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Who wants to hear a quick story?

So I was in community band on Tuesday night, and I was just minding my own business as usual. I am one of two tuba players in the Shoals Community Band and this week the other guy didn't show up, but that means I'm free to play the parts as I usually do. So we've played the first two numbers, but did I forget to mention we have a mini concert on Thursday? Anyways, we were playing some arrangement of God of Our Father and it was the open section. I play the first couple bars as written then take it down an octave for two bars, and then finally on the final bar I take the BBb to a Pedal on the big York. The conductor that is usually there is off singing with a group, and our associate conductor was there, and he cuts the band off. I figured he was going to address something about the low brass being too loud or what have you, but he says, "Wow that was incredible. So musical and it sounded effortless."

It's always nice to be recognized. I just thanked. I do that every time, but he's usually playing clarinet so he probably had never been able to hear it. Then we just continued on like nothing happened.

What do I put next, the end?

Thanks for reading,
Zac

Next you figure out how many more notes you can add an octave to!

That's great. Congratulations and good luck:)

Well I don't do it all the time, but in the context of the piece it REALLY adds a nice color and touch. So I've added some of that to it. He enjoyed what I was doing!

octavating is a "popular sport" among BBb tubas in brass bands, and I really hate it.

One not too lucky tubist asked Rex Marten "when to octavate"?
And he replied:

"Well....You know. If the composers knew that great tuba players like me even existed they
would of course write everything an octave down, but until then lets just play what they wrote."

I think that is about as direct and sarcastic Rex Martin can be

Relating to playing octaves in the tuba section:

Here is some historical perspective to chew on. This was passed down to me from Bill Bell and corroborated by some of his other students which he must have discussed this with.

In Sousa's band, there was a tradition in the tuba section for one player to take a note or short passage down an octave, while yet another took it up an octave. In many cases this was just on that well known diminished 7th chord near the end of a strain. Often, other spots such as the half cadence at bar 15 & 16 of a 32 bar Trio section got this treatment. (for example the E flat half note arpeggio in Stars and Stripes) The purpose was to 'emphasize' certain effects. The octave enhancement you might say was like adding some EQ to the bass end of the band. It is important to remember that Sousa used only upright tubas or upright sousaphones, and at that rather large ones to boot, thus the tuba sound was rather ambient or diffused. When those octaves were added they were done very subtly and it was something that was probably felt more than heard. The written notes still maintained the majority of the sonority - albeit with a corona of sound above and below.

This was not an issue of the tuba player showing off his pedal register, but an artistic attempt to enhance the overall performance.

What bloke said. Taste is paramount in discerning when a couple of privileged, or near-pedal, or pedal tones will do the job.

Oh by all means. It's not to show off whatsoever, but to add a musical flavor that wouldn't be there. We have a great Bari sax player, who was playing tuba, so he's playing the same note, so I pedal where it seems appropriate and it just adds so much to the sound of the band and what have you. If I wanted to show off I'd take things up an octave, but that's just foolish in my opinion.

We had a great concert tonight. Audience really enjoyed us.

PaulMaybery wrote:Relating to playing octaves in the tuba section:

Here is some historical perspective to chew on. This was passed down to me from Bill Bell and corroborated by some of his other students which he must have discussed this with.

In Sousa's band, there was a tradition in the tuba section for one player to take a note or short passage down an octave, while yet another took it up an octave. In many cases this was just on that well known diminished 7th chord near the end of a strain. Often, other spots such as the half cadence at bar 15 & 16 of a 32 bar Trio section got this treatment. (for example the E flat half note arpeggio in Stars and Stripes) The purpose was to 'emphasize' certain effects. The octave enhancement you might say was like adding some EQ to the bass end of the band. It is important to remember that Sousa used only upright tubas or upright sousaphones, and at that rather large ones to boot, thus the tuba sound was rather ambient or diffused. When those octaves were added they were done very subtly and it was something that was probably felt more than heard. The written notes still maintained the majority of the sonority - albeit with a corona of sound above and below.

This was not an issue of the tuba player showing off his pedal register, but an artistic attempt to enhance the overall performance.

Yes. Absolutely. That is the way I have always understood the best use of sub-octave.

tuben wrote:

Lectron wrote:octavating is a "popular sport" among BBb tubas in brass bands, and I really hate it.

One not too lucky tubist asked Rex Marten "when to octavate"?
And he replied:

"Well....You know. If the composers knew that great tuba players like me even existed they
would of course write everything an octave down, but until then lets just play what they wrote."

Except brass band composers and arrangers were for writing for instruments of limited capability originally. (i.e. three valve BBb basses.....)

You know.....There are still composers writing for brass band

I would make this bold statement that composers like Gregson, Derek Bourgeois, Philip Sparke, Simon Dobson, Philip Wilby
and maaany others would know the register of a 21st century tuba and write the parts out of that knowledge.

tuben wrote: bla bla bla bla bla....
It was too early, I meant to say, "Except early brass band composers and arrangers...."

I assumed that was what you meant, but jumped the horse lol

TubaZac2012 wrote:... I figured he was going to address something about the low brass being too loud or what have you, but he says, "Wow that was incredible. So musical and it sounded effortless."

I thought for sure he was going to add;

"Just never do it again!!"

Was rehearsing last evening with the Minnesota Symphonic Winds on a piece by Claude Smith, "Eternal Father." Composer's directions at the point where the bass line comes in on the hymn tune on a C below the staff - "play an octave lower when possible." That would include the Bnat below pedal C. Interesting that a creditable composer such as CS would leave some of those things as an option. I'm sure he knew when the "President's Own" was playing it that it would come off "quite awesome." I was challenged to say the least. Not something one 'often' or for that matter 'ever' sees. It will be a wonderful effect. One player carefully putting those pedals where they need to be is all it takes.

PaulMaybery wrote:Was rehearsing last evening with the Minnesota Symphonic Winds on a piece by Claude Smith, "Eternal Father." Composer's directions at the point where the bass line comes in on the hymn tune on a C below the staff - "play an octave lower when possible." That would include the Bnat below pedal C. Interesting that a creditable composer such as CS would leave some of those things as an option. I'm sure he knew when the "President's Own" was playing it that it would come off "quite awesome." I was challenged to say the least. Not something one 'often' or for that matter 'ever' sees. It will be a wonderful effect. One player carefully putting those pedals where they need to be is all it takes.

I think that's a Navy Band thing. I've done it the few times I've played it, actually goes down to a pedal G then.

I have never received anything but smiles when I stuck a pedal at the end, no matter the group. Never did it in an orchestra, but all kinds of wind groups, large to small.

MaryAnn wrote:I have never received anything but smiles when I stuck a pedal at the end, no matter the group. Never did it in an orchestra, but all kinds of wind groups, large to small.

I've done the same with mixed results from the director (who is usually a high school director). The audience likes it and I'm too old to be sent to the principal.....

OK... so I'll throw in an octave lower note here and there where I feel it's appropriate. You have to know where it works and where it doesn't. Sometimes it is just bad from a musical standpoint. Maybe the chord is supposed to be in close harmony, or the motion of the resolution doesn't allow for it or what have you. When it works well and you're in tune it sounds great and I find that many conductors won't even notice that you've added the octave. You certainly don't want to stick out of the texture. You do have some conductors who are strict traditionalists that don't want to hear anything unless it's notated on the page. I have been working with one of those recently. I have actually been accused of adding notes while playing only what's written with a comment that the composer is "smarter than all of us". Really annoying especially considering that I've not submitted my IQ score to the organization. Anyways- toodle on!

I'm OK with this........but no "octavating" until around 3:00