Roylance having one that looked to be made from Cerveny parts while he still lived in Orlando.

It played a little stuffy, but not bad. When pushed, it sounded just like a cimbasso. The ptich was a bit goofy from what i remember, but it would be very easily fit into a large duffel bag or back pack.

It was in 4 valves and the key of CC.

glangfur · Post by **glangfur** » Sun Jun 13, 2004 7:00 pm

I remembered this topic as I was poking on eBay...would any of these really be that much smaller than the 3/4 CC Yamaha or Weril? There's a Weril on eBay right now with no reserve starting at $999. This is at least the 2nd time it's been listed with no bids.

At 14.5 inches, the bell isn't much larger at the end of the flare than the typical euphonium. In a good hard case it would survive baggage, and the NY Phil might even be persuaded to buy a seat for it in a gig bag - shoot, it might even fit into some overheads.