Cimbasso 101

[swillafew]

Can you experts tell me if:

An over the shoulder Cimbasso could be held for a standing performance?

An F cimbasso would have a standard tuba mouthpiece shank?

A modern F fifth valve would be the long whole step type?

Also is there a sense of what key is desirable for one of these to be?

Thanks for your help. I know squat about these instruments.

[Douglas]

It wasn't fun but I've done it.

Yes.

Yes.

I like mine in F but I think it would be cool to have a contrabass. Not sure what I would use it on but it would be cool.

DB

[DouglasJB]

A longer exchangeable rod would be great

Yes, maybe with an adaptor to take old (small) euro shank mouthpiece or large Euph/bone mouthpieces (Bobo solo, or a contrabass trombone mouthpiece (I believe bloke uses something like this on his Euph))

Any (common) 5th valve tuning should be fine, if you're used to a flat whole step, use it. Same for 2 whole step, quintet valve or tritone (longer slides may be difficult)

I like the F cimbasso I've been using, never played on any other, but I imagine an Eb would work well.

[PaulMaybery]

John - All your points work.

The cimmy can be played standing with with a sax strap if you have a ring or place to hook it.

Has been done. Steve Call has used a strap when he soloed with us and the Great Western Rocky Mountain Brass Band a few years back. (Though not an ideal posture but for a feature number it is tolerable.)

Tuba mouthpieces works fine. Standard American shank.
Wessex now has a fine Cimbasso/Contra Bass Trombone MP. I have one for mine. Pretty good cup and smaller throat gives it more contra trombone sound.
Different MPs give different effects. When I used it on Star Wars in the symphony setting and the like, I like a big piece. Adds so much dramatic sound and color.
The contra mp might work better for solos and also in the opera orchestra where it is much different than those Hollywood John Williams film score suites.
I use it in sections that I feel are appropriate. That is a judgement call on my part. So far no complaints. Rather the opposite

F is a great key and the 5th valve on the Wessex/Jin Bao is a flat hole step- RH - same set up as an F tuba.
No problem in the low register. Plenty of gravitas with the F. A larger piece really helps in the low register. Less backup and plenty of depth.

Granted, view points on what a cimbasso should sound like vary. Even with a large piece, I don't think It will be mistaken for a tuba.
Minnesota Opera Principal Tuba/Cimbasso Itai Agmon is staying with us right now and LOVES my Wessex. He played it for several hours this afternoon.
(BTW - He also covets my Berg F tuba - not a bad note) Same can pretty much be said for the cimmy.

If you are thinking of getting one, you will have fun finding places to introduce, and if like me, you will not want to put it down.

Wessex does make an adapter for small to American shank. Though I believe that a regular connection between an American shank mp and receiver is the best solution.

I've had mine now going on 4 years and use it quite a bit.

[quesonegro]

For standing up, I use a tuba support stand to put the rod on...works real well...

This kind:



Doesn't work for marching

[PaulMaybery]

Here is a You tube of the Caribinieri Band marching in a military tattoo, complete with cimbasso marching along with all sorts of what we think of as concert only instruments.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziiTTktZ-_w" target="_blank


Check out time 2:28. What looks to be a BBb cimbasso.

Also sarrusophones, and bass and contra clarinets in unusual "to American eyes" shapes.

[Donn]

Reed contrabass actually - double reed like a sarrusophone, but fatter and different mechanism. Among the various contrabass clarinets, the guy in front has the fat one that's like the one Dan Schultz has with a Linton stencil. And a bass sax.

Another Italian band with a stand-up cimbassolatrist - Banda della Marina a Piazza di Spagna. Early in the video the sound is quite "present"; later around 10:15 we get a good look at the player, and again briefly at 14:48 as they file out. From the back only. If he has a strap, I guess it might be a harness under his jacket.