Tone Problem

tubaaron · Post by **tubaaron** » Fri Jul 01, 2005 6:47 am

Hey guys, I'm getting very troubled by this double buzz effect I'm having while playing on the horn. It's like there's a little bit of dirt in the sound and my friend describes this as "ghost tone". It gets worse when i play around the range of Bb - C in the staff, so much so that it becomes like a 'flutter' buzz at times. I've tried buzzing on the mouthpiece alone and it sounds fine to me, but the problem arises again whenever i go back to the horn.

Any ideas as to what might be causing the problem and any solutions? All feedback will be greatly appreciated...Thanks.

Aaron "who's spending so much time looking for a cure that he forgets to practise."

Anterux · Post by **Anterux** » Fri Jul 01, 2005 8:34 am

There are members of this forum far more experienced in this matter then I am. Knowing that you can try some of these:

- a better position of the tuba (in relation to your body)?

- a diferent mouthpiece?

- Does It happen in other tubas?

- The most important: talk about this with a teacher.

- Then (and just then) pratice pratice pratice.

Just ideas from somone who had problems like those.

humphrey · Post by **humphrey** » Fri Jul 01, 2005 8:49 am

I have a similar problem on my high range. Everything is fine up to the F above the staff, but after that I get a note an octave lower than the one I'm playing alongside the high note. Anyone come across this & found a cure?

Tubaryan12 · Post by **Tubaryan12** » Fri Jul 01, 2005 9:35 am

Tubaaron,

What mouthpiece are you using? Did you recently change mouthpieces? How long has this been happening?...did it just start or has it been going on for a while?

brianf · Post by **brianf** » Fri Jul 01, 2005 9:39 am

Some guy wrote this in a book about an old tuba player:

"A common problem is that of a double buzz, or as Jacobs calls it, â€œsegmentation.â€

tubaaron · Post by **tubaaron** » Fri Jul 01, 2005 10:03 am

Anterux: Thanks alot for your ideas. Well it happens on other tubas, but much more noticeably on the bigger CCs as compared to the Ebs and Fs i've played on before. I've talked to my teacher about it, and he told me it'll go away and not to be bothered by it. I've tried adjusting the tuba with little effect. But i'll definitely keep practising! Thanks!

Paul M: Initially i thought it happens only when i play loud, but when i brought the volume down, the double buzz maintains..My peers did mention to me about lip muscle conditioning..guess I've gotta practise more long tones, starting with the one you recommended.=) Thanks.

Tubaryan12: I'm using a PT 49 on my 2155 and it's been quite a while since i last changed my mouthpiece. I have however been switching tubas every couple of months because i had to wait for mine (which took TEN months!!) to come. The problem has been going on for a very long time on all the horns i've played on but it's only recently that i've started to pay more attention to it.

tubaaron · Post by **tubaaron** » Fri Jul 01, 2005 10:10 am

[quote="brianf"]Some guy wrote this in a book about an old tuba player:

"A common problem is that of a double buzz, or as Jacobs calls it, â€œsegmentation.â€

windshieldbug · Post by **windshieldbug** » Fri Jul 01, 2005 11:45 am

Whenever I've run into something similar in teaching, it has always been tongue position. For what it's worth, I'd try a flatter tongue and more "open" mouth. Makes the sound more resonant, too.