please take a look at this...

[Tubaguyjoe]

try researching your local music store or even this forum and try to find a private teacher in your area. You want to get better? You would be amazed at what a little hard work and 1 hour a week with a teacher will get you. Otherwise, try looking in the archives of these forums for some of the answers to your questions.

[Rick Denney]

i'm a lousy tuba player and need some help from u guys. i can't play light.. and how can i improve my tone quality? and im not sure if my embrochure is correct.. and also i would like to know how fast must my lips vibrate and how fast the speed of air.. thanks in advance.. btw is there any useful websites where i can read and improve myself?

The problem with your request is that it can hardly be described in words. Matching the physical move isn't enough--you have to understand how the proper embouchure feels. I consider myself reasonably good at explaining things, but I wouldn't know where to start here. What a teacher can demonstrate in five minutes would take pages to describe much less effectively.

But keep these principles in mind: Use only as much pressure as it takes to make a seal with the mouthpiece. The only muscles that should be tense are the ones in the corners of your mouth, and "firm" is a better word than "tense". The rest of your body, head to toe, should be as relaxed as possible, particularly around your torso, shoulders, and face. Don't play notes so high you can only get by pushing your face into the mouthpiece. Make "O" or "OOO" vowel sounds with your mouth to get a feel for the right shape, rather than "A" or "E". Air is the engine; take in more than you need. More air moving slowly is correct compared to less air moving faster. What comes out of the bell is what counts; fill your head with examples of good sound, and keep those examples in mind as you try things. Start with sound and then add technique and volume. Have I run out of the cliches of tuba pedagogy yet?

I knew all of the above at an intellectual level before I took my first lesson, but I still learned vast amount in that first lesson.

Rick "still learning those principles" Denney

[goldenmoose]

If you want to improve your tone, try some long tones. Set up a metronome and play focused long tones. That is what helped me improve my tone.

[Tabor]

...There is a website which can help you. This one is great! This is the website that can help you do whatever you want to do with your tuba. If you want to sell it, play it better, buy a bumper sticker for it or read about playing it. There is lively discussion, the Tips section has good advice, the links to vendors are even superb!

-Tabor