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I just thought I would throw out this inquiry. Was thinking of this yesterday. I had some free time and built a 2" x 2" x 2" wooden block to sit under my f tuba. (which has a low lead pipe, so for me it is a lap or leg tuba.) I put a 1/4 inch pad of neoprene foam on the top to keep it from slipping. I noticed the horn seemed to respond a bit differently when resting on the block than from on my leg. I also tried it on the hard wooden seat of the chair, and again it just seemed to feel different with regard to resonance. I'm not sure if I really like one better than the other, but it seems as though there is a spot just left of center on the bottow bow that affects that phenomena. I noticed this also with a BBb York Master Model that I once owned.

On the York, I once formed a piece of lead and strapped it to that area. The results were similar. At the time, several trumpet players were trying a heavy metal attachment to be strapped to the valve section. Way back in the '80s, Bob Pallansch was experimenting with a lead donut down inside the bell of his Cerveny CC Piggy. Others have soldered half round brass rod to the bell.

The BMB F seems to be extremely open in all registers, and at times I wouldn't mind being able to throttle things back a bit. I recall Alan Baer commented somewhere that he was enjoying the response of his BAT with it on a stand as opposed to being cradled between the legs and on the chair.
I'm wondering if others have had similar experiences and if they chose to make any modifications (permanent or temporary) that they thought gave some advantage to the instrument.

I use a Baltimore Brass playing stand and I like it a lot. I don't have to worry about getting the mouthpiece to the correct height. On some stages, the stand does transmit the sound down into the stage and you can feel it under your feet. I don't know whether this makes a difference out in the hall. I do know I am not distracted by trying to keep the tuba in place.

I have posted this before, but after a wrist injury I purchased a DEG stand to help hold my horn. Prior to this, I never used a stand. Boy was I wrong, I found that having a stand is a huge advantage, as like Mark said, the mouth piece is at the correct height, you can turn pages of music without having to worry about dropping your horn, and it is reduces fatigue.

Steve

Stands make life MUCH easier....

There are times when I need to turn pages while continuing to play without any rests. Doing so with a stand is difficult. Doing so without a stand is obnoxiously, annoyingly difficult and I hate it. I love having a stand. It just takes one more thing off your mind and let's you simply play and make music rather than worrying about having it at the right height, losing grip, leg falling asleep, etc.

I've been using a stand ever since last May when I was diagnosed with DVT (clots) in my left leg. As near as we can tell, the cause was a 3 day weekend of 8 hour days with a tuba resting on my left thigh. No more clots since then, and once I got used to it, I like playing with the stand.

I've been using a stand ever since last May when I was diagnosed with DVT (clots) in my left leg. As near as we can tell, the cause was a 3 day weekend of 8 hour days with a tuba resting on my left thigh. No more clots since then, and once I got used to it, I like playing with the stand.

Another vote for the BB Stand! Much easier on the body, much easier to get the correct height, no worry about a bashed lip when it slips off my lap! I carry it in a carpet bag along with my music stand and other needed "junk". I've used it over 10 years now.

I think you are all missing my point. I am wondering about the ACOUSTICAL effect of the tuba sitting on a padded or hard surface and how it affects the resonance of the instrument.

I have used a drummer's seat for my tuba playing for the last 10 years. The seat was first covered with neoprene and thick foam underneath. It did have a dampening effect on the sound, so I had it removed and the seat recovered without it. The horns sounded much more resonant without it and I have kept it that way ever since. I also enjoy using the stand after an injury to my shoulder many years ago. Horn is solid and I can focus on the music and not on whether it will fall or clip my face or worse.

PaulMaybery wrote:I think you are all missing my point. I am wondering about the ACOUSTICAL effect of the tuba sitting on a padded or hard surface and how it affects the resonance of the instrument.

Ah! Acoustically, I feel the vibrations much more easily on the stand than through the dampening effect of my legs. The rubber on the top of the BB rest is dense and not too thick, so the vibration seems to carry well through the heavy metal of the stand and into the floor. With a nicely-in-tune group, the horn rings.

I use a drum throne as a tuba stand. Give it a try you will like it.

Is there an option for standing and playing, so a strap isn't necessary? A tall tuba stand?

Bill Troiano wrote:Is there an option for standing and playing, so a strap isn't necessary? A tall tuba stand?

Yes, sir, there is.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/tuba-sta ... rmer-stand

Curmudgeon wrote:#15 cane tips in black work perfectly on the BBC stand legs, FWIW.

Ah! Wonderful tip. The stand does tend to slide on hard surfaces.

Many thanks for the "tip" tip. Ace Hardware here I come.

Curmudgeon wrote:

Mark wrote:I use a Baltimore Brass playing stand and I like it a lot. I don't have to worry about getting the mouthpiece to the correct height. On some stages, the stand does transmit the sound down into the stage and you can feel it under your feet. I don't know whether this makes a difference out in the hall. I do know I am not distracted by trying to keep the tuba in place.

#15 cane tips in black work perfectly on the BBC stand legs, FWIW.

Use 'em! Work well.

I have the taller stand used for standing and i love it, I need to order one of the smaller ones sometime

Curmudgeon wrote:

Mark wrote:I use a Baltimore Brass playing stand and I like it a lot. I don't have to worry about getting the mouthpiece to the correct height. On some stages, the stand does transmit the sound down into the stage and you can feel it under your feet. I don't know whether this makes a difference out in the hall. I do know I am not distracted by trying to keep the tuba in place.

#15 cane tips in black work perfectly on the BBC stand legs, FWIW.

I have a bag of tips I bought on Amazon. I have already worn some out.

Mark wrote:

Curmudgeon wrote:

Mark wrote:I use a Baltimore Brass playing stand and I like it a lot. I don't have to worry about getting the mouthpiece to the correct height. On some stages, the stand does transmit the sound down into the stage and you can feel it under your feet. I don't know whether this makes a difference out in the hall. I do know I am not distracted by trying to keep the tuba in place.

#15 cane tips in black work perfectly on the BBC stand legs, FWIW.

I have a bag of tips I bought on Amazon. I have already worn some out.

Note to self: replace the worn out one on my stand!