Best Tubas for Recording?

[Z-Tuba Dude]

I understand that Tommy Johnson used/uses Miraphone tubas for many of his recordings.

Do other professional recording artists also favor Miraphone tubas in the recording studio, or is it like all other aspects of instrument selection......anything goes?

[Z-Tuba Dude]

Just for clarification: Of course ANY tuba can be used for a recording, but it seems that some sound especially good when recorded (maybe even better than in real life!).

[Dylan King]

I have seen many different horns used in different recordings. Tommy Johnson played everything on his 188 for years with various different F tubas. He likes to try different horns in different situations in the studios as he gets new ones. I believe he has used various Mirafones, a Neptune 6/4, and his B&S F with the Mirafone bell over the years. When Gene Pokorny was in town for a year he was using the Yorkbrunner on studio calls.

When Tommy got his 822 custom Yamaha it became his number one horn in the studios because he didn't have to bring two horns around anymore. The Yamahas have a good enough low register to pass as a CC tuba and he was able to play most anything on it.

I do studio work from time to time and always bring both my Yorkbrunner and my Yamaha 621 F tuba, in addition to making my own recordings in my home studio. Both work well. I think that when it comes down to it, it is a balance between sound, versatility, and what one is comfortable with lugging around.

Studio players like Tommy and Jim Self have a good reason to have so many horns. They usually hear from their contractor what kind of stuff to expect, or they just know from experience. One thing I do know is that horns with intonation problems need-not-apply. I also know that you could put a student model Chinese tuba that has been dragged behind Missy Elliot's tour bus for 10 miles would sound great in the hands of guys like Tommy and Jim Self.

Whatever it takes to get a good take.