Words To Live By From A GREAT Teacher

[hbcrandy]

When I was browsing Facebook this morning, I found the following words of wisdom from my, now Facebook and formerly personal friend, David Zerkel, Professor of Tuba and Euphonium, University of Georgia. Having been a TubeNet member for many years, I felt that the TubeNet population would benefit from from Dave's insight.

"I'm going to step out on a limb here, and what follows is not an indictment on those who are artist representatives for certain instrument manufacturers. I applaud all of you for your recognition in the business. The fact that what you are accomplishing professionally is compelling enough for a manufacturer to be associated with you is commendable.

Having said that, success in musical performance is not based on the equipment one uses, but rather it based on the artistic merit, both musically and technically, of the live human being behind the instrument.

It. Is. Not. The. Horn. "

Great players/musicians will make make any tuba sound wonderfully, be it a beginner's model or a YamaYork. Players who sound poorly on inexpensive tubas can buy the YamaYork and still sound poorly for a lot more money. No matter what your level of playing is, having a good tuba is nice, but, it will not cure all of your issues with playing. The only answers to that are regular private instruction with a qualified professional performer/teacher and many hours of dedicated practice to perfect what your teacher has told you.

I will grant you that tubas that are more finely researched and crafted will make it easier for any player execute good intonation and technique to maximize your musical expression. But remember, the tuba does not play itself. It is an amplifier of what the player puts into the instrument.

[THE TUBA]

Call me the next time someone wins a major orchestral gig on a 3-valve Yamaha.

[Ken Herrick]

Call me the next time someone wins a major orchestral gig on a 3-valve Yamaha.

There always has to be one...…………………..

Anybody for some corn?

[roughrider]

Call me the next time someone wins a major orchestral gig on a 3-valve Yamaha.

There is no guarantee that any performer with any type of horn will be successful in any audition. As someone who has played everything from 3 valve BBb tubas to a 5 valve CC horn, I would encourage you to look beyond the "instrument envy" and focus on what is really important, that is the playing itself. Yes, having the right tool for the job makes a difference, however individual skill and initiative makes a huge difference. Research such players as Don Butterfield and Reuben Evans(who played with Sousa, Barnum and Bailey Circus and Guy Lombardo) to find players who made their livings as professional musicians playing 3 valve tubas! I suspect I will not be the only person responding to this thread.

[roughrider]

When I was browsing Facebook this morning, I found the following words of wisdom from my, now Facebook and formerly personal friend, David Zerkel, Professor of Tuba and Euphonium, University of Georgia. Having been a TubeNet member for many years, I felt that the TubeNet population would benefit from from Dave's insight.

"I'm going to step out on a limb here, and what follows is not an indictment on those who are artist representatives for certain instrument manufacturers. I applaud all of you for your recognition in the business. The fact that what you are accomplishing professionally is compelling enough for a manufacturer to be associated with you is commendable.

Having said that, success in musical performance is not based on the equipment one uses, but rather it based on the artistic merit, both musically and technically, of the live human being behind the instrument.

It. Is. Not. The. Horn. "

Great players/musicians will make make any tuba sound wonderfully, be it a beginner's model or a YamaYork. Players who sound poorly on inexpensive tubas can buy the YamaYork and still sound poorly for a lot more money. No matter what your level of playing is, having a good tuba is nice, but, it will not cure all of your issues with playing. The only answers to that are regular private instruction with a qualified professional performer/teacher and many hours of dedicated practice to perfect what your teacher has told you.

I will grant you that tubas that are more finely researched and crafted will make it easier for any player execute good intonation and technique to maximize your musical expression. But remember, the tuba does not play itself. It is an amplifier of what the player puts into the instrument.

As well stated as it could possibly be!!

[EMC]

Call me the next time someone wins a major orchestral gig on a 3-valve Yamaha.

There always has to be one...…………………..

Anybody for some corn?

I would absolutely love to see that or better yet a 3 valve king with a hole in the bell

[Worth]

Call me the next time someone wins a major orchestral gig on a 3-valve Yamaha.

There always has to be one...…………………..

Anybody for some corn?

I would absolutely love to see that or better yet a 3 valve king with a hole in the bell

I appreciate and agree with the OP, but the comeback by THE TUBA is classic and funny, although maybe just a touch irreverent. Better yet on an 3 valve Indian Sousaphone perhaps!

[Northernlb]

I think most people are missing the point of the quote, it is not about how good you sound on the instrument, but the fact that your musicality can be heard on any type of instrument or mouthpiece. We are not talking about trying to make a mirafone sound like a martin, but just making a tuba sound like a tuba. At some point if you believe you are that great of a musician, but cannot sound like a professional unless you have your equipment is your musicality really at a professional level?

Having my equipment makes my playing easier, yes, without a doubt, but my musicality is not limited by my equipment.

[bigboymusic]

Dis I miss the part in the initial post that read "The horn does not matter TO WIN A MAJOR ORCHESTRAL POSITION"???? I thought it was pretty clear that the quote meant, for all of us mere mortals in everyday playing, you need to learn how to play and make music on an instrument. The instrument can make things easier or harder. But anyone that has taught University students knows, There ARE kids playing YBB 641's that sound a hell of a lot better than the kid that dropped 10K on an HB2P because he could. It's not a question of can you take the CSO job with a Mack Brass 410L.... It's do you know how to be a great brass player first.

In my 40 years of playing now, I have been outplayed by pro's playing plastic sousa's, and I have been less than impressed by people showing off their new 15K beautiful piece of tubing...

