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General-interest question: what's the typical process for participating in a parade as a tuba/sousaphone player? I've always been curious how people typically join, since I see a lot of websites advertising upcoming parades but not ones for signing up to be in one. Do you have to already belong to a group? Is there usually an audition process? (I'm thinking more of smaller-town parades; I know stuff like the Macy's Thanksgiving parade and New Year's parade are especially selective.)

Find a band. You can post your location here and I'm sure there are folks who might be able to direct you towards a group to play with. There is also a Community Music Forum on Yahoo that you can join. Here's the link: https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/c-m ... s/messages

The C-M home page with a link to a list of community musical groups is here:

http://www.community-music.info/" target="_blank

Heavy_Metal wrote:The C-M home page with a link to a list of community musical groups is here:

http://www.community-music.info/" target="_blank" target="_blank

Thanks! That's the link I was REALLY looking for.

TubaTinker wrote:

Heavy_Metal wrote:The C-M home page with a link to a list of community musical groups is here:

http://www.community-music.info/" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank

Thanks! That's the link I was REALLY looking for.

See, I'm good for something

Wow, thank you for all the great resources! I'm clearly getting "join a group" as the resounding answer.

As for my location, I'm currently applying to graduate schools, so I'm actually not sure where in the country I'll actually be living after this school year (and you can imagine the application process isn't the best time to take up new things)--I'm looking into Boston and New York, among other places. But now that I know how to start looking for opportunities, I'm sure I'll be able to find something that will work.

Thanks for the help!
-Sous-Chef-Phone

You could "Clown Up" and enter as a solo act - some parades have this as a category. I have not seen a live tuba clown, but they must exist - I have several ceramic kitsch examples.

I play in about 10 parades a year with Los Trancos Woods Community Marching Band http://ltwcmb.com - it can be a lot of fun. If you have no community band that does parade you might be able to start your own (that is how Los Trancos started 55 years ago.)

I am a live tuba playing clown. Just playing a tuba is not enough to be a clown. You will represent all other Clowns. So make up must be good. Playing must lead into a laugh line, be it musical or verbal. Costume should fit the occasion, and be in good taste. There is a lot more to being a clown then putting on your wife's makeup, and waring your undies on the outside. But it is fun to do in a parade or as an elf at TubaChristmas.

Charlie C Chowder

Charlie C Chowder wrote:I am a live tuba playing clown. Just playing a tuba is not enough to be a clown.

This sounds like it deserves a thread of its own. Please tell us more about your activities.

Hup

hup_d_dup wrote:

Charlie C Chowder wrote:I am a live tuba playing clown. Just playing a tuba is not enough to be a clown.

This sounds like it deserves a thread of its own. Please tell us more about your activities.

Hup

May i echo this sentiment, if you're willing?

Even just pointers to recommended clown resources in general, though especially if they apply to live music/tubas.

And i shall do my best to remember i represent others who fulfill my various roles, so that hopefully it'll be second nature should i become a clown or a tuba clown.

You could work up something like this....

This guy is a favorite of mine: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCDedXLzI0U

A tuba.

On a boat.

With a turd.

Clown!!

bloke wrote:Some Saturday mornings on the boat, I park a joke-shop plastic turd in my Besson Eb recording bass.

It isn't large enough to have any perceivable acoustical effect (as least, not as much as a slightly different "gap" ), but - when I screw up in the middle of a solo (which WILL happen), I shake my head, thump on the tuba, stand up, shake the turd out of the bell, and continue on.

bloke "about as far as I've gone with 'clowning + tuba'. "

I personally think it would be funnier with a rubber chicken.......

reluctantly ....

There was a man on a crusade
With his tuba to find a parade.
Dressed up as a clown, he searched town to town--
Only to meet up with a sploding grenade.

I rarely join parades any more.

But I frequently rain on them!!

Not sure about other areas of the country, but summer here in western NY is fireman carnival season. Most volunteer fire departments in the area host carnivals as fund raisers, and start the carnival season off with a parade. Many of these Volunteer fire departments also sponsor bands to march in those parades. We have a great time doing the parades, and then playing in the carnival beer tents after the parade. As others have said the way to get started is to join an established marching band (or if you're really up for it start one of your own, but unless you've got a lot of experience marching, and know a lot of musicians, I'd say join one that's already established).

Radar wrote:Not sure about other areas of the country, but summer here in western NY is fireman carnival season. Most volunteer fire departments in the area host carnivals as fund raisers, and start the carnival season off with a parade. Many of these Volunteer fire departments also sponsor bands to march in those parades. We have a great time doing the parades, and then playing in the carnival beer tents after the parade.

My band has done that a few times in California. Great fun! We always have this old song ready (to the tune of "O Tannenbaum" played slowly)
The first bit is spoken dramatically:

OH, FOR THE LIFE OF A FIREMAN,
OH, FOR THE LIFE OF A FIREMAN,
TO STAND UPON THE ENGINE RED,
AND SHOUT TO THE HORSES,
GO AHEAD, GO AHEAD, GO AHEAD!

THE FIREMAN'S BAND, THE FIREMAN'S BAND,
HERE'S MY HEART AND HERE'S MY HAND.
THE FIREMAN'S BAND, THE FIREMAN'S BAND,
HERE'S MY HEART AND HERE'S MY HAND.

NOW DON'T YOU REALLY, REALLY THINK,
THAT WE SHOULD HAVE ANOTHER DRINK?

THE FIREMAN'S BAND, THE FIREMAN'S BAND,
HERE'S MY HEART AND HERE'S MY HAND.

Live in a town that has a lot of parades.

(Seriously)