Advice on switching to CC tuba

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Jess Haney
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Re: Advice on switching to CC tuba

Post by Jess Haney »

KiltieTuba wrote:Look guys, Danny said he wants to do a MUSIC EDUCATION degree... how many educators (that are tuba players) teach students at the high school or lower level on CC tuba?

He's not going for a performance degree, so I fail to see how any of your responses are helpful. His focus should be on learning the primary school instruments so he can pick up a flute or clarinet and play it, or mash the tune out on the piano. Picking up lessons on piano and maybe buy a couple of "student" horns is far more preferable to laying down serious cash on a CC tuba (because what college professor isn't going to scoff at a Chinese-clone).
I agree. I have done my entire life on a BBb as my primary mostly due to being a brass bandsman. But I feel that waiting til college is great advice and see what your teacher thinks. I have met a lot of college tuba professors that could care less about the key. The only professors that care about CC over BBb that I have met were not even tuba players and were basing their decision based on what their colleagues played in the orchestra when they were in college. CC may have been industry standard for pro horns 10-20 years ago but now most companies offer BBbs at the same quality and design as their top of the line CCs. Just my observation FWIW
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Re: Advice on switching to CC tuba

Post by Uncle Markie »

No employer - and I've had quite few of them - I have worked in the music business as ever asked me what key my tuba was built in.

You seem to be doing quite well performing on the BBb - keep striving to be a fine musician who happens to play the tuba.

Assuming you start a career in Music Education - your students will be playing Bb cornets/trumpets, Bb trombones, baritones, euphoniums and sousaphones, and for the most part Bb horns.

College costs a lot - and by a lot I mean more than you are probably imagining at this time. You'll need books, lodging and you'll want to eat once in a while. One good BBb tuba should suffice. If you are music ed major you've got lots to worry about learning besides orchestral excerpts. Work on your piano/keyboard skills and pay attention in string and woodwind methods classes.

Avoid paying too much attention to sweeping generalities espoused by high school band directors.

Good luck!

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TubaDanny43
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Re: Advice on switching to CC tuba

Post by TubaDanny43 »

58mark wrote:I agree about the versatility of a 3/4 CC, I have owned a piggy for almost 19 years now.

But... If he's auditioning for state, auditioning for college scholarships, and auditioning for placement into college wind ensembles, He really needs a horn that delivers a lush, thick, knock-your-socks-off tone. He's going to be trying out against others with 1291's, thors, pt-6's, ect. Yes, even at the high school level in Texas.

He still ever answered my question (asked twice in two different threads) about which horn he currently plays. If it's not a major upgrade, there's no reason to change to a CC
Very sorry for not replying to your question. (Haven't had much time to read over my responses). At the moment I am playing a BBb St. Petersburg tuba (school owned). Two years ago it was dropped by a senior who just graduated, on its rotors which now the 3rd and 4th are bent and the 4th rotor makes a pretty noticeable "clinging" sound. My school does have other tubas but this is the only one that everything moves on and has a case.
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Leto Cruise
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Re: Advice on switching to CC tuba

Post by Leto Cruise »

I would advise you to purchase a 6/4 CC tuba right away since those are the horns winning jobs. It's your best bet in this economy.
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TubaDanny43
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Re: Advice on switching to CC tuba

Post by TubaDanny43 »

KiltieTuba wrote:
TubaDanny43 wrote:
58mark wrote:I agree about the versatility of a 3/4 CC, I have owned a piggy for almost 19 years now.

But... If he's auditioning for state, auditioning for college scholarships, and auditioning for placement into college wind ensembles, He really needs a horn that delivers a lush, thick, knock-your-socks-off tone. He's going to be trying out against others with 1291's, thors, pt-6's, ect. Yes, even at the high school level in Texas.

He still ever answered my question (asked twice in two different threads) about which horn he currently plays. If it's not a major upgrade, there's no reason to change to a CC
Very sorry for not replying to your question. (Haven't had much time to read over my responses). At the moment I am playing a BBb St. Petersburg tuba (school owned). Two years ago it was dropped by a senior who just graduated, on its rotors which now the 3rd and 4th are bent and the 4th rotor makes a pretty noticeable "clinging" sound. My school does have other tubas but this is the only one that everything moves on and has a case.
So you're playing on a damaged tuba? Why not have them repair it?
The way I described above is actually the way it came back from the repair shop. I don't know how it was before it was it was sent off.
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bill
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Re: Advice on switching to CC tuba

Post by bill »

Interesting that no one has yet suggested that eventually you will have to master a bass tuba as well as a contra bass tuba. So, here you are worrying about CC vs. BBb and no one mentions F or Eb. I think Lee Stofer has it right and I have played beside Lee, on Eb, and he is a terrific Eb player but plays everything very well. I was also playing in an Orchestra once upon a time, hired specifically to play Arnold's 5 Cornish Dances, which has two lovely tuba solos in it. During sectionals, I was asked to play both solos and complemented, afterward, on how well they sounded. The instructor was the low brass instructor for a local college. He asked me what sort of CC I was playing and I told him it was a Willson 3400s Eb. He was astounded; he was certain I had been playing a CC. I played it on Eb because I believe it was written for that horn, not a CC or BBb (both of which I can play, as well as F). We see and hear what we want to see and hear and, unless there is a compelling reason for a certain horn, play what works best for you and the composer.
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Re: Advice on switching to CC tuba

Post by eupher61 »

If you want to switch to CC, go for it. It's a blast.

So is playing BBb. Or F or Eb.

You're playing Tuba. There are several instruments involved. If you want to pursue tuba performance at all, your best bet is to eventually learn to play all 4 keys, plus euphonium, at a level where you can sight read on all, play anything on all of them (literally anything, no matter what the "composer's intent"), with the confidence like you've played each all of your life.

As a teacher, nothing, no one, should tell you to not be the best musician you can be. If that means you take tuba lessons to the point of a performance major, so be it. What that simply does not mean is that you absolutely have to learn to play CC tuba, or F or Eb. There are plenty of arguments on each side of learning multiple key tubas as an undergrad...what it depends on is you. Your ability, your interest, your dedication. Some of it may depend on what instruments are available to you as well...but by no means should you feel obligated to buy a CC tuba "because you have to in order to be a tuba player." There is plenty to learn musically playing a BBb tuba. Literature can be problematic, getting to specific pieces. But advance to your highest level on BBb, and do all you can to be the best musician overall that you can be. That will help you be the best teacher you can be.
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Re: Advice on switching to CC tuba

Post by TubaDanny43 »

Thank you all very much ya'lls advice! I will be able to go back to TMEA this year so I plan on trying out some BBb and CC tubas.
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swillafew
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Re: Advice on switching to CC tuba

Post by swillafew »

An acquaintance of mine has a collection of good horns, and his Kanstul Eb really got my attention. If I was starting from scratch I would want to try one early.
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Re: Advice on switching to CC tuba

Post by Mark »

Rather than advice, I have a request. If you do not want to be a teacher, please do not get a Music Education degree.

I have seen way too many kids driven away from music because their band/orchestra director "settled" for a teaching job rather than what they really wanted to do.
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