Blatty Tuba Playing

quinterbourne · Post by **quinterbourne** » Fri Mar 24, 2006 4:32 pm

I play in a fairly good community band. There are just two tuba players in the group, me and this other guy. He is maybe 18 years old, maybe playing for a couple of years.

Anyways, when we play some of the charts he often gets a real blatty sound, I think because of too much tongue. He especially does this when he sees a > or a ^.

I'm not the kind of person to tell someone off or anything, I usually mind my own part and hope others will adjust or something. It's frustrating because whenever I try to do anything musical, his blatting cancels me out. His intonation is also quite sketchy (probably lack of playing in the center of the pitch) and makes it difficult for the rest of the ensemble to play in tune.

I am the more senior than him, being in it for around eight years, although I have missed a lot of rehearsals as of recent due to a large workload. He just joined back in October. I can sense from the other members in the band that they don't like the new sound from the tuba section. I think it's affecting the entire band.

What should I do?

Joe Baker · Post by **Joe Baker** » Fri Mar 24, 2006 4:51 pm

It would depend on whether he acknowledges you as the better player. If he looks up to you, then before practice sometime mention casually "Hey, you know, last week I was thinking; your pumping out an awful lot of sound. But I don't know if we're blending as well as we could. I think we might sound better as a section if you'll give maybe a little less volume and a little more finesse. I think it'd make it easier for us to stay in tune with each other, too."

If he thinks he's the better player, or thinks you and he are "co-first chair", then I'd talk about it with the director. Let him know that you're concerned about the tuba sound, would he pay special attention and make suggestions. I'd not tell him specifically WHAT you're concerned about. If it's as bad as you think, he'll know; if he doesn't suggest toning down your section-mate, maybe it isn't as big of a problem in front as you think it is. In that case, if his bell is in your ear you might come up with some pretense for swapping chairs so he'll blow away from you instead of toward you.

Good luck.
_______________________________
Joe Baker, who was the obvious lesser player in his last band, and welcomed suggestions from the section leader.

chronolith · Post by **chronolith** » Fri Mar 24, 2006 5:34 pm

Not all tuba sections do this, I realize...

But are you more or less recognized as the section leader by the conductor? Did this guy come in via audition or did he join without one? Has he proven to be difficult to deal with or just plain dense? Trying to get a lay of the land...

I like the idea of switching chairs for a couple of reasons. When the ensemble gets to the point where it is loud enough for him to start blatting, he simply may not be able to hear himself very well, or is doing it so he CAN hear himself. If you sit where he can hear you better (bell toward him) then he may automatically start blending better and following your lead. Also that means that he is out of your ear! Depending on which direction your bells point that is...

Good luck. I know how that feels. When one of you is out of tune, you are both wrong.

Dan Schultz · Post by **Dan Schultz** » Fri Mar 24, 2006 5:52 pm

It's not unusual for high school aged kids to be blatty. Marching band is mostly about playing LOUD... with little emphasis placed on the quality of their sound. ... at least that's the way it seems to be around this part of the country.

Now... do you want to discuss middle-aged trumpet players?

MartyNeilan · Post by **MartyNeilan** » Fri Mar 24, 2006 8:18 pm

Suggest not blowing as fast or hard, but by moving the air as a broad gust of wind. Move large quantities of air, but slowly. Try to get all tension out of the body and keep the throat open. Imagine a hot potato in the mouth. Toh or Tah helps keep the tongue down.
"Relax your air" is a phrase I have heard used a lot pertaining to bass trombone - and you think tuba blatters are bad.

I have seen this a lot in middle school - high school tuba players. IF they can be convinced that blatting is actually not a good thing, then they have been pretty receptive to the above suggestions. Often demonstrating an obnoxious blatty sound, followed by a tidal wave wall of pure sound will help to convince.

When all else fails, have the kid make a commercial for Dial male body wash.

Rick Denney · Post by **Rick Denney** » Fri Mar 24, 2006 8:34 pm

quinterbourne wrote:I play in a fairly good community band. There are just two tuba players in the group, me and this other guy. He is maybe 18 years old, maybe playing for a couple of years.

Anyways, when we play some of the charts he often gets a real blatty sound, I think because of too much tongue. He especially does this when he sees a > or a ^.

If you are the designated principal player, then you can talk to him about the style you think is best for the section. If your band doesn't have principal players (as mine doesn't), then he may not recognize your authority. In this case, only the conductor has authority. I would talk to the conductor, and request that he ask the tuba section to play with a less blatty attack. If the new kid doesn't get that hint, ask the conductor to ask each of you to play in turn so that it's obvious, or request that he ask to reduce the blattiness on a day when you are not there.

If it's not a problem for the conductor and he doesn't want to deal with it, then maybe you'll just have to live with it.

Rick "who thinks community bands are a fine balance between putting out the best product and all enjoying playing together" Denney

Edit: I sometimes type responses while holding another conversation, and it is apparent that I am incapable of doing so without really destroying the language. I usually just move on, but this one was more than I could bear.

Chuck(G) · Post by **Chuck(G)** » Fri Mar 24, 2006 9:24 pm

bloke wrote:Buy him a pair of liederhosen and a one-way plane ticket to Czechoslovakia.

Liederhosen=trousers you wear for singing.
Leiderhosen=trousers that you paid too much for.
Leberhosen=trousers made of braunschweiger..

prototypedenNIS · Post by **prototypedenNIS** » Sat Mar 25, 2006 12:17 am

borrow a Cimbasso and try to outblat him!

LoyalTubist · Post by **LoyalTubist** » Sat Mar 25, 2006 10:32 am

I should talk to him, yes...

But I usually chicken out!

tubatooter1940 · Post by **tubatooter1940** » Sat Mar 25, 2006 10:49 am

If all else fails, grab him by the stacking swivel and beat him soundly about the head and ears.

windshieldbug · Post by **windshieldbug** » Sat Mar 25, 2006 11:30 am

tubatooter1940 wrote:If all else fails, grab him by the stacking swivel and beat him soundly about the head and ears.

Doesn't sound like he'll even notice...

I'd say let the conductor do it. They are responsible for the finished product... in fact, if they wanted a blatty sound, they should be talk to you!

TubeNet

Blatty Tuba Playing

What should I do?

Blatty Tuba Playing

Re: Blatty Tuba Playing