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Has anyone used a 186 BBb or CC or a 185 CC successfully in a quintet?

Yes. With a modicum of musicianship, neither should be an issue.

That was my only horn for a while, and yes, it worked quite well in quintets.

My former professor also plays his 186 CC in the faculty brass quintet. I've never seen him use one of his others (he owns a Yorkbrunner and a piston F of some kind, I don't recall the make/model).

Tubajug wrote:That was my only horn for a while, and yes, it worked quite well in quintets.

My former professor also plays his 186 CC in the faculty brass quintet. I've never seen him use one of his others (he owns a Yorkbrunner and a piston F of some kind, I don't recall the make/model).

Are there any videos of the faculty quintet or of you and your 186? Thanks.

Yes. I have used my 186BBb in quintet effectively. No choice - it was either that or a sousaphone. I don't own an tuba pitched in F (I about typed F tuba, but that might have been misconstrued

Is there any video of you quintet? In some arenas the term "F tuba" might be misconstrued. On here we all know what you are talking about.

I've used what I think are a 185 Bb and 187 (neither labeled but smaller/bigger than 186's I've played in the past) in quintets. Couldn't stand it! I've had a much better experience with bass trombone, various small Eb's, and a Miraphone 1281 F. I think the 1281 is a good compromise between too broad for the other horns and too un-tuba-like. Low C is fantastic, B and down are ok. I'd try a 3/4 contrabass for jazz charts and some low register stuff. A small F ( the default) and a Weril 62x Bb (cheap enough for the minimal use! they could use the same gig bag!) would be a combo I could get behind.

Isn't the answer to this question totally dependent on whom you're playing with?

Chuck"artsy-fartsy or macho would dictate more of a horn choice than a braod question"Jackson

The question is very specific.

eupho wrote:Has anyone used a 186 BBb or CC or a 185 CC auccessfully in a quintet?

YES... a 186 BBb.

eupho wrote:

Tubajug wrote:That was my only horn for a while, and yes, it worked quite well in quintets.

My former professor also plays his 186 CC in the faculty brass quintet. I've never seen him use one of his others (he owns a Yorkbrunner and a piston F of some kind, I don't recall the make/model).

Are there any videos of the faculty quintet or of you and your 186? Thanks.

I'm afraid I don't have any videos or audio, sorry. I played a 4-valve 186 CC as my only horn for a while and it was great. The 186 really does make a great "all around" instrument.

Yes.

eupho wrote:Has anyone used a 186 BBb or CC or a 185 CC successfully in a quintet?

Bill Clinton asks "define successfully"?

Chuck Jackson wrote:Isn't the answer to this question totally dependent on whom you're playing with?

+1

I have on some occasions felt the need for a little more heft and used my vintage 185 with the small 15 in thin metal bell which does sound different than the current thicker larger bell 185/186 they sell now.

Successfully= great balance, solid foundation, great intonation, technical fluidity, clear articulation, musically expressive, clarity and appropriate depth of timbre.

While at Arkansas State University, Jay Norris (Former Army Band) played at 185 CC, and Dr. Bill Holmes played a 186 4 valve CC in faculty quintet.

Not a Miraphone 186, but I have played a Cerveny 681 (correct me if I'm wrong; same pattern and size as the 186?). It worked just fine. I have sat next to the same horn for several years playing trombone, and the tone and balance have always worked well.

I also used a 4/4 Rudy Meinl at one point. Stronger group, satisfactory result; still, at that point I personally liked my B&S Symphonie F better for quintet. My MM prof did not, but I did.

Seems to me a guy in Toronto started a quintet using a 185. Sounded pretty good, too. Chuck Dally--Deli--Dylan--oh, what was his name??

eupho wrote:Successfully= great balance, solid foundation, great intonation, technical fluidity, clear articulation, musically expressive, clarity and appropriate depth of timbre.

What you just defined as 'successfully' are qualities that the player should have...

You're asking around a lot about what tubas work in quintets for others, including asking about a tuba you say you own... have you tried using what you already own yet?

Let me know when you find the magic piece of plumbing that makes you 'successfully' (read: being a musician) fit into an ensemble just by operating it...

With exception of musical expression the qualities of the tuba itself are integral to the success of the others. Perhaps I will update as I don't have any of those tubas anymore and I am shopping.

I have played both a Miraphone 1291 and 186 (the CC versions) in quintet and have had success. A lot of the job falls on the player. The solid foundation and balance you talk about will come from your playing, just because the horn is smaller doesn't mean it will play itself into a quintet sound! That being said, most quintet players use F because it is easier to control a softer, smaller sound. That doesn't mean the horn magically did it for them, they had to work on that sound (something you can achieve in even the biggest of horns).

Intonation, technical clarity, and the other issues you bring up are things that YOU have to work on!!! Rarely do two people play the same horn exactly the same way. Just like horns have tendencies, so do we!! Technical clarity will 100% come from your own work, how else do those fellas down in New Orleans play complicated lines on sousaphones held together by duct tape?

The real question you need to ask when picking up a horn for really any situation, but especially quintet is "Will this horn make my life easier or more difficult? And if more difficult, how much so, and is the sound production and maybe familiarity with the horn worth the added work to stay inside the confines of my ensemble?"

Short Version: Horn doesn't make the player, player makes the horn!!!

I leave you with this, Gene playing Malcom Arnold on a huge a$$ horn and making all of us green with envy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixvkMetDylw" target="_blank

Jack Hoeksema wrote:I leave you with this, Gene playing Malcom Arnold on a huge a$$ horn and making all of us green with envy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixvkMetDylw" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank

Come to think of it, Fletcher played a 345 CC with Philip Jones, yes?