thoughts on the Yamaha YFB822

Getzeng50s · Post by **Getzeng50s** » Fri Feb 18, 2005 1:20 pm

Ok, i am looking for peoples thoughts on the 822. I have been playing one for about 2 years and am beginning to wonder why i dont see many people withy them. are they too expensive? too big? what? looking for input from other people.

I play @ NEC in boston and want to be an orchestral player... wondering if i made the right choice... and looking into getting another horn.. do i keep this one? or buy another and add to my collection

TexTuba · Post by **TexTuba** » Fri Feb 18, 2005 1:24 pm

rascaljim · Post by **rascaljim** » Fri Feb 18, 2005 1:43 pm

Do you like it? Do you like how it sounds? Do you like how it sounds throughout the register? Do you like how it feels in your lap? Do you like it's intonation? Do you like you're timbre for specific periods and orchestral pieces? Do you like how you sound on it?

If you answered yes to all these, keep it. I don't think there's as much 'you gotta play this one or you don't know what your doin' going on with bass tubas as there are with contra bass tubas. If you like it, stick with it, if it's holding you back or the sound doesn't match your concept, perhaps it's time to do some lookin around. You might also try bring your F along when tryin some other ones and bring someone who knows your sound along for an outside opinion. Things sound different under the bell.

Hope this helps
Jim

Dylan King · Post by **Dylan King** » Fri Feb 18, 2005 4:37 pm

Tommy Johnson has been playing his 822 almost exclusively for the past 12 years or so. I bet you have heard it on half the movies you have seen. He digs it because it plays everything with ease, low and high.

I would have an 822 if I only had one tuba. I find that the combination of the smallest F (621) and the biggest CC (Yorkbrunner) works best for me. I can get through any kind of recording situation with those two horns. Of course, I am 40 years younger than Tommy and still can lug around two horns if I have to. Not that Tommy couldn't, I just don't think he would want to. He can still probably beat most tubists in golf on any given Sunday.

Alex C · Post by **Alex C** » Fri Feb 18, 2005 5:38 pm

The 822 is a fine F tuba. If you don't have a lot of time to practice F the 822 is a horn you can pick up and play easily. Some of the European F tubas require that you practice them daily to maintain the skills needed to play it.

On the downside, some people don't like it because the sound is a "too big" for an F, it does sound bigger than some CC's.

MikeMason · Post by **MikeMason** » Sat Feb 19, 2005 1:30 pm

if you want your f to have a low register and sound like a smaller, nimble CC tuba, this is for you. i'm quite happy. what the previous poster said about the low maintenance of f tuba skills is right on. i only use mine 10-12 times a year for anything in public, so its not worth it to me to devote an hour a day to f, as would be required on a rotary f (though they do make some interestin colors).

Tom Holtz · Post by **Tom Holtz** » Sat Feb 19, 2005 2:02 pm

I've been playing a 621 as well. I borrowed an 822 at the jam session after TUSABTEC, played it for a song or two. Very easy to play, it's got that Yamaha consistency across the registers. It does sound a lot like a CC, but I liked it very much. If I had to pick one horn for everything, this could be the one, although I like having a few in the stable. It doesn't surprise me that this is Tommy J's main axe. You can count on it to do the job every time. Very user-friendly.