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I'm a trumpet player turned TC Euphonium player, and now I'm making the move to a CC tuba. I'm going with a CC because my calcified gray matter can't figure out a new set of fingerings for BBb in bass clef. Two questions: First, what would be a good mouthpiece choice for a small horn guy going big? Second: I'd like to spend some time with method/etude books as a practice tool, and I have always liked the Rubank and Arban books. Rubank lists theirs as a BBb tuba book, but it really shouldn't matter, should it? I just use my CC fingerings on the notes and all is good. Correct or incorrect?

Many thanks!
Pat

thats correct Pat- I ll let some of the doublers comment on mouthpiece selection...I would suggest a smaller inner diameter rim, deeper cup, classic helleberg style. Sidey makes a nice one , as does Mike Finn. Mr Bloke offers several options .
Doug Elliot would be a good guy to get a suggestion from...

My teacher told me many years ago to use the mouthpiece that played the best in tune, and I still follow that advice.
I have a Yamaha 67C4 that works like a dream in an F tuba, and it's the stock student horn model: so be open minded. I am sure others will have favorites, just make sure the one you play isn't going to require you to fight it.
The BBb lingo should be disregarded, it's a convention. The music might say Bass, or Tuba, or BBb tuba, or other things, but bass clef music will be in concert pitch no matter what it says, unless it's French, then you have to be careful.

Thanks to all for your assistance!

Pat

I understand going with a CC, since the bass clef is a line down, and for that reason probably easier to transpose.

Yes, as far as a mouthpiece, what kind of tuba are you getting, and what kind of mouthpiece did/do you play on euph? If you have progressed to a fairly deep mouthpiece on euph, you might consider a Conn Helleberg 120S; since you come from a trumpet background, if you used more of a trombone mouthpiece on euph, you might want to start with something slightly shallower, like the Conn 7B, as a transitional mouthpiece. Both of these mouthpieces have approximately 1.26 inside diameter of the cup, so it won't be that much larger than what you're already playing.

Pat S wrote:I'm a trumpet player turned TC Euphonium player, and now I'm making the move to a CC tuba. I'm going with a CC because my calcified gray matter can't figure out a new set of fingerings for BBb in bass clef. Two questions: First, what would be a good mouthpiece choice for a small horn guy going big? Second: I'd like to spend some time with method/etude books as a practice tool, and I have always liked the Rubank and Arban books. Rubank lists theirs as a BBb tuba book, but it really shouldn't matter, should it? I just use my CC fingerings on the notes and all is good. Correct or incorrect?

Many thanks!
Pat

Hi Pat,

As a former trumpet/euphonium player, I would advise you to seriously consider BBb. The fingering system is the same once you get used to reading bass clef--not as hard as you think. Once you learn bass clef on BBb, it will be easier to read not only tuba parts, but euphonium, trombone, bari sax parts as well (yes bari sax---in fact, I had to use a bari sax part for a piece in band...impressed the director alot).

Best of luck!

JJ