goodgigs wrote:New York City’s own Tubajoe Exley who makes his living
playing though an amplified 186.
Thanks Brian!
I like to talk about it -- simply as it is always a work-in-progress (and the fact that stone-eared soundmen are often my arch nemeses in life!)
The
mic is as or more important than the pedal... read on.
I do amplify my tuba a lot, a large percentage of the time I play -- not often even for effects reasons, simply so that it's loud enough to play along with a drumset etc. The band / venue / style of music are all factors in what I choose to use. [plus, drummers understand tuba sound better when it comes out of a speaker versus the bell. No kidding.]
Disclaimer
For me, I lump amplification and effectability into the same situation/setup -- as I am somewhat of a purist... I always aspire to keep a 'natural' (even be it orchestral) tuba sound. I do use effects occasionally but only to enhance and never completely mask the basic tuba sound... and the natural sound is always there, and the effects be turned on or off at will. (for you the natural sound might not be as crucial... which honestly might make your life easier)
I have tried a
bunch of stuff...
in a nutshell...
Embedded mic:
For a long time I used a Barcus Berry that was drilled into a mouthpiece. It rocked. I loved it. It worked amazingly well with effects. Sadly, it was just too unreliable in its build quality for professional every-day use. Mine broke several times, the company got sold and stopped making them and no parts are available. A nice gimmick, but not really applicable to use as rigorous as mine, sadly. Plus, soundmen would always whine when they saw it. While it was great when it worked, it was quirky and unreliable.
The dreaded clip on
On a record (one of the larger records I've been on) in France, a German engineer formerly from Deutsche Grammophon insisted on using a clip-on to record me on a live concert recording. I knew better, but contractually I had absolutely no production control, and it was a big live concert and major opportunity for my band, so it wasn't like I could walk out. I took one for the team and hoped for the best... Alas, to me, the recording sounds sub-par and I am embarrassed of the tuba tone. A clip-on lavalier mic will never touch my tuba again. I start to hiss and speak in tongues when I see them.
I avoid clip-on / lavalier situations like they have the bubonic plague. Soundmen will regularly try to force them on you for some stupid physics-defying reason. Fight the good fight!
The Standard
Right now, a good ol 57 or 58 is the key. Works great thru effects, and treated well works good for amplified live tone too. PLUS, soundmen with not-as-many-braincells-left wont have kittens about a good ol 57 / 58. Plus, they are cheap, indestructible and infinitely replaceable. You can go with a fancier boutique setup as some do, but in some live performances I am jumping all over the stage etc etc. Stuff breaks and the show must go on...so I have learned to go for reliability as a factor almost as important as tone.
As far as effect processors go -- it's absolutely hit or miss from brand to brand, model to model. The type of amp is a huge factor in this equation too. Do this: Take the tuba to Guitar Center, and plug it in to everything you can find. Experimentation is the key (and often cheap stuff might be better than expensive stuff!). The tuba deals with effects remarkably well, it's absolutely viable sound and does not have to just be a gimmick. Treat your amplified/effected tuba sound just as you would your natural acoustic sound -- it's another aspect in what the audience hears, make it part of what your concept is. Experiment and have fun with it.
