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Hey TubeNet. I was wondering if you guys had any tips for switching from BB contrabass to CC contrabass. Also, which methods are more effective? The only reason I ask is that I will be attending college in the fall and will be switching to CC, and I am not leaving myself much time . Thanks!

Once you have a CC tuba it goes pretty smoothly. I played stuff I was quite familiar with so I could just focus on the fingerings and not so much on the music. Play scales. Scales are your best friend. And play every day. Don't worry too much, it took me a couple weeks to be comfortable on CC. Good luck!

Practice practice practice. Eventually your brain will make the new connections, as the patterns and such you have learned all still apply, just in slightly different locations. You've already got the framework in your head, you just need to learn an alternate naming system.

Get the new Arban Method for Tuba and start on page 1. The original was written with the Bb trumpet in mind and later written down an octave for trombone and euph. What I like about the tuba method is that instead of just writing it down another octave, it was written down only a 7th keeping the CC tuba in mind. Since the book is progressive, you will start on whole notes and stay in the key of C. I tell all new students, take your time and the slower you go in the begining, the faster you will pick it up.

I am not a fan of working on things you played on BBb tuba while making the switch because it takes longer. When you play something on the CC that you played already in BBb your brain doesnt want to switch very easily. I am also not a fan of playing etudes early on because you have to think more about new fingerings than if you stuck with just scales for the first week or so.

1. get the Arban
2. play lots of scales slowly.
3. play slow, play long tones.
4. take your time.

And the Elephant states...

You will get it. It is not difficult; it is different.

This should be painted on the walls of every music room....

Kpen wrote:Hey TubeNet. I was wondering if you guys had any tips for switching from BB contrabass to CC contrabass. Also, which methods are more effective? The only reason I ask is that I will be attending college in the fall and will be switching to CC, and I am not leaving myself much time . Thanks!

In 18 months, I went from BBb only to Eb, F, and then CC. CC was the most challenging for me, since it didn't correlate to other instruments (Eb = Trumpet fingerings or BBb with the 4th, F is Bass bone trigger, etc...). Now, I also play a little D, Bb and double horn, transposing horn, natural horn, bass trumpet and its transpositions, serpent (!), ophicleide, etc.

The advice to sit in front of a familiar etude is dead on. Have a fingering chart handy for when your brain seizes, but sloooowwwwlllly make your way through Rochut 3 (my favorite) or similar and piece it together. Patterns in familiar keys you should already know... and your ear will correct you (hopefully). But be patient, and it'll just... SNAP! one moment, and you'll be 90% there.

Then you have to learn all your scales, etc

So many different views on it, very interesting. I now have the pleasure of learning treble clef baritone/euphonium, after decades of only playing non-transposing instruments, and after I already know exactly how to play a euphonium.