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I wanted to share with everyone my experience in sound concepts and the difference in sounds that I've discovered over the last 7 months or so.

I'd like to think that ever since I started seriously studying music and tuba, I've had a good concept of sound in my head. Listening to The NYP from the 80's and Warren Deck made me think "THAT'S what I want to sound like!" Carrying this concept with me for the past few years has served my playing well.

At the beginning of the year, I got a hold of a Berlin Philharmonic Digital Concert Hall pass and started watching their concert archives from the last couple seasons. Listening to Alexander Von Puttkamer completely changed how I conceive how the tuba should sound. There is a certain sparkle and shimmer the sound that absolutely astounded me. THIS was how I wanted to sound.

I've gone through a couple CC tubas within the last little while and I finally (knock on wood) think I've found what I'm looking for. I started this academic year with my HB-50 which I had been playing on since January of 2009. I loved this instrument. To me, it sounded like how I think a tuba should sound. Those of you who have played these horns know they are quite a beast to tame. Near the end of my undergraduate studies I found myself struggling with just getting around on it. It's A LOT of tuba. But still, I loved the way the tuba sounded.

After thinking (not all that much, mind you) about it, I decided it was time for a change. I'd spent some time on Meinl Weston 5450 during my undergrad and I'd enjoyed it very much. It's one of those horns you can pick up and just play, which I loved. I was frustrated with response issues and the Thor (at first) seemed to be welcome change. I started my search and acquired one mid January of this year. This horn was not unlike the Thor I'd played during my undergrad. It was very easy to play and when I'd first tried it, I enjoyed the sound of that tuba.

After spending 2 and a half months on the tuba I started to get bored with how it sounded. It sounded (as someone said to me) very 'Yamaha-ish.' I also noticed that the tuba seemed to play (and sound) much better when I played 4 valve CC tuba. Instead of using 4-5 for low F I would use 1-2-4 and so on. Anytime I used the 5th valve, the tuba sounded choked off and stuffy.

I felt like I needed to make a change I had a pretty good idea of what direction I wanted to go. I found someone who was interested in a Thor. He contacted me and we set up a meeting. He was playing a B&S PT6. As soon as I played it, I went "YES!" in my head. This is what a tuba should sound like. Lots of clarity, lots of centre and that shimmer and sparkle that I had been after.

After a few hours of play testing, we traded and I couldn't be happier. Though the response issues I was experiencing are still lingering, I know can know produce the sound the I want and expand it from there.

This phenomenon isn't just confined to CC tuba. I recently borrowed a B&S PT-10 and spent about a week on it. While a little funky maneuver in the low range, it had a sound that immediately made me think "YES!"

Final thought: When picking out an instrument, listen for the concept of sound you have in your head and work from there. Don't settle for "Oh, well this tuba has a really easy low G so I'll buy it." Find a tuba that has a quality of sound that appeals to you.

Thanks for reading,
Kory

Me? SMe same story, swap the Thor and PT6.

Kory101 wrote:When picking out an instrument, listen for the concept of sound you have in your head and work from there

Very good advice. If the tuba is not 'your' sound, then you will never be fully satisfied - and will no doubt be changing again in a couple years (been there, done that ).

Kory, Pleased you have found 'your' sound. Hope you enjoy (and maybe eventually add a PT-10 as an F companion?)!

BTW is that a piston, or rotary PT-6 you got?

Thanks Jonathan! I'm having a great time with it.

It's a Silver Rotary PT6.

I'm hoping to find a nice PT-10 or 15 to add to my stable in the near future!

Kory101 wrote:It's a Silver Rotary PT6

Very nice. As a rotary PT6 I can see how it may have something of the tonal qualities of the MW 197 played by Alexander Von Puttkamer and is probably a lot easier to handle.

It's a sign of maturity as a player to choose one tuba over another not because of quality, but because of fit. 10 years ago, I was looking for a good playing tuba, and I knew the ones that played bad for me. But now, I know and understand more about *why* it is bad for me, and accept that what's bad for me could be perfect for someone else!

I had the great fortune to travel to Berlin in December, and to see the Berlin Philharmonic. Mr. von Puttkamer is an awesome player and sounded incredible. I have not heard *that* kind of a tuba sound in a pro orchestra in the US. Different than the 6/4-York sound for sure! I can hardly claim I had an epiphany, but definitely felt confirmation that a rotary orchestral sound is what I feel and hear in my brain.

I, too, have owned some "mismatch" tubas in the past few years. A Miraphone 1291, which was very pleasing, but not "it", and a large Marzan that is a LOT of fun and a very nice sound... but also not "it" for me. Both are great, well made, pro-level instruments. It takes a LOT of effort to try to fool yourself into hearing something that isn't really there.

As soon as I picked up my Miraphone 188, I just thought "aah, THIS is what I've been looking for." I can totally understand and appreciate your excitement!

It is good to have a strong sound concept in your head as you play. Certain tubas can help give you "your" sound. And sometimes, it is nice to have several "variations" of "your" sound, hence having several tubas. But it is also very wise to have others listen to you as well as getting (good) recordings of yourself to see if "your" sound is happening "out front". You may be surprised...

I'd amend the insightful and well written OP slightly by adding that the trick is to get, rather than the tuba that matches your sound concept the most closely, the tuba that allows YOU to make your sound most easily. It's a subtle but crucial distinction, I think.

I'd still kill to get my hands on Oberlin's 50 year old Alexander 163, having found that it was worth wrestling with the quirks to have that sound. For me. As things go, I ended up, after losing my perfect tuba (a slightly freakish Rudolf Meinl 3/4 that had it all, and got stolen in a sad and freakish set of circumstances), with a 4 piston valve B&S PT-5. It's another freakish tuba, which makes sense because I'm a fairly freakish tuba player... I wrestle with it every day. It's so close. The sound is there, the response is there, the intonation, while not there, is nearly there, and much better than that "lemon" model is reputed to have. Close enough for jazz, so they say, and certainly there for me, what with my interest in microtonalism being stronger than my interest in orchestral music. I have a constant struggle between the simple fact that MY PLAYING is suited to big tubas and tons of air, and intonation will get dealt with on a note-by-note basis, and the simple fact that a smaller horn with better intonation exists, in fact hundreds of them do, and my back and the NYC subway system and plenty of pianists might have hoped that I had made a different decision in my choice of main axe. But that gets resolved when the great trade offer comes in, or when the money comes in to replace or add to what I have.

(note to self- public postings should come BEFORE evening cocktails... but maybe it's an interesting read, at least)

Hi everyone,

I just wanted to give everyone interested (probably nobody!) an update on this topic

After spending the last few weeks on my PT-6 I couldn't be happier. It's everything I hoped it would be.

And I also am happy to announce I've added a B&S PT-15s to the stable. Again, couldn't be happier!

Thanks for reading!
Kory

Congrats! It's always good to hear other peoples' success stories!

Kory,

Pleased the PT-15 has arrived and is also providing satisfaction. Enjoy both your beauties!

Best,
Jonathan