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I was at the Washington Wind Symphony concert yesterday and one of the big brass players has a license vanity plate titled "tenor tuba". Does anyone use that terminology anymore? Heck, most of us non-tuba players are hard-pressed to tell the difference between a baritone and a euphonium.

BTW, I'm a sax player band owner who often helps hobbyists answer questions about music instruments. So the board owner graciously allowed me to join so that I can do research and point friends to more experienced big brass players. (Looking for the sax player emoticon...)

Oh, btw I love the lurker board title. As an admin on the Sax on the Web site and now the Woodwind Forum, I might just have to adopt that!

Maybe he/she couldn't spell 'euphonium'.

Curmudgeon wrote:"It's a bloody euphonium!!!"

is there any other kind of euphonium?

Gandalfe wrote:I was at the Washington Wind Symphony concert yesterday and one of the big brass players has a license vanity plate titled "tenor tuba".

The State of Washington only allows 7 characters, including spaces, on a personalized license plate. Neither tenor tuba nor euphonium will fit.

Mark wrote:

Gandalfe wrote:I was at the Washington Wind Symphony concert yesterday and one of the big brass players has a license vanity plate titled "tenor tuba".

The State of Washington only allows 7 characters, including spaces, on a personalized license plate. Neither tenor tuba nor euphonium will fit.

True ... however, "10R_2BA" does fit (just).

Kevin Hendrick wrote:

Mark wrote:

Gandalfe wrote:I was at the Washington Wind Symphony concert yesterday and one of the big brass players has a license vanity plate titled "tenor tuba".

The State of Washington only allows 7 characters, including spaces, on a personalized license plate. Neither tenor tuba nor euphonium will fit.

True ... however, "10R_2BA" does fit (just).

Yes, but the Washington Wind Symphony is in the State of Washington. I don't know how they could have a license plate titled "tenor tuba".

Maybe they were putting it to good use and dragging it from the bumper.

Mark wrote:Yes, but the Washington Wind Symphony is in the State of Washington. I don't know how they could have a license plate titled "tenor tuba".

It's possible that a

Gandalfe wrote:license vanity plate

is not the same thing as a "vanity license plate."

Here in NC, you can order a special registration plate that bears a logo or motto supporting your favorite cause, interest or group. If some the images of WA license plates on Google are any indication, it appears that WA vehicle owners have that option as well.

Perhaps that's what the OP meant?

Somewhere on here I saw an Alexander 151 as a "homophone." That's what Alexander calls a "baritone tuba." It's in euphonium range, but plays and sounds like a tuba, not like a baritone or euphonium. "Tenor tuba" is a good name for it. I haven't played the Alexander, but I did get a chance to play the Miraphone equivalent once, and it was beautiful. Definitely not a baritone or euphonium.

Gandalfe wrote:I was at the Washington Wind Symphony concert yesterday and one of the big brass players has a license vanity plate titled "tenor tuba". Does anyone use that terminology anymore? Heck, most of us non-tuba players are hard-pressed to tell the difference between a baritone and a euphonium.

BTW, I'm a sax player band owner who often helps hobbyists answer questions about music instruments. So the board owner graciously allowed me to join so that I can do research and point friends to more experienced big brass players. (Looking for the sax player emoticon...)

Good god! I was a member of that group over 25 years ago!!!! I'm delighted it's still going! It was a strong band even then, and a terrific experience for me! Plus, it made me a band geek for life!

J.c.S.

As a euphonium player primarily, I see this often actually in music. Not so much in newly composed/published pieces but older works and transcriptions. Last semester I played a quintet piece that was listed as tenor tuba, but given to me and not the tuba, because as stated before, sounds like a tuba, but in euphonium range and that is exactly how I play it. Anytime I see a tenor tuba part it is more often than not used to add that smooth velvety sound of a tuba across the euphonium range, i.e. a slightly darker sound than the more standard brighter euphonium or baritone sounds.

While web-surfing and reading about oval instruments, I noticed that many descriptions of oval "Kaiser Bariton" instruments mentioned that they played in the same range as the Euph, but had a better bottom end. A few manufacturers listed Kaiser Baritons in upright configuration, like a conventional tuba; some of these had 5 valves, and the blurb suggested they would make excellent tenor tubas.
Here is one of them:
http://www.hornguys.com/collections/ten ... ss-lacquer

So yes, the "tenor tuba" is alive, and holding its own