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While no-where near your's in size and gravitas, Mr. Riebesehl, I do have a palpable moustache/lower lip hair (pronounced: "dirt lip"). I feel that my low range is pretty good (as in, I don't think a shave will instantly make me better).

The one detriment I have observed to playing with facial hair is when using a plastic mouthpiece. I get pretty annoying "pricks" every once in a while.


(I get even more of those from the violin section, but that's the same regardless of mouthpiece material...)

For me, a mustache actually does inhibit my ability to play in the low register a bit. I guess it's because it inhibits lip vibration by a smidgen.

I tried a moustache for a while. I did not notice any change while it was growing in, because that was gradual. But when I shaved it off after many months my low register suddenly became a LOT easier.

Nice Google ads.

I get better seal and low notes are easier to get when I shave below my bottom lip and keep my mustache trimmed and short. Sadly, however,I have never been able to pedal on tuba. I have played a pedal Bb exactly once in my life. Last year walking around back stage before a concert. It had never happened before and hasn't happened since.

just follow Ivan Giddings instructions and "Play Naked" Meaning your lips and where they touch your mouthpiece.. just look at that specific facial hair do that Alan Baer chooses to wear ... I don't think it is an accident that his lip and soul patch are shaved clean.

See the related discussion on the matter from a few years back...

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=5966&hilit=facial+hair


As you will read from my post therein, for me, there is a very real and substantial affect on the low register.

I have a closely-trimmed full beard mainly because I'm too lazy to shave every day. It's never been a problem for me.

It's a huge problem for me. I have beard hair like wire, and I can't get a seal on the top lip with facial hair. 3 or 4 days without a shave, and I can't even hit a low Bb. I keep a jawline beard, but shave both my upper and lower lips religiously. I've had to endure comments about Abraham Lincoln, Leprechauns, Israelis, Amish, and so on.

short, trimmed hair around the lips -> bad

long, untrimmed -> no problem

for me.

your milage may vary.

At some point, I might be able to put up pictures, but I have just been letting it all grow out (and I must say, it looks awesome...now, if other people say that, i dunno...but who cares)
My low range is just as good/better than ever. I can actually get a better pedal range than when I don't have all of the crap on my face.

I trim the beard and mustache once a week, about 1mm when just trimmed.

It feels better playing the tuba when just trimmed, but it's not a big problem after a week.
Range remains the same.
When I shaved (gillette) daily, I had more problems with irritated skin, that's why I started trimming.

Looks very casual too

Wim

If I keep it very short, then it doesn't do to much to my playing but I much prefer to be clean shaven when I play. Just feels better and like some of you, my pedal range seems to be much better.

That being said, my lady says she likes the facial hair so I'll generally go between facial hair and clean shaven. Whether it's a good idea or not, I'll usually shave my face clean about 2 weeks before a concert.

Contrary to what everyone seems to be suggesting here....

Having a short trimmed beard and mustache actually doesn't harm my low register at all. In fact, I think it actually makes it more comfortable for me. My guess on this though, is that when freshly shaved my face is sensitive to metals in the mouthpiece and it can irritate me a little. Of course, I haven't grown my beard out really long so maybe I'll have to try that and test that theory.

It seems that everyone has some differences....so maybe it's either a psychological placebo-effect or the shape of our lips, embouchure, mouth and the way our facial hair grows can be a problem. Of course.....I'm sure there are some tuba playing women who don't have this problem....or maybe there are...

Off to go to...IKEA..........

I have a lot of facial hair. I do not shave below my bottom lip at all and I keep my upper lip, where the mouthpiece contacts, clean, everyday.

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj54 ... 1236696477

This picture, shown holding my M-W 182, is a pretty good picture of what I mean. My lips are fairly heavy so the mouthpiece would not contact anything below my lower lip unless it were more than about 36mm and I have never used one that large.

As for pedal tones, last night, in Orchestra rehearsal, I ripped out a pedal D on that horn that had the Horn players (in front of me) giving the thumbs up and turning around to see if anyone was hurt. I have pretty much had facial hair for my entire professional career and keep only the mustache trimmed so the mouthpiece does not rest over it.

I had a full beard and mustache for many years. Still had it in my avatar.

I didn't think it affected me much, but since I shaved everything off a couple of years ago my range has improved, both upper and lower, and it's been a lot more comfortable playing. An added plus is that I haven't had to contend with the occasional bloody mouthpiece from getting jabbed with one of my own hairs.

My pedal register sucks in relation to the rest of my playing to such a degree that I can only blame my facial hair. Stated another way, I know guys who can play much better in the pedal register but whose sound, articulation, flexibility, and range--outside the pedal register--is (even) worse than mine.

But my wife likes the beard and I can't tolerate the Abe Lincoln look, so as long as nobody is paying me to play in the pedal register I'll just have to live with it.

Rick "bearded since 1977" Denney

Full beard and 'stache, kept shaved to 1/8 inch. Love it, no negatives. As a matter of fact, had far worse results with a clean-shaven face just out of basic training about to do the USAESOM first audition. Clean shaven= too much "grip" on the mouthpiece for me, and it irritates my face.

Tubaryan12 wrote:Nice Google ads.

Yup -- funny stuff (can't say I ever saw a laser that had hair ).

Anyway, I've had a full beard since '72 and did have a 'stache until around '80 -- shaved it off, found the extremes of my range improved, and have kept it shaved off ever since. YMMV ...

I have a winter beard, and stay clean shaven in the summer. If I'm playing regularly and keep it tightly trimmed, I get used to it as it grows and don't have much trouble. If I take some time off, then I have to build back up the learning curve with the beard. Playing with no beard is always easier though.

Like EVERYTHING else with tuba, practice and getting the horn on your face every day is what makes it better or feel normal, so we each learn how we need to individually compensate.

Nothing is worse though than playing cold on the 2nd or 3rd day of growing it in, though. Ouch! (Ok, where's the smilie face with a beard?)

(And wasn't there an Arnold Jacobs mustache story?)

the elephant wrote:

bort wrote:Ok, where's the smilie face with a beard?

Nice!