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Hi everyone,

I recently acquired a 1926 Conn 26K Eb Sousa. It's a three valve one, not four. It's in perfect shape (particularly considering its age), and I LOVE the sound. However, I am used to playing on a Bb sousa.

Two questions:

1. What fingerings do I use for a 3-valve Eb sousa?

2. Since all of my music was written for Bb tuba, I assume I need to transpose it to make it playable for Eb sousa. Any recommendations on transposing, or places I can look for more information on how to transpose music?

I appreciate all the help!

p.s. I sold the Bb sousa because it was a fiberglass piece of junk.

No need to transpose, but you will need to relearn your fingerings. Its not too difficult but will take a slight bit of time and practice. Here is a good start to fingerings http://www.chisham.com/tips/fingerings/Eb.html

Just buy Chad's 4v - 28K and really enjoy the EEb sousaphone experience.

Tundratubast wrote:Just buy Chad's 4v - 28K and really enjoy the EEb sousaphone experience.

No there's a great idea if I ever heard one

How did you learn BBb fingerings? Think back...

Buy a copy of Rubank's Beginning, intermediate, and Advanced books. Notice that in the title it says "for BBb and Eb tuba".

Play them.

If you zip through them with no effort - you've wasted a few dollars.

If not...then you needed them.

sloan wrote:How did you learn BBb fingerings? Think back...
Buy a copy of Rubank's Beginning, intermediate, and Advanced books. Notice that in the title it says "for BBb and Eb tuba".
Play them.
If you zip through them with no effort - you've wasted a few dollars.
If not...then you needed them.

+1. My high school band director used the Rubank Advanced. A great all-round method. Not necessarily in depth for any particular aspect of playing, but it does the job it's designed to do: get a guy up and running, er, playing quickly. The charts at the beginning are for 3-valve instruments, so remember your math if you have a 4th valve: seriously, 1+3=4. Also, the various exercises have alternates for the BBb versus the Eb tubas so you can see how the range, tessitura and fingerings compare. For example, on both BBb and Eb, 2nd line Bb is open, A is 2nd, etc., down to bottom line Gb 2+3. Then you have to switch gears, as bottom of the staff F is open on a BBb, but 1+3 on Eb, Eb is 1st on a BBb, open on an Eb, etc.