TubeNet

I may be wrong on this one but a tuba solo is a tuba solo. I've played Beelzebub on a BBb and a CC and there's no real difference except for the fingerings. Now there are many solos that need to be played on a bass tuba because of range and what not. Bottom line: play what you want to play and don't worry about the key of the horn. Just make music with the horn that you got.

Ralph

What he said.

I dont' actually know an answer to your problem, but i know exactly what you're going through. I've heard from another tuba guy I met up at Blue Lake that he tried playing the BBb, the Eb, and F version of Carnival of venice, but the CC version he eventually found wsa SOOOO much easier. I've played Beelzebub too, and I know what you mean. It was written for BBb, so the fingerings are not funky. While I agree we should try and learn it since music IS music, there's no point in giving our hand an unneccessary work out.

DaTubaKid wrote:I dont' actually know an answer to your problem, but i know exactly what you're going through. I've heard from another tuba guy I met up at Blue Lake that he tried playing the BBb, the Eb, and F version of Carnival of venice, but the CC version he eventually found wsa SOOOO much easier. I've played Beelzebub too, and I know what you mean. It was written for BBb, so the fingerings are not funky. While I agree we should try and learn it since music IS music, there's no point in giving our hand an unneccessary work out.

I believe that Beelzebub was written for an Eb tuba, at least since it's in the key of Eb it plays very easily on an Eb. I've played it on both an Eb and a BBb, but think that anyone using a CC or F tuba should be able to play it without too much trouble. If you aren't comfortable playing in the key of Eb you're in trouble, no matter what key tuba you happen to be playing.

.

I've found that most of the solos that aren't the theme-and-variations type you're referring to lie better on CC, or at least as well. i.e. Suite for Tuba by Don Haddad. Also, Beelzebub really isn't that difficult on CC. While the fingerings don't have the simplicity they do on BBb, it still doesn't get to the point of being difficult.

The CC tuba must become part of you. Learn it so that the fingerings are second nature. Work in the Arban's book with the major and minor scales in all keys (while actually looking at the notes on the page). This will create finger patterns that become part of your muscle memory when you see a specific key signature. I have been a free-lance performer all of my life. You MUST be able to sight-read fluently in all keys. One day you may be playing for a symphony orchestra. The next may find you in a circus band. Then along come German band jobs and show pit work. Prepare yourself to be able to play anything with whatever pitch of tuba you choose.

Randy Harrison
Baltimore, Maryland USA

P.S. - I knew Dave Zirkel when he was in Peabody. He was a great player and still is. His words on the subject of CC tuba are words to live by.

Like many of the other posters have indicated, you need to be able to play anything on anything...Eb, F, BBb, CC, etc., etc.

You either know your keys and fingerings or you don't. If you do, it doesn't make any difference what key a piece is in...if you don't know your keys and fingerings, get started learning them now.

If you think Beelzebub doesn't lie well on CC, wait until you play some serious wind band literature on your CC in the key of Gb or orchestral piece in B...that will make the notes and fingerings in Beelzebub look easy.

If the key a piece is in is that big of a problem, you have much bigger issues than if you should play it on a CC, BBb, Eb, or F tuba. Sure, some pieces are much easier on a contrabass or a bass tuba because of the tessitura or type of sound one is going for, but when it all comes down to it, it's tuba music that you should be able to play on tuba...any tuba...regardless of key.

If you haven't checked out the Dave Zerkel article linked above, read it. If you have read it, read it again...lots of good information there to absorb and very true, at that.

Harvey Phillips recorded the Air & Bouree (and everything else) on a small CC tuba. The only time I ever saw him perform on anything else was at the NY Brass Conference once when he did the Carnival of Venice with band accompaniment on a borrowed BBb sousaphone.
(So THAT'S what those things are supposed to sound like!)
I suspect that he had mastered it during his circus days, before he ever switched to CC.
Arnold Jacobs recorded Beelzebub on his CC, no sweat.
If you are going to the trouble of switching to CC tuba (a BIG project), why not keep your BBb chops (a small additional job) by practicing both horns, and then use whichever instrument works best for the music that you are doing? It can be done.
When Eli Newberger and I were in a college tuba section together one of his many stunts was to play all the rehearsals on a BBb tuba and then do the concerts on CC.