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some say its bad some say its okay i don't except for low notes

Nothing wrong with it. As long as it doesnt affect your sound. And when you're talkin low, how low you talk?

I was taught not to puff my cheeks out. If playing a brass instrument is about airflow in a straight line from your windpipe into the instrument and then you then puff out your cheeks, much of the air goes into your cheeks rather than into the instrument, at best creating a turbulent airflow, I don't see how that can improve the sound, I further suspect that it means that there is little in the way of muscular support for the embouchure which will affect tuning.
it doesn't look very good either, and makes it look that the player is having to make a real effort to play, when playing should look effortless
So overall I would say it is a bad thing to do and not to be encouraged, but as always, there will be some very good players who do puff their cheeks all the time to very good effect

I used to be concerned until I saw a top pro playing loud in the low register. While not generally recommended, let sound and functionality be your guide...

Yes.

Honestly, I don't think Don Harwood's puffed-cheeks really screwed up his airflow: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLMVB0B1_Ts" target="_blank

I've been taught not to do it, and I don't save for some extreme pedal register. My low register is extremely responsive and I don't do it. I think as long as it doesn't affect anything you do, then have at it. There are no absolutes in tuba playing.

If you're pretty skinny like I am, some puffing is inevitable, even if your airflow is uninterrupted. When I drop my jaw, my cheeks cave in a bit so some puffing occurs.

Tubadude999 wrote: ...long as it doesn't affect anything you do, then have at it. There are no absolutes in tuba playing.

This here is good advice. Sound good, that's the number 1 goal. If you puff to do that fine. If you play out of your ear to do it fine.

bububassboner wrote:

Tubadude999 wrote: ...long as it doesn't affect anything you do, then have at it. There are no absolutes in tuba playing.

This here is good advice. Sound good, that's the number 1 goal. If you puff to do that fine. If you play out of your ear to do it fine.

If you make it much harder or shorten your career by doing something that sounds good now is that fine?

Mark wrote:

bububassboner wrote:

Tubadude999 wrote: ...long as it doesn't affect anything you do, then have at it. There are no absolutes in tuba playing.

This here is good advice. Sound good, that's the number 1 goal. If you puff to do that fine. If you play out of your ear to do it fine.

If you make it much harder or shorten your career by doing something that sounds good now is that fine?

Every person who I have worked with who falls into this category was doing something to "look right". Things like "you shouldn't let your shoulders/chest move while breathing" which limits air intake which makes people sound bad or makes them do things that may shorten their career. I've seen people work really hard not to puff the cheeks, adding a lot of un-needed tension to the face area causing lots of problems. When you worry about the product the process takes care of itself. When people worry too much about the process the product suffers.