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I hope that is the right term for what I am about to describe. I have been working on "multiphonics" for a little while since my director told me what they are. I am describing humming and playing at the same time. I am getting fairly good for two days work. I again hope this is the right termonlology for multiple tones played at once.Who uses this "technique"?

sorry my mistake

tubatom91 wrote:Who uses this "technique"?

As the elephant says, it's actually called multiphonics. The most interesting example of this is Fnugg, composed and played by Øystein Baadsvik. If you don't have his Tuba Carnival CD, you should get it. Fnugg is on this CD. Here is a short clip of Fnugg from his web site: http://www.baadsvik.com/shop/lyd/carnival01.asx.

its amazing what one man can do with a tuba

I am in the second to lowest band at my school but non of the top band players know what multiphonics are or how to do it. I think it's kind of funny. We actually get the melody in a song for once. But yea I will have to study up on mutliphonic playing.

also I just play a Bb tuba so the CC thing kinda/totally doesnt make sense.

Nat McIntosh does some cool things with multiphonics on the Youngblood Brass Band Cd's. Also, the technique is commonly used in the avant-garde/modern literature. One I can think of off the top of my head is "Encounters II" by Kraft.

Tuba/Euphonium Press has a piece by a friend, Ed Pearsall, called "2 motets for solo tuba". The Intrada uses some multiphonics, tapping on the bell, and other things to create effects; the multiphonics in places are 1/2 steps, so it creates a rhythmic effect as well. The Air (originally titled "Prayer") is nothing short of awesome, IMO. I gave the first non-Ed performance 20 years ago in Akron. The Prayer/Air was conceived as an etude in multiphonics, it has every interval within the octave, so singing becomes extremely important. Unless you really study it, or have been told, the intervalic structure isn't really obvious. The melodic content is great.

I actually took the "prayer" idea (Ed changed the title for publication) and wrote some personal lyrics for it, not used in performance but merely for inspiration. Then, in performance, all the lights went off before I went on stage, save one which was right on the chair. So, it was just me and the tuba and the chair while I played, and for me, at least, that made the performance simply magical in feel. Listening to it this much later, I know I can do it much better now, but that doesn't discount the effect , and comments from the audience gave the same response. Do a little theater with it, and it will really energize your recital!

for $8, you can't go wrong!

I was doing this in band and everyone that plays around me was like "how are you doing that?". Fun to do while the band director isnt looking to. On the other hand I am the only person that knows how to do it other than the BD's