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Ok, so the other day, the euph. in our university wind ensemble was gone so I sat next to the bass bone. Being in the orchestra, I've always liked sitting next to the bass bone, but with a wind ensemble situation, it's always just been the norm to sit next to the euph. The euph. player is a decent player while the bass bone is really good. So, here is the question, which would you rather sit next to, a bass trombone or an euphonium?

Personally, I feel that sitting next to a really good bass bone is better for me as a player than sitting next to a euph. in any situation. I feel a good bass bone player will "push" me as a player a 1000 times better than an equally good euph. next to me. IMO, I think the euph. should be between the trumpets and the 1st bone. Then again, I'm not a band director, yet anyways......

The best situation for me was in a Wind Ensemble:

Euphonium Tuba Bass Trombone

got the best of both worlds

As a lifelong blatweasel, I love the blatty trombone sound. Euphs are pretty but I'm talking power and an edge on the sound.

am always stuck at the back of the room next to the percussion section...prefer to have the Euph and baritone section in front or to the left..trombone and bass trom always close to the tuba section slightly pointing out..

I would much rather sit up there with those pretty flute players! Somehow, I always get stuck in the back with those tubas and euphs, though.

I will be different and say near the horns. So often in wind band music the tuba plays the "oom" and the horn the "pah" that it enable tighter ensemble.

I can't say I enjoy having a euph playing in my ear, while in my band the trombones are the other side of the band - and I can't say I miss them.

You guys get to sit!? Somehow I always end up with my hands on the wall, arms outstretched, feet apart...

We always wanted to sit by and date the clarinet players, actually: a little lip over the bottom teeth, firm sides of the mouth....

Neptune wrote:I will be different and say near the horns.

In a Wind Ensemble, I completely agree.

Optimally BEHIND the euphs, snug in between the t-bones and horns.

(As looking from conductor POV): horns on the left diagonally, then a straight riser of tubas, then t-bones (with the 1st on the very outside right), which puts the bass bone next to the tubas.

Now as a conductor, I would want it different, but as a tuba-honker, thats it.

Doc wrote:If I played in group, however, that had hot girls in the front, I wouldn't really have an opinion on this topic. I may not have even noticed this thread

You think that conductors happened on the standard placement by accident!?

iiipopes wrote:We always wanted to sit by and date the clarinet players, actually: a little lip over the bottom teeth, firm sides of the mouth....

my opinion, from left to right, conductor's perspective:

trombones 1, 2, 3
tuba (in between euph and bass tbne)
euphonium
trumpets (with principal roughly in centre, beside euph)
horns

So my vote would have been for "both" if such were an option. Sometimes, in some music in some places, the euphonium is often in octaves with tuba, while other music in other places, the third trombone is in octaves with tuba.

I always like having euphonium and principal trumpet together because they often have melody in octaves (ie marches).

Bass trombone without question. I love the sound. Never been a big fan of the sound of a euph. Especially a compensating euph. If it was a tenor tuba, we could talk. :twisted:

Personal bias aside...I think you should sit where the piece warrants. Bruckner for instance, I prefer to sit with the horns/tuben to my right, and the bass trombone to my left. Prokofiev, I want to be near the basses. Wagner, depends on which opera, for the Ring I would go with the Bruckner setup.
Each piece determines the setup.

I pretty much agree with Doc on this one.

Bob1062 wrote:Contrabass saxophone

In groups that are large enough to present this kind of choice, I'm usually playing bass or baritone saxophone, and often next to the tuba. I guess if we're all playing "tuba" parts, we're the same section, and the question doesn't apply - I didn't notice anyone answer "I would prefer to sit next to the other tubas", since that could be more or less taken for granted.

I know bari sax doesn't commonly play from tuba parts, that's just the band I play bari in. I believe bass sax does commonly have to play from tuba parts. It's unable to play below Ab below the staff, but that Ab is exceptionally robust.

I really do play tuba, but at the moment my seating (or rather standing) arrangement is next to the accordion.

Double bass, no question about it. You get to keep your hearing.

I have played both bass trombone and tuba in wind ensemble. By far, it is better for the tubas and bass trombone to sit next to each other than to have the tubas with the euphs and the trombones over in left field.
In most standard wind ensemble rep, the tuba and bass trombone often have similar parts, whereas the euphs often do their own thing.
Note: I am not talking about grade 3 music where the 1st and 2nd trombone part mirrors the "baritone" part.

Interestingly enough, I sat in on a Symphonic Band rehearsal at my alma mater today. The tubas were behind the trombone-euph row, situated midway about where the two sections meet, so the three sections could easily connect with each other. Not a bad placement at all for a larger ensemble.

ASTuba wrote:The best situation for me was in a Wind Ensemble:

Euphonium Tuba Bass Trombone

got the best of both worlds

This is what I have right now...well...there are 4 tubas, so it's the tuba section, not me personally between the Euph and Bass 'bone. I'm next to the Euph player.

True, I get an earful from his bell, which is directly next to my head. But then again, he gets an earful from me too.

I love sitting next to the bass trombone, when I can find a good one (summer camp, all state).

I get to sit right behind the pretty flute and oboe players. Who cares about the fat, ugly euphonium or bone players sitting next to me? The eye candy's up front.

At one summer camp I went to the bass trombonist was SO INCREDIBLY HOT! And she PLAYED TROMBONE, not a pansy flute or oboe. Doesn't get any better...

Although I enjoy playing in many different types of ensembles, my favorite playing experience is in a great orchestra. So my answer to the poll is bass trombone.

OTOH, horns (french horns, that is) sound beautiful the way they're supposed to be heard--in front of them. But their bells face right at...you get the picture.