TubeNet

Do the Germans still start tuba students on F tuba, and then move on to the big horn? Or is that just a myth?

If it is true, I've always like that idea. Not only to start younger on a more reasonably sized instrument, but also as "resistance training." (If you can learn to play on an old rotary F as a kid, you'll be set on anything else.)

I graduated college 11 years ago. The only F tuba I ever saw was Tom Holtz' Yamaha F when he played in the jazz band. Maybe there were other F's floating around, but not that I ever saw or knew about.

Two years ago a graduating HS student shopped my F tuba, as he "needed it" for his freshman year. I spoke to a student at the college (trombone major) and he told me students at Eastman were playing one horn generally. The HS student was misled somewhere, I guess. I expect a lot of other brass players (horns, trombones and euphoniums) are one horn operations everywhere.

To the student's credit, he made quite a nice sound on my horn! He wanted something newer. I hope he's doing great.

bort wrote:Do the Germans still start tuba students on F tuba, and then move on to the big horn? Or is that just a myth?

I have yet to see anyone under the age of 20 play the tuba here yet. From what I have been told music isn't a part of school, but an after school activity. When I do see German tuba players they for the most part have been playing only BBb and not F tuba. Only time I have even seen someone use an F tuba they also had their BBb tuba next to them.

There are a lot of cheap 4 valve F tubas here though. A lot of the BBb tubas for sale here are either really nice customized BBb tubas or really old BBb tubas.

As I learn from first hand knowledge I'll share it here.

I did ok through graduate school NEVER purchasing a tuba. That said, I make my money now almost exclusively playing piano (and, I also don't own one of those ).

I think that the internet is mostly responsible for this "need" to have an F tuba, at too young an age. TubeNet itself, may also be partly the cause.

Prior to Al Gore inventing the internet, most kids did not even KNOW what an F tuba was!

Stryk wrote:When I went through college in the 70s, NO ONE there had an F tuba. To this day, I don't think I have seen a live performance on an F.

Sure you have Terry! Have you never seen Paul Ebbers playing a brass quintet performance with the FSU Faculty group? He is famous for playing his F on those gigs. About 15 years ago, I played a set of Sousa Band performances that included, among other places, Panama City. The tuba section for that particular job was myself, Paul Ebbers (on his F), and Paul's top student. I'd be surprised if you didn't come see a band performance like that held in your own back yard...

Stryk wrote:When Paul was my teacher, he had just gotten to FSU - from what I remember he just has his Alex. I sure don't remember an F. I went to one of the Sousa concerts in Panama City that Earle was in, but Paul wasn't in the tuba section that time. I remember being introduced to Fred Mills at that one, also. I did miss one - was out of town for some reason.

I remember that concert as well. The section that time around was (I believe) myself, Dave Zerkel, and Willie Clark. One helluva good time! It was really amazing working with Fred Mills, RIP. It goes without saying that the euph section of Earle and Gail Robertson was also a pure joy to work with. Good times....

bloke wrote: My question about "when-to-purchase/when-to-furnish" is to the parents of under-21 children who believe they deserve to be driving automobiles on public streets.

If I had an under 21 child who was saving up for his or her first automobile, and the subject of using the money for an F tuba instead came up, I suppose I would be very supportive. Considering the relative potential of harm to the owner and/or others, the F tuba looks pretty good.

When should a young tuba player start playing euphonium? trombone? electric bass?

Casca Grossa wrote:When you are old and have no high chops anymore.

When you don't feel like playing low F's through thirty feet of tubing anymore?

In my sophomore year at Northwestern, Jake agreed that a small horn would be good to have along with the King BBb monster; an F, not a CC. One proviso being that I should be able to play everything on either.

I bought a used Alex 5 V from David Kheun, as I recall.
After a couple weeks getting used to it I took it to a lesson. Jake tried it and wanted it. Pictures was coming up and he was planning to use his 7v Alex. Mine had a nicer top end. We agreed the 7, a full F / CC double was a better "all round" horn and that by swapping, with borrowing back if needed, we would both have what suited our purposes. Done deal.

Somebody said get one when you are old and the high end chops are gone. More likely that the wind for the bottom end will be lacking and the body getting too weary to haul the big ones around. Either way, more practice and efficien

STUPID PHONE - cut me off mid sentence!

More practice and efficiency, especially in air use, are what is needed. An air capacity of under 3L is not a lot for playing tuba but, it can be done.