Being a successful tubist

WoodSheddin · Post by **WoodSheddin** » Mon Aug 23, 2004 11:27 pm

bloke wrote:reliability
courtesy
excellence
versatility
availability
renown

I suppose one could get an education on their own time.

That pretty much sums it up.

kontrabass · Post by **kontrabass** » Mon Aug 23, 2004 11:28 pm

An excellent list, to which I might add: perserverence.

CJ Krause · Post by **CJ Krause** » Mon Aug 23, 2004 11:46 pm

Dylan King · Post by **Dylan King** » Tue Aug 24, 2004 4:56 pm

These days the competiotion to play in an orchestra that would allow one to purchase a home is so steep it can be dangerous to be a tuba player if you ever want to make some real money. I like to encourage players to branch out from the orhcestral repitore and play jazz and rock. And of course Mexican banda music is quite popular with the tuba these days if you are looking for a recording career.

David Zerkel · Post by **David Zerkel** » Tue Aug 24, 2004 5:39 pm

bloke wrote:reliability
courtesy
excellence
versatility
availability
renown

This is a great list, Joe!!

I would also add that success comes before work only in the dictionary. While Charlie's advice of 6 to 8 hours a day seems a little steep, I'd suggest two hours a day, everyday, will do the trick.

Again, listen to the grumpy old sage...his advice here is dead on!

Adam C. · Post by **Adam C.** » Tue Aug 24, 2004 8:43 pm

Trying to figure out the relevance of the "80k or better" qualifier...

How many tuba gigs pay 80k or better anyway? Is 80k a measure of "success"?

edit: If it is, I'm a failure

tmmcas1 · Post by **tmmcas1** » Tue Aug 24, 2004 9:01 pm

I've always found that anyone who's a nice person who places in time, in tune and with a good sound makes a succefull tubist. Now if your talking about 80k jobs to deem yourself successfull, there are none (IMHO). 99.9% of guys that I know who have 80k jobs are not surprisiingly nice people, play in time, play in tune and have great sounds. My two cents..

Tom McCaslin

tubathig · Post by **tubathig** » Wed Aug 25, 2004 8:20 am

Adam C. wrote:Trying to figure out the relevance of the "80k or better" qualifier...

How many tuba gigs pay 80k or better anyway? Is 80k a measure of "success"?

edit: If it is, I'm a failure

Well if this is the Adam Crowe that I know from Alabama, you are far from a failure. You still doing the coast guard gig???

With love and band director chops -- Thigpen

winston · Post by **winston** » Wed Aug 25, 2004 6:07 pm

joebob · Post by **joebob** » Thu Aug 26, 2004 8:50 am

If you want to make a lot of money then do something else for a living and be a tuba player on the side. The best tuba players in the world make 100k-150k a year, but that's not a lot of money when you think that if you were one of the world's top Doctors, Lawyers, Businesspersons, or just about any other profession, you'd be making a heck of a lot more.

Success as a tuba player cannot be defined by money. Was Alan Baer not a successful tuba player until he got a job that paid more than 80k (the New York Phil)? I don't think so.

bigboymusic · Post by **bigboymusic** » Thu Aug 26, 2004 2:31 pm

What has helped me tremendously over the years is the big word from bloke. VERSATILITY! I try and teach my kids that you can be an orchestral tubist, or you can be a tuba player. i prefer the tuba player 99% of the time. Know the difference between Chicago Dixie and N.O. Dixie as well as Dvorak and Brahms. Also don't forget the biggie.

Being at the right place at the right time! I was at the U of A in Tucson when there were really just three of us to handle all the big playing. It was not ASU or Indiana, but I played a LOT of literature WITH the ensembles rather than in the studio to my instructor.

Oh yeah, shmooze like a big dog....

Paul 'practice, patience, and who you know has helped me' Weissenborn

TubaRay · Post by **TubaRay** » Thu Aug 26, 2004 4:33 pm

I agree with your comments, Paul. To be a tuba player allows one to have a better shot at making a little money. In my case, I work as a school band director and play as much as my job will let me. I have been somewhat selective of the jobs I have taken. It is important that I not take a job which demands ABSOLUTELY ALL of my life, time, and energy. In addition to this, I have made money playing the following types of gigs: brass quintet, tuba euphonium quartet, polka band, orchestra, etc. In fact, I rarely rule something out. Versatility and reliability are quite important.

Dylan King · Post by **Dylan King** » Fri Aug 27, 2004 8:54 pm

Tommy Johnson once told me that he thinks he may be the most successful tuba player in the world. I believe it. All of those first call double and triple scale gigs for so many years. And the royalty checks that just keep rolling in.

But don't forget. Tommy himself taught Jr. high school here in Los Angeles for twenty years before he could make enough money in the studios to do it full time. All the while he was principal tubist in the 20th Century Fox orchestra.

But of course when it comes to studio playing there are only two tubists in Hollywood who make their living doing it. And now with all of the great samples that we composers can use, and smaller and smaller budgets for music, even Tommy and Jim Self don't get nearly as much work as they used to.

TubeNet

Being a successful tubist

If you want to make money

Being a successful tubist