In short.. No.. Gene doesn't win the CSO job with a Yamaha 201.... But I bet if he played a Mozart Flute Sonata on one behind a curtain, 99% of us would not know it was not a PT10.......

[hbcrandy]

Call me the next time someone wins a major orchestral gig on a 3-valve Yamaha.

.

You are missing the point of Professor Zerkel's statement. Let me counter your comment by reversing the situation. How many tuba players of sub-standard musical and technical capability have won a paying symphony job, major or minor by going out and buying the "greatest" tuba on the market. I suspect the answer to that is ZERO. I have been a member of audition panels before. Not being able to see the players from behind a screen, we can only judge a preliminary candidate by what we hear. Sound quality is a factor, but, the player's musical expression, technical facility and ability to play the excerpt in a proper context are the most important things. To clarify my last point in the previous section, I mean convincing the panel that you know what is happening around you in the orchestra and that you are not just playing the right notes in the right place for the correct duration. One of my major teachers, Paul Krzywicki, insisted that I and his other students either come to a concert and hear Paul play a piece or listen to two different recordings of the piece (I listened with a score in front of me) that you were to play in your lesson to know how to approach the excerpt. In one of my very early lessons with Paul, I did not listen to the excerpt in context. I only worked it out in the practice room. At the lesson, Paul interrupted me and asked me, "Who are you playing with, Harrison?" My answer was, "I am playing by myself." Paul said, "It sounds like it!" and proceeded to give me a lecture on playing the piece as if the orchestra were playing with me and knowing that passage "A" was with the trombones, passage "B" was with the doublebasses, etc.

I think Professor Zerkel is emphasizing the importance of good training, diligent practice and a deep knowledge of the orchestral literature as the major factors in musical success. Any instrument, good, bad cheap or expensive will not play itself and win the job for you.

[hbcrandy]

Dis I miss the part in the initial post that read "The horn does not matter TO WIN A MAJOR ORCHESTRAL POSITION"???? I thought it was pretty clear that the quote meant, for all of us mere mortals in everyday playing, you need to learn how to play and make music on an instrument. The instrument can make things easier or harder. But anyone that has taught University students knows, There ARE kids playing YBB 641's that sound a hell of a lot better than the kid that dropped 10K on an HB2P because he could. It's not a question of can you take the CSO job with a Mack Brass 410L.... It's do you know how to be a great brass player first.

In my 40 years of playing now, I have been outplayed by pro's playing plastic sousa's, and I have been less than impressed by people showing off their new 15K beautiful piece of tubing...

In short.. No.. Gene doesn't win the CSO job with a Yamaha 201.... But I bet if he played a Mozart Flute Sonata on one behind a curtain, 99% of us would not know it was not a PT10.......

I think most people are missing the point of the quote, it is not about how good you sound on the instrument, but the fact that your musicality can be heard on any type of instrument or mouthpiece. We are not talking about trying to make a mirafone sound like a martin, but just making a tuba sound like a tuba. At some point if you believe you are that great of a musician, but cannot sound like a professional unless you have your equipment is your musicality really at a professional level?

Having my equipment makes my playing easier, yes, without a doubt, but my musicality is not limited by my equipment.

BRAVO, GUYS!!!!!!!! You get it!

[Bnich93]

I couldnt make a miraphone sound like a york if my life depended on it (and Im ten times the tuba player you are), stop being p*ssys and decide what you want to DO and decide what that SOUNDS LIKE. And stop talking about student crap horns as if they are a destination.

You sound great to work with

Nice unsubstantiated claim too.

[Tubajug]

Call me the next time someone wins a major orchestral gig on a 3-valve Yamaha.

Orchestral gigs are not the "be all, end all" of tuba playing either. I've heard many people make some great music on a 3- valve Yamaha.

[roughrider]

Call me the next time someone wins a major orchestral gig on a 3-valve Yamaha.

Orchestral gigs are not the "be all, end all" of tuba playing either. I've heard many people make some great music on a 3- valve Yamaha.

Or a King, a Holton or a Conn!

[Leland]

Research such players as Don Butterfield and Reuben Evans(who played with Sousa, Barnum and Bailey Circus and Guy Lombardo) to find players who made their livings as professional musicians playing 3 valve tubas! I suspect I will not be the only person responding to this thread.

Heck, bruh, I was making a living playing on a 2-valve tuba.

(of course, that's what they issued to me, but as Bob & Doug said, "Ten bucks is ten bucks," right?)

[Ken Herrick]

No bones for you, Bloke: you're sounding too woofy.

On further reflection - in case that is a pig, not a dog bouncing around - NO CORN!

I am beginning to wonder though, maybe one of our newer members would like lots of corn. Could it be that the love child of Missouri and DP has come to taunt us?

[Mark E. Chachich]

I know Randy Harrison and respect him as a musician, a person and a friend. Randy has a (rather dated) bio on the Maryland Conservatory of Music website (faculty section).

http://www.musicismagic.com/" target="_blank

As far as Dave Zerkel, Randy and I both know him and we both have great respect for him as a musician and as a person.

Mark

[The Big Ben]

A tenor trombonist friend of mine named Wes (yes, really) bought one of those Jb-made Yamaha-lookin' bass trombones.
He bought it from Tom.
I asked him why he choose to buy it there.
Hey explained to me that the other name on the bell would have opened him up to too much teasing (yes, really).

We all got reasons.