Use of Tubas in Church

[LoyalTubist]

Hi everyone. Bill is back.

About two weeks ago I got off topic in a posting with regards to a church instrumental group in which tubas were not used. The poster didn't say anything about this, but I made the comment that I thought there was something wrong with the theology of a church that wouldn't use tubas, except for the big stuff. Let me explain where that comment came from:

I studied Church Music as a major for my graduate school program. Since my performing medium was tuba, I had to take classes in advanced orchestration, brass pedagogy, instrumental music history, etc. In one of my orchestration classes, I got a hold of a book written by one of the popular Christian Contemporary Worship "artists" of the time. The book was to help ministers of music learn how to arrange music, even if they have no idea what the instruments are. It looked good. I got to the chapter of definitions of instruments. Everything sounded good until it got to the TUBA.

TUBA--Large brass instrument. Not very pretty. May be a sousaphone, tuba, or other forms. Don't use them unless you don't have anything else to take its place. And try not using more than one. Remember, worship music is for the glory of God. A tuba cannot serve that purpose.

I wanted to rip that book to shreds but I decided to keep it to show how dense minded some people can be. I showed it to teachers and they had a good laugh, until I told them how popular this book was.

I still have it packed in storage and I can't think of its title.

Anyway, to go on further, I have played in church tuba ensembles, church instrumental groups with large tuba representation, and tuba solos.

I hope this makes clear what I was trying to say in that earlier posting.

[tubeast]

Loyaltubist,
I had a good laugh at that article you described, too.
We have a long tradition of brass choir in church.
(We call it "Posaunenchor" although all brass is used, not just trombones). Most of our literature is in four parts. Trombone plays bass part, being doubled an octave lower on tuba.
(Tuba reads and plays like string bass, that is).

There are wonderful arrangements of all the hymns in the book, and tons of arrangements, intradas, new works and all kinds of stuff for the ensemble/occasion.
Especially the Bach transcriptions are good stuff for tubists.
The idea is to get as close to the organ as possible. Now, what´s a church organ without its 16 or 32 foot register ?

[LoyalTubist]

That's God!

[Dylan King]

Nothing makes me happier than playing tuba in Church on the Sabbath. I was born a Jew, and never would have thought that I would end up Christian, but I have, after being called by God.

Music is a large part of our Saturday service. We have a piano, four violins, and a clarinet an usual days. The bretheren love the tuba addition to the ensemble, and it enables the men to sing along with the bass part of our Hymnal. On bigger. all Southern California services we often add a trumpet and sometimes a guitar, who happens to be one of the original founders of The Ventures.

I also enjoy doing special music and writing original compositions for commanded feasts. I usually play solo, from the Cello Suites
among other things, but have been accompanied on the piano as well. I have written original compositions for the Feast of Trumpets and Pentacost, and plan to write more in the future.

The tuba, when played beautifuly, cannot be matched as a sound when playing to God. As trumpets are so important to the father, so are tubas, which are no different than a bass trumpet. When Christ returns to this earth, and it will be soon, look to see the entire brass family playing praise to Him who comes in glory.

The time is coming soon. Watch, and strive always to understand the truth in His wisdom.

Ezekiel 33
The Watchman and His Message
1 Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2 Son of man, speak to the children of your people, and say to them: When I bring the sword upon a land, and the people of the land take a man from their territory and make him their watchman, 3 when he sees the sword coming upon the land, if he blows the trumpet and warns the people, 4 then whoever hears the sound of the trumpet and does not take warning, if the sword comes and takes him away, his blood shall be on his own head. 5 He heard the sound of the trumpet, but did not take warning; his blood shall be upon himself. But he who takes warning will save his life. 6 But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, and the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at the watchmans hand.

Have a nice day.

