Switch to CC?

[Donn]

See? Every way there is to do it, someone does it that way. Just to see what would happen, I just now went and played a little Bach ditty on my Eb tuba as if it were the BBb tuba I usually use for that. Even though the notes were coming out a fourth higher, my head did not explode. But yours might. Only you can say. At 71, though, I wouldn't mess around, you probably don't have much longer.

[Ace]

See? Every way there is to do it, someone does it that way. Just to see what would happen, I just now went and played a little Bach ditty on my Eb tuba as if it were the BBb tuba I usually use for that. Even though the notes were coming out a fourth higher, my head did not explode. But yours might. Only you can say. At 71, though, I wouldn't mess around, you probably don't have much longer.

Hrrmmph! On behalf of myself and maybe one or two other oldsters on this board, age 71 seems youthful. I assume you were kidding with that remark. If not, watch out. Don't mess with seniors. Ha.

Ace

[royjohn]

Donn wrote:

At 71, though, I wouldn't mess around, you probably don't have much longer.

"Oh, he died with a tuba in his hands, in his hands, a big BBb tuba in his hands..." [or maybe a CC...LOL]

[paulver]

Being 67 years old, I find myself enjoying learning new things. Sometimes it's a challenge, but mostly enjoyable.

You have simple choices........ the cheapest would be to nail down the BBb tuba fingerings. The second choice ..........forge ahead and buy whatever you want, then become proficient on both horns and both sets of fingerings.

That being said...... to a certain extent I understand your "indecision". I've taught kids to play tons of different instruments during my teaching career, and at times I'd got confused with fingerings. However, my biggest stumbling block was reading bass clef on a baritone/euphonium. For some ungodly reason, when I picked up that instrument, I started using treble clef fingerings..... even while reading bass clef!!

Working in high school, I had switched most of my baritone players from trumpet or some other treble clef instrument. So, obviously, it was much quicker/easier for them to continue reading treble clef. For some of the "sharper" kids..... I taught them bass clef. But, the overwhelming number of kids read treble clef, so, my tendency to use treble fingerings probably comes from that. Once I reset my brain and concentrate on what I'm doing, I'm fine. I just hate that momentary "fit of confusion" when the treble clef fingerings creep in!!!!!

[MusicSmiths]

While I loved learning to play Eb these last couple of years, it was like being mostly fluent in a foreign language. When I was tired, I'd miss fingerings, use BBb fingerings (false cognates..) or just come up blank about what to do... that sort of thing. I decided to go back to BBb and it's been just "easier" on the old 'noggin. Perhaps if I'd spent more time working fingering patterns on scales and that sort of thing I would have surmounted the Eb fluency/facility issue.

[PlayTheTuba]

...If not, watch out. Don't mess with seniors. Ha.

Ace

I have been watching The Amazing World of Gumball on Hulu for the past couple of weeks... that line made think of this video clip. Hope y'all find it enjoyable.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tvzOBixMlo" target="_blank

[barry grrr-ero]

I'll keep my response short.

If you play mostly in bands, I would go BBb or Eb (as suggested earlier). It would be great if you learned both.