Playing with Beards

[UTTuba_09]

I was just curious on who likes playing with facial hair, who dislikes it, and who thinks that it doesn't matter.

Thanks

Eric H
UTK Student
Kalison DS CC

[windshieldbug]

No pressure, no problem.

[Dennis K.]

I've got a goatee. No problems.
But when it was growing in, every now and then a whisker would stab me when I played - kinda like getting stuck with a needle.

[Donn]

I was just curious on who likes playing with facial hair, who dislikes it, and who thinks that it doesn't matter.

While there isn't any law against playing with your facial hair, I personally think it's better not to make a real habit of it.

[Mark E. Chachich]

My opinion is playing with a beard and moustach is not a problem (I have had a beard for 32 years).

I agree with Oric, grow one or shave, anything in between is no fun.

I also agree with windshieldbug: "No pressure, no problem".

best,
Mark

[Rick Denney]

No pressure, no problem.

But without pressure, the lips won't seal on the mouthpiece, and that makes the low notes a real challenge.

Rick "who'd rather have the illusion of a chin than low notes" Denney

[DaTubaKid]

I've had a goatee for the last year, and have really enjoyed it.

I agree that anything between clean shaven and thick hair is not cool. A real pain in the ***.

Also, depending on mouthpiece placement, I get a long stray hair flying up my nose every once in a while. Always a good feeling.

I try to trim my moustache around the lip a bit, otherwise my mouthpiece can dig the hairs into the skin. It can hurt, and a couple times made my lip bleed (nothing more than a few specks though).

I felt like my tone improved when I grew a goatee, but that my just be an old wives' tale.

[John Caves]

I agree with Rick. For a long time, I wondered why my low range was wimpy. After the beard was gone, the low range was much more solid.

[prototypedenNIS]

I like my beard... beats all that effort in shaving!

[Kevin Hendrick]

No pressure, no problem.

But without pressure, the lips won't seal on the mouthpiece, and that makes the low notes a real challenge.

It sure does -- that's why I shaved off my 'stache over 20 years ago (I've had a full beard for 34 years). It takes anywhere from 30 to 45 seconds every morning to buzz the stubble off the lip ... not bad at all.

[Bill Troiano]

Last summer, I grew a goatee. After a couple of weeks, I noticed my low range deteriorating. I found that by keeping the facial hair trimmed short, I was able to manage the low range. It wasn't until this past Spring that I shaved it off and noticed an immediate improvement in my low range and overall tone. I had forgotten what I sounded like before I grew the thing. Now, I will never grow another goatee as long as I can still play. It was definitely a detriment to my playing!!

[DonShirer]

I've had to grow facial hair three times in the last four years for stage roles. The mustache bothers me more than the beard. I can play with or without but prefer without--the hair came off almost immediately after the wrap party.

[Tubaryan12]

No pressure, no problem.

But without pressure, the lips won't seal on the mouthpiece, and that makes the low notes a real challenge.

Maybe that's why I have never been able to hit pedal note on a tuba. But then again, I've never had a part where I've needed to .

[tubatooter1940]

For some reason, intense playing wears the skin off my lips, leaving me swollen the first day and 3-5 zits the second day.
I'm thinking about growing another beard this winter. That may help pad the lips from getting so beat up. It will have to wait until winter. No way am I starting a new beard in high summer.
I grew a beard one time that came in all white. Kids in airports would gravitate toward me. Cops would give me the hairy eyeball.

[T. J. Ricer]

[quote="tubatooter1940"]For some reason, intense playing wears the skin off my lips, leaving me swollen the first day and 3-5 zits the second day.quote]

tubatooter, have you messed around with different finishes on your MP? It sounds like you may have an allergy to silverplate. Best thing I've found is the G&W stainless steel line: they're hypoallergenic and feel slicker than goldplating (plus you can't wear off the plating because the whole dang thing is made of stainless steel).

Just my two cents here. . . I played with a huge beard for many years. I've shaved it a couple of times and go back and forth some. At the moment I'm of the opinion that I play better with no hair at all on my chops. My first feel after shaving was that the high range felt better with the hair and low range felt better without, but now I think everything feels better without. It may all be psychosomatic, so, as long as I believe I play better without facial hair, it is so. (Just like I think I play better with my tuba stand, stainless steel MP, and expensive tuba, right? )

--T. J.

[tubatooter1940]

Thank you T.J. Ricer for your post. I went from silver mouthpiece to gold to lexan and I am some better off. Gotta try stainless steel. At my age of 65 I rarely have a really good time without my body trying to make me pay for it in some way. I refuse to back off on my tubatooting. I use Origins to burn the zits dry so I can play every night if I have to.

[ken k]

I find that if I keep my moustache trimmed it is not a problem. when it gets long enought that it crosses the line of my lips then I mind it. I also find I need to keep the part just below the lower lip, above the chin, clean shaven. I can't do a "soul patch" just my personal preference.

I like to be able to have the mouthpece have a little bit of ability to move smoothly on the bottom lip, whereas i try to keep it in the same position on the top lip. I find that when I do shave my moustache, the mouthpiece wants to slide around too much on the top lip.

[Steve Inman]

I've completely given up playing with a moustache -- my low register becomes virtually unmanageable. I've got a week's growth right now (no practice last week, and on vacation all week long) and I may try this weekend's practice this way. But I know what I'll find after trying this several times. Squeeky clean shaven provides a much better lip seal and much easier playing -- especially in the low register.

For those above who say "no problem" -- what is/are your secret(s) or your technique tips for those of use who can't manage with fuzzy lips?

Very curious ....

[DaTubaKid]

I think a lot of the problem is that it just takes getting use to. You've suddenly got a little bit of fur between your mouthpiece and your lips, so you've got a new embochure. You may put your mouthpiece in the same exact place, but it's different no matter how you look at it. How many of you who tried and gave up on facial hair tried for only a week? a month?

I'm not saying it's the best way to go, or that it works for everyone. But like any sort of change you make in your playing, it takes time to get used to.

[bort]

I seem to remeber a story about Arnold Jacobs and facial hair...but I don't remember enough of it to not butcher it and get it all wrong. Sound familiar to anyone?

As for me, I've never played with a mustache or beard. Frankly, I think it makes me look rediculous, so I never let it grow in. Plus even a little stubble is uncomfortable to me.