Will 1291 overpower my quintet?

[Mark]

I am seriously considering a Miraphone 1291...love the sound and the low range, but am concerned that it will overpower my quintet. Any thoughts from you 1291ers?

I can't speak for the 1291, but I can tell yout the 191 will not -- unless you want it to.

[Rick Denney]

I ... am concerned that it will overpower my quintet.

Why? Does it smell bad?

Rick "who wouldn't overpower a quintet with his Holton if he chooses not to, but who still doesn't like the sound of it in that group" Denney

[phoenix]

No it will not! The dynamics range on it is amazing. You can play it softly with a great, sonorous tone and you can play it loudly with a great sonorous tone. I love that instrument!

[Gorilla Tuba]

The horn will not overpower the quintet. Although you might.

Seriously, I use a t PT6 in quintet with no mouthpiece change and am satisfied with the results. So are my fellow quintet members. If the only playing I did was quintet, then something a lttle smaller may be a better choice. However, I do have access to a small cerveny CC tuba that may technically be better suited for quintet, but neither I nor my collegues like the sound as much as my bigger horn played delicately. To be sure this horse is thoroughly beaten, If you sound good on a big horn and you like it, then buy it. It will be fine in quintet.

[Kevin Hendrick]

If I had my way (and more $$$), I'd own an all-around tuba, a BAT, and an F or Eb. That way, I'd have all the bases covered.

Well, yes, if they were all in gig bags ...

[Duane]

I played a VMI Mel C. in the TAMU-C wind ensemble for about 3 years. I have recently traded it of for a 1291. I have to be careful when playing in the wind ensemble, of about 50 people, not to play to loud in the loud sections. The 1291 plays with more direction than my old 6/4 Mel. Consequently, it will seem like you are playing louder when comparing intensities of the 2 horns. (Go figure, right. Isn’t that the reason I bought a 6/4 horn?) part of that is because the 1291 has a very nice core centered sound. On the hand, the 1291 plays very well and buoyant at the softer dynamics with great response. Doc. is right about mouthpieces. You might be interested in the Dillon Chief II. I play the Chief II in my 1291 with my quintet and was very impressed.

Just for reference, I play the Dillon G 3 in Wind Ensemble.

[Tabor]

I am sure there are plenty of people who think I'm off my rocker, and I may very well be, but I often like the timbre of a big tuba in a Quintet. There are indeed plenty of times when a smaller tuba is preferable, but IMHO the 1291 is a wonderful medium to large sized tuba and it is very easy to manage at fff or ppp. While I play a 186, I'd play a 1291 if I had one.

Maybe it is because to my ear it solidifies the fundamental of chords in most music. Sometimes with the directional brass having the thirds and fifths in a good deal of music (especially that trombone), a root position chord can sound like an inverted chord and thus whole cadences can sound almost like half-cadences when some players use a 3/4 tuba. I'm sure this depends on where in the audience one sits, and who is behind the mouthpiece. My wife, who is a classical singer and music theory teacher, noticed this when listening to an ensemble playing Gabrielli.

Maybe you could get a 1291 to try out with the group for a while to see if it works for you.

-T

[MaryAnn]

Well, last summer I played my tiny 182 F with 12 french horns....and got bitched at for overpowering them. I had to really squelch it after that! Some people just don't LIKE a solid basement.

MA

[dtemp]

If Gene Pokorny doesn't overpower his quintet with the Chicago York, I think you'd be able to blend OK.

[CJ Krause]

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[MartyNeilan]

You are the Master of your tuba.

Charlie, did you win a contest?


(veiled Seinfeld reference for those who don't get it)

[CJ Krause]

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[Lee Stofer]

Yes, you can choose to overpower, or not overpower a brass quintet with a given instrument, regardless of size. If you are a strong-enough player, you could probably overpower a quintet with a 3/4 Jupiter or Weril tuba. Conversely, you can (with awareness and concentration) choose to provide a foundation and good blend and balance in a quintet with a 5/4 tuba, or a sousaphone for that matter. If you can get the sound and articulation you want on a given tuba, and play reasonably well in-tune with it, don't worry about the rest - you'll grow into the horn.

To answer Doc, I did play a 5/4 Rudi CC regularly in a professional brass quintet for several years. I tried several other horns out on them, and they didn't like them as well. To reply to Mary Ann's post about getting all those complaints, "Whaddaya expect out of a pack of horn players?!"

[CJ Krause]

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[CJ Krause]

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[crbarnes]

I have a 1291. I bought it before the CC was available so it is a BBb with 5 valves. I play it in a brass band, wind symphony, orchestra, tuba quartet and brass quintet, among other things. I have found it to be the single most versatile horn I have ever owned. I play 1st tuba in one quartet and 2nd in another and the horn fits boths roles. In brass quintet, it can be played much smaller and lighter than its appearance would suggest. In orchestra, it holds its own. The CC is a bit lighter yet, so should be even less of a problem.
Most of us have been to things like Tuba Christmas and heard players who would overpower the massed band at a football standium on HS band day, but if one is attentive and plays within the character of the group, the 1291 will go along and not overpower yet rise to the occasion in a larger ensemble.