"audition tuba"

[Coffeescar]

It's possible it was a local thing, but my high school band, and Northeastern State University typically had Tubas set up slightly right of center, our set up was Trombones - Euphoniums - Tubas - Perucussion for most things.

Though for one concert we did switch it a bit and put Tubas all the way to the edge of the stage when we did Holsts Second Suite in F, to get that last little Tuba/Piccolo duet to balance correctly.

[Lee Stofer]

My best success in orchestral auditions was with 1) Rudolf Meinl 3/4 CC, and 2) Rudolf Meinl 5/4 F-tuba, bell and outer wraps being nearly equal in size. And, I have to admit that I enjoyed playing the 3/4 Rudi CC in an orchestra as much as playing 5/4 to 6/4 tubas. In an American concert band, particularly one that plays a number of older pieces, it feels very natural and easy to play a 4/4 to 6/4 BBb tuba. The recording bell instrument, if correctly used, and not viewed too prejudicially by the ensemble/conductor, is a great option. I'm using a 1953 Conn 20J in a concert band at present, and with the bell tilted a bit to my right, the bell is not point-blank towards the conductor, but rather over the band, towards the woodwinds and most of the percussion, which seems to have the effect of helping to the band be tighter, tempo-wise. Fellow band members actually say that they prefer the recording tuba, as opposed to when I've brought in very large upright-bell tubas. Bloke made a very important point when he said that one must gauge their playing, because what you hear under (or behind) the bell bears very little similarity to what the audience hears. This was brought to my attention when listening to recordings. Listen to recordings of a group you play with, and you'll discover what you really sound like to the audience.