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Reminds me of this one from our buddy Herbert L Clarke...

"I have never heard of a real soloist playing before the public on a Trumpet. One cannot play a decent song even, properly, on it, and it has sprung up in the last few years like 'jaz' music, which is the nearest Hell, or the Devil, in music. "

Herbert L. Clarke in a letter to Elden Benge Jan. 13th 1921

Jonathantuba wrote:
I also wonder why they always in the past used the term 'bass' for tuba?

I suspect that is because the original brass bands were cornet (or saxhorn) bands, and the low voice in those bands was the bass saxhorn. That style of band was the dominant format from the US Civil War till nearly the 20th Century.

All the old Bohemians (decendants from Bohemia & Czech Rep, not weirdos or eccentrics) around here say bass horn.

Doc, I'd love to play my bass horn in a polka band!

Speaking of mistranslation and not calling something what it is, on another forum I had to politely explain that there are no tubas in traditional Mariachi music, that the Spanish word tuba derives from the Latin and should be translated trumpet. But the guy really thought there were tubas in Mariachi music.

Another one: just look on eBay: trumpet, cornet, coronet, tuba (especially the "beautious" ones!), cornette (and not the medaeval version that looks like a recorder with a wood trumpet mouthpiece!) etc.

I make sure I read at least twice, listen three times, then ask the follow up to clarify. Then I still screw up what other people are trying to say, and forgive me, more times due to their vocabulary, grammar, syntax, pronunciation and enunciation (or lack thereof) and not my ears. I work in an office, I talk to a lot of people everyday, especially over the phone, and I really pay attention to my vocabulary, grammar, syntax, and especially pronunciation and enunciation so I can communicate effectively with the person on the other side of the desk or other end of the line - not too formal, not too folksy, and only use a nickel word when it's the exact word in the exact place that needs it for the exact reason, and use as few words as possible to avoid miscommunication. And then still deal with bad connections, background noise and inferior equipment. (Yeah, right, after reading my posts - but the forum is an outlet for me, and this is a rant, so please bear, but not bare, with me.) I even dug out an old Bell 500 desk phone and plugged it in at home, not only to teach my son what a real telephone bell sounds like and how to dial or click a receiver ten times quickly to get an operator in case of emergency the touch tone won't work, but to refresh my memory as to how a real telephone should sound - like the person is standing next to you. This is not nostalgia. This is using the musically trained ears we have to analyze the differences in tone among telephone receivers. I can still understand the other side more clearly on the old one than on any number of current ones, from giveaways to multithousand dollar corporate telephone systems in a plethora of configurations.

Oh, yeah -- why call them basses? Why not? You gotta call them something. Just don't call me late for dinner.

Jonathantuba wrote:... the reason not to call them basses is that it leads to confusion. It could be a string bass, bass guitar, bass ..., etc. Very few people outside bands would think of a tuba when a bass is mentioned.

... and fewer yet who do much fishing! ("Dammit, Jim, it's not a bass boat, it's a TUBA boat! Pass the marsh melons, will ya?" )

(I do realise that the above comment may be considered species ... er ... specious and utterly devoid of porpoise; some might even think it crappie )

Jonathantuba wrote:

iiipopes wrote:Oh, yeah -- why call them basses? Why not? You gotta call them something.

For me the reason not to call them basses is that it leads to confusion. It could be a string bass, bass guitar, bass ..., etc. Very few people outside bands would think of a tuba when a bass is mentioned.

Secondly, poor kids like I used to be, do not appreciate what instrument they are really playing if it is called a bass! I would say the instrument is a tuba, while just its PART in a band is bass.

Ahh, yes, erudition proposing systematic nomenclature. You're not the first. Audsley tried to do it with pipe organ stops, in his great treatise, The Art of Organbuilding, "This is a matter of considerable importance, for at present there is a lack of uniformity and accuracy in the nomenclature of organ stops, probably springing more from carelessness than positive ignorance. It is now most desireable that this irregularity should cease." He didn't succeed. We probably won't, either. We better get used to our musical instrument of choice being called just about anything, from the derogatory to the sublime to the ridiculous, with rarely a complementary comment, UNTIL IT IS NOT THERE AND PEOPLE WONDER WHY THE MUSIC DOESN'T SOUND GOOD! Then we take great satifaction knowing we're indispensible, regardless of what either we or the instrument is called. And that's good enough for me, and from what I understand from reading Doc's post, Doc, and I daresay a lot of others on the forum.

"Brass bass" is what you'll see on a lot of "who's playing what" lists of old (1920's-30's) jazz recordings. As opposed to "string bass".

I like it.

Chuck(G) wrote:"Brass bass"

Is that like a "Bass-o-matic"?

Big mouth bass.

Doc wrote:I R wun.

No, U IS won.

What does a bass and a bass have in common?
A large mouth!