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I just got a brand new 4/4 Bb tuba, silver plated, rotary valves. It's a great horn, amazing mid-high register especially. But there is a problem when I play notes in the lower register (E1-Bb1). For example if I were to play a Low-E (2+4) if I don't play it loud enough, it will move up a semitone or two to F or F# with a slightly more muffled sound (imagine if you were to press your valves half-way down and play, it makes that muffled sound) I don't know if it's just a tuning issue or if it's supposed to be this way. I can play in the low register easily on different tubas. Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

Make, model, and more specs please... even better, a picture!!

It's very hard to diagnose the problem without seeing and hearing what you're doing while attempting to play in the low register. However, here are a few "suggestions." When playing in the low register, think " slow" air. Keep in mind that "slow" air refers to the speed of the air, not "necessarily" the "volume" of air. Slowing the air down can be accomplished several ways. Here are a couple.
1) Placement of the tongue. Think ah or oh instead of ee. Your goal here is to lower your tongue placement in the back of your mouth.
2) Open throat. Try buzzing your mouthpiece, place your hand at the end of your mouthpiece. If the air is "cold" , your throat is probably closed. Try humming or singing while you buzz, this may or may not help you "open up" You can also practice "breathing" Inhale using "how" exhale using "ho." Or any combination of those two. The exhalation should yield " warm" air and an open throat.

Another thing to keep in mind, is that some tuba makes and designs require "slower" air in the low register than others. Once mastered, this type of tuba may or may not yield greater "efficiency." Some people refer to this type of tuba as " stuffy. " However, it's a matter of "opinion."

Good luck and I hope this at least provides a little help. Believe it or not, I'm still working on the same stuff.

A few years ago I was helping a student who was using a brand of BBb rotary tuba that is found in many high schools. When he tried to play low F it came out as a low G. Eventually I discovered that when I play low F on that model (and several other similar tubas) I can lip it up to G with very little effort. You can make them play low F if you know how, but they don't play themselves. Students who have not yet learned to make their chops buzz low F just can't get that note. Tubas that have what I would call a "good" low register do not have that poor slotting; you can lip up the low notes a little bit, but not a whole step. In my opinion a tuba that has a weak low register should not be in any high school.

I've tried the Made in Chyna 4-rotor BBb (the short-bell or Hirsbrunner copy)
It does exactly this. It's junk. I'd bet even money this is the tuba he's talking about.

TheGoyWonder wrote:I've tried the Made in Chyna 4-rotor BBb (the short-bell or Hirsbrunner copy)
It does exactly this. It's junk. I'd bet even money this is the tuba he's talking about.

It's a Mack TU210S, is this a fixable problem? If not that's fine.

TOLD YOU SO. well there was a chance that importer was better than the generic, but apparently not.
Just dump it and buy well-used in a brand with the money. At that price point, Yamaha 321 or King 2-piece or East German rotary are about all you can get with 4 valves. and maybe St Pete if you want to stick with short-bell rotaries.

I would suggest you check rotary valve alignment and for any leaks. If neither of those are the problem, get professor to try to see if it is the tuba or you need to practice more, or change mouthpiece.

Could be any of those. Hope that helps!

My 210L works at my range "between the Fs" as I have yet to encounter written parts lower than a low F, with an occasional E, or higher than a high F, oh, with maybe an occasional hi G, A or B (which I bring down an octave anyway)

You know, if one is A LOT better (and more demanding) than me, one probably should not be playing a -$2K Chinese tuba.

Otherwise, every tuba I've played at any price is a compromise.

BrooklynBass wrote:Make, model, and more specs please... even better, a picture!!

Mack TU210S, BBb, 4 rotary valve, silver plating.

There is an excellent product from Hip Bone music, a 20 minute warmup book. You get a CD of Gene Pokorny playing all the exercises. I play mine through an oversized stereo. I have played along with Gene (over a period of years) until my own pitch was less nasty and more like his.

Almost every page in the book goes down to the low E, and doing this requires a tremendous effort on the breath. A few of the pages can be played down an octave in case you feel frisky.

The post about buzzing the right pitch is of course spot on.

Wade's ear plug trick should be taken very seriously. The "head noise" you get from wearing ear plugs will tell you exactly what pitch you are buzzing, and can be used to help your accuracy immensely.