TubeNet

I am currently just considering the idea of getting a Melton/Meinl-Weston 14 travel tuba ( http://tiny.cc/travelF ) as I expect to be regularly travelling to China with my wife in future - we are booked to be over there 2 months next year.

I tried one of these travel tubas at WWBW, so know how well they play - but wonder if they project enough for concert use? Has anyone on here played one with band/orchestra and can give feedback? Are there any recordings of one being played, except that stupid one with no bell on Youtube?

Thanks!

If you have family in China and will go there more or less frequently, at least frequently enough to potentially getting contact with local bands, then maybe it would be an idea to get one of the better Chinese CC tubas and let it stay there between visits. Might be cheaper and would ensure an instrument of sufficient size.

Klaus

imperialbari wrote:If you have family in China and will go there more or less frequently, at least frequently enough to potentially getting contact with local bands, then maybe it would be an idea to get one of the better Chinese CC tubas and let it stay there between visits. Might be cheaper and would ensure an instrument of sufficient size.

Klaus

Ironically, he would probably have to buy it in the UK and take it with him into the country. Also, no clue if there are any duties/taxes you'd have to pay for this -- since you're not really traveling with it as much as importing it to the country.

Guess you could also get one of the Tornister tubas? Seem a little cheaper ($5000 US instead of $7000 US), same basic idea.

http://www.hornboerse.de/lshop,showdeta ... rni,,,.htm

And here, Jonathan, you had us fooled that married life meant no more tubas for a while! Hope the first month has been great!

Somewhere on here there's a thread where someone reports buying a tuba in China and bringing it home on the plane. So it must be possible if you know where to go, especially with local help.

I already have an old Amati F I took to China last January (it is currently stored on top of my wife's younger sister wardrobe!), but the trouble is, that is only available to play at her home city - not much good travelling around as we will be next visit staying in 5 different cities.

The travel tuba is particularly tempting because it can be taken on flights as hand luggage and with its excellent practice mute played in hotels and apartments without problem.

However it is very expensive to buy for just that purpose which is why I am asking if it has any value for concert use.

bort wrote:Hope the first month has been great!

Absolutely wonderful! I feel a very lucky man to have found such a lovely wife at my time of life. Knowing people here like food pictures only second to tuba, just look at the lunch she cooked for me yesterday.

Lunch??

bloke wrote:Buy one of those Hirsbrunner BBb or Miraphone 191 Chinese copies while you're over there...

And bring me one o' them Eb clones. Please.

Thanks to PM from friend, I have found video of travel tuba being played with orchestra.

Jens Björn-Larsen using one rehearsing Smetana's Ma Vlast with The Chamber Orchestra of Europe conducted Nikolaus Harnoncourt. The tuba gets a mention at 13:35 into the video. Mind you, despite the player, I don't think its sound really comes through much on the video.

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php ... 861&ref=nf

Hmm.......
Even in the very very able hands of JBL, I could hear it, but it didn't really sound like a tuba to me. It reminds me of the sound of bass trombone in brass quintet. Yes, it's still playing the same notes, but it's not the same. The orchestra as a whole sounds amazing btw, thanks for the video,
Bill

Fun rehearsal to watch. I guess a good reference for a Czech-style performance, after that drumming! Looked like fun though!

Interesting that JBL had his usual F tuba with him though, the travel tuba was along for the ride...?

Steve Ferguson mentions on The Horn Guys site (where the M-W 14 is also sold) that it appears to him that the instrument is more cylindrical than conical. That might explain the very bass-bone-like sound. With a cylindrical bore, a f-bass bone bore size (.610) and a large tenor bone size bell (8 5/8") it probably should sound like a trombone.

-Pat

Tubadork wrote:It reminds me of the sound of bass trombone in brass quintet.

I have heard that the travel tuba makes quite a good substitute for a Cimbasso which is bore out by this

I thought Ma Vlast a strange piece in which to use the travel tuba. From what I have played of the work, I would have considered it a contrabass tuba part

Neptune wrote:

Tubadork wrote:It reminds me of the sound of bass trombone in brass quintet.

I have heard that the travel tuba makes quite a good substitute for a Cimbasso

It seems likely to me that Harnoncourt, who appears to know exactly what he wants, preferred this bass trombone/cimbasso-like sound. I am also a fan of trombone ensembles, whether or not the bottom part is played on a tuba.

i vote no-go as a performance instrument.not satisfying for performer or audience...

Hey Jon,

DON´T do it. This thing costs WAY more than a reasonable, REAL tuba for recreational use.
I experienced a former bandmate of mine who actually bought that thing and insisted to use it in concert ( massed concert band with 8-piece tuba section ).
BAD IDEA. Your score is marked "Tuba", not "Bass Trumpet". It had absolutely NOTHING to ADD to our sound.

On the manufacturers´ homepages, the broadcasted reasonable use for this kind of horn is to keep it in the hotel to have something reasonable to rehearse parts You as a pro haven´t memorized already, ´cause Your REAL horn is on the bus or at the concert hall already.

I DO believe, that this kind of instrument could be used for special occasions, but definitely not where a tuba is called upon.
The sticker on its case says "My other horn is a TUBA".

Best wishes

Hans