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Why do many tuba players use F tubas and sound like a euphonium? Is it envy?

Personally i dont try to sound like a euphonium when playing F Tuba and i really dont think anyone does. The F tuba is a tuba that sounds like a tuba but allows us to play certain rep with a little more ease than the larger brother BBb or CC. Excluding the tiny travel tubas, even the smallest concert size F tubas dont sound anything like a euph. The only consideration that i would give to sounding similar to a Euph while playing F tuba is when playing in the extreme upper register with a very small mouthpiece.

The most common piece that is played on Euph and F Tuba would be Bydlo. If you listen to both types of instruments playing that you can still tell which is which as the tuba will have a little more breadth in sound.

Ever tried to play euph parts on a tuba? Not fun, too many little black notes. I'll stick with the white ovals, please.

I agree that they don't intend on sounding like a euphonium. But they do.

I had to laugh when I first read you message. I always tease my F tuba friends that they are pitched a lot closer to a Bb Euphonium then a BBb or C tuba. So naturally they should sound “closer” to a Euphonium than a “real” (me being sarcastic) tuba.

mctuba1 wrote:Excluding the tiny travel tubas, even the smallest concert size F tubas dont sound anything like a euph. The only consideration that i would give to sounding similar to a Euph while playing F tuba is when playing in the extreme upper register with a very small mouthpiece.

I tried the small Kanstul F at Lee Stofer's Iowa shop one day. I couldn't quit sounding like a really bad euphonium player, no matter what mouthpiece or change in embouchure I tried. Lee, of course, had a perfect F tuba sound. After a few minutes of dejection and not a little humiliation, I tried a Besson 985 compensating F tuba that Lee had in the shop on consignment, and, lo and behold, I sounded like a tuba player again. Plenty of people have used the Kanstul to great effect. I couldn't; I just sounded like an embarrassment to euphers and tubers everywhere.