Use a Concert Tuba or a Sousaphone?

tubaguy9 · Post by **tubaguy9** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 9:55 pm

For a jazz combo, I'm playing When The Saints Go Marching In, Take The A-Train, and In A Sentimental Mood. For In A Sentimental Mood, I'm using a Concert Tuba. Then, for When The Saints Go Marching In, I'm considering using a Sousaphone for it...leaning more towards that than Concert Tuba, but that could change. Then, Take The A-Train, I'm not decided on yet. What would you decide on, and why?
Thanks!

djwesp · Post by **djwesp** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 10:08 pm

What's the instrumentation? (since some people have some funky instruments in "combos")

If it was dixieband or close in instrumentation, I'd play the sousa.

Otherwise, I'd say play your Mira. You really like that dirty sound in SGMI, don't ya? I would too.

You gonna be at All-State? Be nice to stick a name to a face. I'm in the NIB.

SplatterTone · Post by **SplatterTone** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 10:19 pm

I do believe this exact horn is required for a truly authentic rendering of Saints Go Marchin'.

(For those who want it, full sized pic is here)
http://t-recs.net/pics/tubenet/sousa.jpg

Dan Schultz · Post by **Dan Schultz** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 10:35 pm

Sousa... of course! Actually, you need TWO of 'em

tubatooter1940 · Post by **tubatooter1940** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 10:36 pm

I'll bet that old sousie sounds good despite all the duct tape.

iiipopes · Post by **iiipopes** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 11:44 pm

A pre-Macmillan Conn 14k with the 24 inch bell and the 7 version of the Helleberg will do all of them. You could keep a 120 handy for a more "tubesque" sound when you want it, say for the ballads. If you want to rip into Saints, you could use a Bach or Kelly 18 or facsimile thereof for the added overtones and projection.

A pre-cyborg King souzy would do the Dixieland to perfection, in either BBb or Eb, but might be a little too "forward" for some of the ballads unless you were careful. A tuba might or might not get you where you wanted to go, depending on the tone flavor you're after, and there are way too many flavors of tuba to go there and get that discussion back in this lifetime, or at least this thread.

The Conn 20k might be a little big and broad toned for your group, but you could try it and see.

For what you've described, I like the souzy idea, having played a lot of such on and off the field and with smaller groups to great audience response.

iiipopes · Post by **iiipopes** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 11:45 pm

tubatooter1940 wrote:I'll bet that old sousie sounds good despite all the duct tape.

Or maybe because of it! Looks like the practice horn I played a year with Marching Mizzou.

tubaguy9 · Post by **tubaguy9** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 11:53 pm

djwesp wrote:What's the instrumentation? (since some people have some funky instruments in "combos")

You gonna be at All-State? Be nice to stick a name to a face. I'm in the NIB.

I SHOULD make All-State. I was in every other honor band imaginable. Only thing was that I made alternate for Wesleyan. So, if I don't, I'll be mad.

(I think they have something against me

)

And instrumentation?

Rhythm Section:
Drums
Vibes
Piano
Tuba
Electric Bass

Other stuff:
Flute
Clairinet
Alto Sax/other Clairinet
Trumpet
Trombone...maybe 2

I think that's it. It's one that was pretty much a sign up and we'll put you in a group thing.

tubajoe · Post by **tubajoe** » Wed Feb 14, 2007 2:06 am

Sousa on the A Train can be a bit cumbersome.

Cameron Gates · Post by **Cameron Gates** » Wed Feb 14, 2007 5:15 am

tubajoe wrote:Sousa on the A Train can be a bit cumbersome.

Candidate for Tubenet picture of the year. Way to go Joe.

pjv · Post by **pjv** » Wed Feb 14, 2007 7:35 am

Having never played on your two horns;
A Miraphone is a fine musical instrument. Unless the Miraphones a dud or a poor quality student tuba, I personally can't imagine a Jupiter coming close to the professional quality of a Miraphone.

Not in sound

Not in intonation

Not in flexability

Of coarse, I've never heard your two horns.

