Fundraising efforts.

Richardrichard9 · Post by **Richardrichard9** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 11:08 pm

I didn't start out on tuba either.. I have a "hell of a nice" violin like $5000, because that was my major instrument up until about 2 years ago. I just wish I knew how to play the tuba sooner. It would have been a lot easier to spend that 5K on the tuba instead of the violin.

Rick Denney · Post by **Rick Denney** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 11:37 pm

Richardrichard9 wrote:I have to have a tuba prior to graduation, as I plan on being a tuba performance major in college.

So, you're in high school? Then just wait. You do NOT have to have your own tuba in your first couple of years of college, even as a performance major. When you are in college, you can follow Wade's advice. You can also work full-time in the summer.

Community service? Is that some silly impress-the-boneheads-at-the-pretentious-expensive-college-I-want-to-attend strategy? Working at a job is community service--the best kind. At the end of the day, somebody has to do the work.

Rick "who associates 'community service' with 'do this instead of jail', not charity or generosity" Denney

Rick Denney · Post by **Rick Denney** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 11:48 pm

Bob1062 wrote:You can buy a NICE horn for that (try a VMI 3301 if you can; I've seen them for less than that in good shape, and they are NICE horns!).

Nope. Richard is better off waiting, even if he had all the money he needs. The tuba he will buy as a junior, with a couple of years experience playing the school's horn, will be better for him than anything he might buy now. And that $4000 from selling the violin will do more good then than now.

Back to Richard: If you do sell your violin to buy a tuba, get a used instrument in Bb, and choose a brand that has a proven track record for resale value. A Miraphone 186 is a typical example. Don't buy anything from the budget end of the scale, and don't buy anything new. Then, in three years when you actually know what you need and want (which you don't know now), you'll be able to sell what you buy now for something close to what you spent for it.

If you are going to make it as a pro, you'll need to be better than your classmates anyway, even if you are playing a used 186 and they are playing shiny new $12,000 tubas.

Rick "buy low and sell high; never the reverse" Denney

Richardrichard9 · Post by **Richardrichard9** » Mon Oct 08, 2007 12:13 am

Bob1062 wrote:I just saw your post.

Sell the damn violin! You can probably get at least 4g's for it, right?

You can buy a NICE horn for that (try a VMI 3301 if you can; I've seen them for less than that in good shape, and they are NICE horns!).

lol, I wish i could (well I still love playing it) but 4 of the ensembles I play in are violin still, and I still take lessons on it.

Richardrichard9 · Post by **Richardrichard9** » Mon Oct 08, 2007 12:15 am

Rick Denney wrote:
Richardrichard9 wrote:I have to have a tuba prior to graduation, as I plan on being a tuba performance major in college.
So, you're in high school? Then just wait. You do NOT have to have your own tuba in your first couple of years of college, even as a performance major. When you are in college, you can follow Wade's advice. You can also work full-time in the summer.

Community service? Is that some silly impress-the-boneheads-at-the-pretentious-expensive-college-I-want-to-attend strategy? Working at a job is community service--the best kind. At the end of the day, somebody has to do the work.

Rick "who associates 'community service' with 'do this instead of jail', not charity or generosity" Denney

No, to graduate at my highschool you have to do a minimum hours of community service to graduate, and I have to get it done this year

Rick Denney · Post by **Rick Denney** » Mon Oct 08, 2007 12:43 am

Bob1062 wrote:I really think buying your own horn is a good idea.

Playing a 12J (as you suggested above) is better than playing,say, a school-owned Miraphone 186? I don't think so.

Selling the fiddle for mere money? Good musical instruments are more rare than the dollars needed to buy them.

Richard, don't listen to us. Go talk to the tuba prof at the colleges you are considering. Ask them.

Rick "and don't trade your future for shiny brass by giving in to the desire for having it NOW" Denney

LoyalTubist · Post by **LoyalTubist** » Mon Oct 08, 2007 3:13 am

Richardrichard9 wrote:well I can't be expected to go to college for tuba performance without my own tuba.

Read my lips...

Yes, you can!

TMurphy · Post by **TMurphy** » Mon Oct 08, 2007 9:39 am

It is absolutely possible to get a job for the weekends. It may not be one you want, but if you need the money, there are jobs out there, and you can't be picky about it.

Instead of playing in seven different ensembles, try playing in two or three. That'll give you more time to work and practice, too.

Talk to the teachers at the schools you're auditioning at. Ask them for guidance. It is possible, even likely, that there are instruments available for you to use while you save some money to purchase an instrument.

DO NOT sell the violin. Sure, it'll get you enough cash to buy a decent horn, but like Rick said, it probably isn't worth it. If you're any good, the violin could end up earning you enough money to buy a tuba.

You *might* need a tuba before college, but I don't understand how "before college" and "before I graduate high school" have come to mean the same thing. There are 2 1/2-3 months between high school and college, and that is time when you could be working lots of hours and saving tons of money. If you work enough hours in the right job, that summer could get you most of the way to a tuba by itself.

Oh, and if the school you end up going to does have an instrument for you to use....get a job anyway. Especially over the summer. Even if you don't have to buy a tuba right away, get a head start on saving the money for one.

LoyalTubist · Post by **LoyalTubist** » Tue Oct 09, 2007 12:45 pm

If you buy a tuba while you are still in high school, you might not be happy with what you get. If you wait you can get what you really need and want. You will change immensely between high school and college.