Born again Tuba player

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scottw
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Post by scottw »

Congratulations! I took a 25 year hiatus from tuba, like you, playing bass for the money. I stopped playing bass when it became no fun at all, and for 15 years played nothing at all-big mistake! I started tuba again almost 2 years ago and am having an absolute ball. I borrowed a tuba for the first year and bought my second-hand Mirafone 186 a year ago and have not looked back. Good for you to decide to do it again! Just be patient----you will have lost a lot of ground, and may never get back to where you were. As to a horn: I don't know who to recommend in the UK where you might go to try out tubas; that,however, is what you must do---try out as many as possible until you find your match. There is no brand or model that works for everyone, but you will know when you have found the right one and hopefull it will be in your price range! Best of luck. 8)
Bearin' up!
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Rick Denney
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Re: Born again Tuba player

Post by Rick Denney »

Lowdown wrote:I am looking forward to playing again after a 15yr break. Yes I know it's some holiday! I played Eb, EEb, from when I was 13 to 35, mainly in Brass Bands.
It sounds as though you are in the UK, which will change the choices considerably, it seems to me. In the U.S., I would always recommend a versatile, well-regarded used BBb tuba for a returning adult (assuming BBb was their instrument before their break, which is almost always the case). In Britain, I would expect the compensating Eb to be the standard instrument in amateur application, and since that's what you played before, I'd recommend sticking with it.

I wouldn't dare suggest an Eb for a returning adult, given that I don't play them at all. But I wanted to post this to confirm that you are in the UK, which I think will minimize a lot of U.S.-based advice that might not be applicable to your situation.

One bit of advice that does transfer: A good used instrument will hold its value, so you can buy it with the knowledge that if you later decide to take another direction, you can get your money back out of it. Also, buy instruments that are versatile and highly regarded. An older, used instrument of recognized quality will likely be better and more fun (barring excessive wear) than a new, budget or student instrument. For example, I'd far rather have a Besson New Standard or Boosey Imperial top-line instrument from 30 years ago than a student-model instrument of today (that was the choice I made when I found my old Besson euphonium).

Rick "expected there to be 15 used Bessons/Booseys for every one of anything else in the UK" Denney
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Dan Schultz
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Re: Born again Tuba player

Post by Dan Schultz »

Lowdown wrote:I am looking forward to playing again after a 15yr break.

(There's an 1928 Eb Imperial on ebay at the moment, which co-incidently, is what I started on first time round). Any comments please.
Welcome back! I too did not play for a number of years. There are several others on this BBS that took quite long absences from the tuba. It's funny you mention Eb as the horn you played when you quite. It was 1967, while I was stationed at RAF Edzell in Scotland, that I played for the last time for the next 30 years. It was with a brass band in Montrose, Scotland. Thanks to a new wife who goaded me into buying a horn, I started played again a few years ago. When I returned to the tuba I bought what I knew best... an EEb horn. Since then I have purchased several horns including BBb ones. My advise to you is that you do the same.. get an EEb horn since that is what you are most familiar with. You can always learn new fingerings later.

As far as Ebay goes.... make certain you contact the seller and find out all you can about him and the horn. The condition of the horn and the integrity of the seller are of paramount importance. Call him and talk on the phone to make sure who you are dealing with. NEVER pay by Western Union or wire transfer until you are absolutely certain of the situation.
Dan Schultz
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http://www.thevillagetinker.com" target="_blank
Current 'stable'... Rudolf Meinl 5/4, Marzan (by Willson) euph, King 2341, Alphorn, and other strange stuff.
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Chuck(G)
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Re: Born again Tuba player

Post by Chuck(G) »

Lowdown wrote:Thanks for the replies guys. I've put my feelers out and there's a local band with a vacant Bb chair. How easy is it changing from Eb to Bb? Can you, do you, use the same mouthpiece? Are there any tricks worth knowing?
(I'm assuming a brass band here)

I'd start off by using the mouthpiece that you're most familiar with, regardless of the horn. Of course, fingerings don't change in BB music, but you'll find yourself playing much lower than you're used to on Eb. Low concert F's aren't unsual and the occasional pedal concert Bb isn't unknown. For this reason, many Bb bass players like to use larger, deeper mouthpieces.

While I'd use a Denis Wick 3 mouthpiece on Eb, if someone were to ask me to shift over a char and play Bb bass, I'd probably want to use a DW 2 or even 1 on a BBb instrument.

But mouthpiece choice is a very personal thing, so I think it's best to get your chops going on whatever works for you, then try other mouthpieces if you feel that things might improve with a different one.

Good luck!
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