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We often cover and berate various fads on tuba design thar soon go out of fashion, but how about those few "fads" that became mainstream?

One I can think of is lifting the leadpipe off the bell. A couple of decades ago, virtually all tubas had the leadpipe wrapped directly around the bell and soldered throughout the entire contact point. Now, a great many tubas have the leadpipe lifted slighty off the bell, with only a couple of braces as the contact points, or at the very least with a substantially smaller contact point against the bell. This seems to improve both resonance and (credit Don Butterfield) vision. Beats torching the leadpipe off the bell, rebending it, fabricating new braces, and looking at bell scars.

What else comes to mind?

the elephant wrote:Vented valves.

I second that!!!

How long ago did vented valves first appear?
Who started that fad?

I've got a smart *** one....

the idea that serious tuba musicians Do Not Play a BBb except for sousaphone in marching band.

rocksanddirt wrote:the idea that serious tuba musicians Do Not Play a BBb except for sousaphone in marching band.

First, that "fad" manifests itself primarily in North America; European orchestras have always been steadfast with the BBb tuba.

Secondly, some very well known tubists in major American orchestras have begun playing BBb tubas more and more in performances.

N.B. There are exceptions to every rule, including the examples listed above.

rocksanddirt wrote:I've got a smart *** one....

the idea that serious tuba musicians Do Not Play a BBb except for sousaphone in marching band.

Mr. Bobo had something to say about that recently:
http://bomaestro.blogspot.com/2009/05/e ... n-bbb.html

Oh, and another one - Water Keys! (I have several horns that were made before the "spit valve" was popularized...)

Steve Marcus wrote:Secondly, some very well known tubists in major American orchestras have begun playing BBb tubas more and more in performances.

I can think of at least three tuba players in three very good orchestras in the midwest that have been using BBb as of late. Only one is using it has his quasi-permanent horn, but especially since the Fafner made it to the scene, BBb is seeing a bit of come back. Are we seeing an emergence of a new fad? OR Perhaps orchestra tuba players using CC in America was a 40-50 year old fad that is beginning to fade out.

Watchman wrote:

Steve Marcus wrote:Secondly, some very well known tubists in major American orchestras have begun playing BBb tubas more and more in performances.

I can think of at least three tuba players in three very good orchestras in the midwest that have been using BBb as of late. Only one is using it has his quasi-permanent horn, but especially since the Fafner made it to the scene, BBb is seeing a bit of come back. Are we seeing an emergence of a new fad? OR Perhaps orchestra tuba players using CC in America was a 40-50 year old fad that is beginning to fade out.

Cool,
who is using them?
Just Curious,
Bill

.

The use of CC in British orchestras. Started by John Fletcher, most professionals and an increasing number of amateurs are finding out how playing a CC can enhance the tuba tone.

At the same time it appears the Eb is gaining acceptance as a professional tuba in the USA.

Lw waldeck Gave up CC and played BB in the Ny City opera for 20 years Herb Wekselbladt also played BB in the MEt orchestra As did the tubist at Radio city. The overall sound of the BB and its harmonic match to the trombones and horns gives a more harmonicly rich sound to the orchestra. The CC is a wonderfull instrument and you can hear it above the orchestra. those who consider the orchestra an instrument like a pipe organ would perfer the sonarity of the BB
Always Strive for tone

Ray

As I recall, venting rotors was the idea of Wesley Jacobs of the Detroit Symphony, around 1971, and first appeared on Rudolph Meinl tubas. At that time, however, they were not vented by drilling a hole in the casing, but by cutting a small groove around the valve itself.

Playing 'the Ride' with bad pitch and rhythm to test out a tuba's capabilities while in front of numerous people at 'conventions'.

the elephant wrote:I first heard about venting piston valves in 1988 in the Army in NYC. I got the feeling that this was fairly new and I could not imagine how it could be done until someone showed me. I kept thinking in terms of venting the casing, like many players back then. Vented pistons, to me, at that time, seemed very novel.

The first time I saw it was when Chuck Daellenbach showed me his vented valves on his 621 at a master class. We were comparing notes on the 621, the F version of which I'd just bought. Based on what he showed me, it became obvious and I vented the valves on my 621. That was maybe 1991. I certainly didn't think it was a new fad then, but then that was my first piston instrument other than sousaphones and student-grade stuff. Ray's 186, which dates from the early-mid 70's, has vented casings.

The fad part of that, it seems to me, is that it improves the sound of slurs. Maybe it does, but maybe not. It certainly does make it easier to pull and dump slides, and to adjust slides during play.

Rick "who first read this thread title as 'tuba fads that actually suck'" Denney

Matthew Gilchrest wrote:Playing 'the Ride' with bad pitch and rhythm to test out a tuba's capabilities while in front of numerous people at 'conventions'.

But when did that start? As was mentioned in another thread a few days ago, people only remember one "Ride" in the Elephant Room at the 1986 ITEC in Austin, but I heard several at the Army Conference this year. Two years ago might as well have been a Wagner convention. But now the fad seem to have shifted to the Fountains of Rome:

__can't________________
I_______play___________
______________________
______________________
___________lhohwwhhhh

Rick "stealing that line from a different Matt" Denney

Steve Marcus wrote:

rocksanddirt wrote:the idea that serious tuba musicians Do Not Play a BBb except for sousaphone in marching band.

First, that "fad" manifests itself primarily in North America; European orchestras have always been steadfast with the BBb tuba.

Secondly, some very well known tubists in major American orchestras have begun playing BBb tubas more and more in performances.

N.B. There are exceptions to every rule, including the examples listed above.

I think eventually pro tubists will need to have both BBb and CC horns. Im curious to know how many of us have and use both now?

JJ

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tubashaman2 wrote: Again, testing how horns play in my opinion is more important than what others think when you don't have music in front of you

I basically agree with you here, James, however...it is worth noting that this often provides entertainment for others.

bloke wrote:back to main topic:

- bright silver plating
- (nearly universal, regardless of the size of the tuba) 3/4" bore size

First thing I think when I these big silver monsters is "who in the hell is gonna polish THAT??"

.750" bore is THE BOMB!! that is why it belongs on all tubas... dare I say including ... someone needs to make a true tenor tuba with a .750 bore as wel HAHAHAHAHAHA Bloke