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I spoke to Neal Tidwell, principal tubist with RCBB 2 years ago after their performance at the NY's NYSSMA Conference. He told me that they were using F's and CC's. They also use french horns in their ensemble. Great group!

I am pretty sure they are CC and FF... I am not positive, having not seen anyone in the group for some years, and not remembering from my previous time with them.

As far as being "Americanized," I do know the horns are horns, not the little peckhorn Eb altos...

I was considering auditioning for a brass band, which had an opening for "BBb Bass." They are very traditional British style. They told me that I could audition with my CC tuba, but if I joined the band I would be expected to play a BBb, and I could play one owned by the band.

Yes, they had parts all in treble clef, written for tubas as transposing instruments, just like cornets. The Eb Bass and BBb Bass parts are written differently and specifically for those instruments.

I decided I did not want to maintain proficiency on a kind of tuba I would not want to play elsewhere (a British style BBb compensating tuba with 3+1 valves). I decided not to audition.

I have heard from others that some bands are not so traditional, and allow a greater variety of instruments. CC and F tubas would be welcome too. Still, the instrument parts are in transposing treble clef (with the sole exception of the bass trombone). I hear that many people skilled in French Horn playing hate to play the Eb alto horn, and that would explain the use of French horns in the more liberal brass bands.

Allen Walker

In particular response to the post above: (ALLEN)

In most brass bands in the US, CC, F, Eb and BBb are found. It's just a matter of matching the smaller horn with the Eb part and the larger horn for the BBb part. BB composers definitley want a different sound on each part. Some US bands use CC tubas on the Eb parts, and they become too muddy. I have no real qualms about CC on the BBb part as long as the player and instrument produces the right sound. In the Brass Band of Columbus, we use BBb and Eb tubas. Our BBb players all play on different brands of instruments, but we have a matched set of Willson 3400's for the Eb part. TRADITIONAL brass bands used matched instruments, typically Besson, though Yamaha and Willson have their proponents. Just to show the level of tradition, The BBC played in Birmingham, England in 2000 at the Open, and a trombone player from Scotland asked me when I would purchase a "proper" bass!! (instead of my Willson)

No traditional brass band would use horns. They are then brass concert bands. The real problem is that many US bandspeople play on student line instruments, and they will naturally not play as well as professional instruments. In Europe, the tenor horn is a viable instrument from the start. In the US, it has to be learned later in life.

Ahhhh.. sorry to go on so long.

Their website is http://www.rcbb.com/
There is a contact page there.

To Tony Z.,

Thanks for your informative post (above). I was hoping someone who really knows brass bands would weigh in.

A.