My 2 cents

-Patrick

tubatooter1940 · Post by **tubatooter1940** » Wed Feb 14, 2007 8:48 am

tubaguy9,
I drag as little equipment to a gig as possible-especially if I have to ride a bus or motorcycle. Switching from tuba to sousie will impress almost no one. Can you get it done with just one horn?
In New Orleans a limo cost the same as a taxi from our hotel to our gig at the Tropical Isle. We had room. Don't you know we loaded and used the BIG P.A. that night.

I used to carry only a cornet to gigs with only two fingers and a raised pinky. Naturally I had to add a tuba, Gibson guitar and a Fender Super Six amp that stood tall as my nipples and the biggest P.A. system I can get in a 4 by 8 trailer. I think I was born to push a hand truck.

Bloke, give us old guys a break with the tiny print. I can't not read it because I never want to miss any part of your wonderful posts. I have to put on glassas and break out the magnifier. Could you do like Doc and use extra large font? I don't care if you yell at me.

dmmorris · Post by **dmmorris** » Wed Feb 14, 2007 10:10 am

I used to schlep the "wrap-around" and also a tuba to honky-tonk gigs (piano, tuba, percussion). I would do the schmaltzy-stuff (like "Somewhere over the Rainbow") on tuba and the quick-walkin-stuff on the "wrap-around". Now-a-days, I'm getting lazy and I jez take the "wrap-around". If it's outside and it's cold...I use a Kellyberg, otherwize...a MF3H. If your sound is ok on the susaphone, then I use it. The sousaphone would be a great "hook". Most folks are so tickled at the novelty of the band using some tuba-like-instrument for the bassline instead of some electric bass guitar, that they really don't care what it looks like.

...and yeah...it is very true.....Chicks really do dig the Helicon!!

Vintage Image and Words of Wisdon from Mark "Bass Clef Creations"Chalabala....... his website is full of great stuff!

Cheers,
dmm

miz-zoutuba · Post by **miz-zoutuba** » Wed Feb 14, 2007 5:26 pm

iiipopes wrote:
tubatooter1940 wrote:I'll bet that old sousie sounds good despite all the duct tape.
Or maybe because of it! Looks like the practice horn I played a year with Marching Mizzou.

What year(s) were you with Marching Mizzou? I'm just finishing up my last year here at Mizzou. Sousaphone for 3 years and drum major for my last year.

iiipopes · Post by **iiipopes** » Wed Feb 14, 2007 5:55 pm

I was in grad school at Mizzou from the fall of 1982 until the spring of 1986. I marched with Marching Mizzou during the fall of 1982. We could still sit on the field beyond the end zone then, and to make a long story short, I caught a field goal at one of the home games. I also convinced our band director to let us wear the floppy billed caps instead of the corps style hats so it wouldn't leave marks on the then brand new souzy bells.

eupher61 · Post by **eupher61** » Wed Feb 14, 2007 9:52 pm

SplatterTone wrote:
http://t-recs.net/pics/tubenet/sousa.jpg

Is Mark Tuba Smith back with the Jackson Square Band? This pic looks like a variation of what I saw on www.nola.com just after Katrina, and Mark wasn't heard from for a few months after that. The last pic on the website, and in the T-P, was of Mark walking up I-10 with his souzie, saying he was gonna go camp for a while. Several people were looking for him, but he never contacted any of us, and he actually was back in NOLA for some of the krewe shows. I'm still not sure if he stayed or left again, but he's supposedly back for Carnival this year.

I'm not sure if this was Tuba Fats' horn or not...they both had souzies in similar condition

Good guy.

fpoon · Post by **fpoon** » Thu Feb 15, 2007 11:31 am

Can you sitdown horn come close in volume to the sousa? If so, I'd agree with everyone else and say the less gear you have to take, the better.

windshieldbug · Post by **windshieldbug** » Thu Feb 15, 2007 4:35 pm

Take something light. Forget metal, try wood. And don't mess with valves...

TubeNet

Use a Concert Tuba or a Sousaphone?

What should I use?

Use a Concert Tuba or a Sousaphone?