-MSM

[iiipopes]

Hey, Mellowsmokeman -- you know better than the rest of us that Psalms 100 and 150 (and others) are to be read in conjunction with the Shema so that whatever you use to worship, do it in context with everything you got. Glad to hear it! I'm in a contemporary service, and if you had told me ten years ago I'd be playing my electric guitar every week for service (having been raised in a conservative denomination with piano and organ ONLY), I would not have known what to think. To focus on the service as leading the singing and the worship, I find it much easier to slot my particular playing into the mix than on gigs that are performance based, and so by their nature have more personal stress. Likewise, as I will by playing tuba in the band at the local national cemetary on the upcoming Memorial Day, I find it much easier and more satisfying that I'm helping people with honoring the occasion, than the stress of just a band performance trying to play just to the enjoyment of the audience.

[Dylan King]

Exodus 20:8 Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. 11 For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.

Hosea 8
The Apostasy of Israel
1 Set the trumpet to your mouth! He shall come like an eagle against the house of the LORD, Because they have transgressed My covenant And rebelled against My law. 2 Israel will cry to Me, 'My God, we know You! 3 Israel has rejected the good; The enemy will pursue him.

Mark 4:22 For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light.


Nothing is better than blowing the trumpet for the Eternal. He loves music, and uses it for His own purpose. In time, I pray all will know the love that is in Christ and the Father.

-MSM

[Daryl Fletcher]

[Tom Mason]

Did I read this correctly?

"Remember, worship music is for the glory of God. A tuba can not serve that purpose."

I don't calim to have a THD, D. Div, or any other theological degree, but I'm trying to remember when any musical instrument ever worshipped God.

If I remember correctly, it is the person who worships. They utilize their talents in the effort to praise and worship. I really do have a problem with the author(s) of this text. The problem being that they obviously want to hinder the effort of people expressing their love and devotion to God (staying away from denominational views) by placing human limitations upon said expressions.

As a tuba player, I would be insulted if a minister or conductor carried this attitude into a rehearsal or performance about any instrument. As a person who is in church leadership as a music minister, I would not endorse, support, or allow one who carries this idea into my particular music ministry as an influence over the orchestra.

Quite frankly, if I had 3 oboes and a bagpipe player, I would find an avenue for them to participate in worship services. The idea is not how pretty we can make the service, it is how we can involve those who wish to express their love and worship. Yes, different situations call for different ensembles and styles, but we do not hinder true worship. If we do, then we are accountable for the loss.

Tom Mason

[chipster55]

TUBA--Large brass instrument. Not very pretty. May be a sousaphone, tuba, or other forms. Don't use them unless you don't have anything else to take its place. And try not using more than one. Remember, worship music is for the glory of God. A tuba cannot serve that purpose.

This is from a "Christian Contemporary artist"?- and with that attitude, I use the term artist very loosely. I play in a small ensemble at church with 2 clarinets, 1 bass clarinet, 1 flute, 1 alto sax, 1 (sometimes 2 ) trumpet, 1 French horn, 1 trombone, & 1 tuba. Our worship minister & 'bone player (a middle school band director) arrange the music to fit this instrumentation as best they can (thanks to Sebelius). We range in age from 13 to a couple of us old farts in our 50's. Our purpose is to worship God through our music and it doesn't matter what instruments we have on a given Sunday, but that we do our best to "make a joyful noise unto the Lord" (Psalm 100).

[Daryl Fletcher]

[windshieldbug]

TUBA--Large brass instrument. Not very pretty. May be a sousaphone, tuba, or other forms. Don't use them unless you don't have anything else to take its place. And try not using more than one. Remember, worship music is for the glory of God. A tuba cannot serve that purpose.

Bill- Your copy was smudged. It's supposed to read "TUBA PLAYER -- Not very pretty... "

[pulseczar]

i currently accompany the piano with my bass in church. do you guys think acompanying her with tuba would be a good idea?

[OldBandsman]

Just to add another positive note...
I've been playing in church for a couple of months. I sit next to the choir and play the bass line on the hymns. We have a flute player who joins in on the melody. If the melody is real good on tuba I'll take a couple of verses.

Easter we end the service with Halleluia Chorus with lots of folks down front singing. I had wonderful time running that bass line.

I've been getting compliments from people in the pews.

I think it's great to make joyful noises!!

John

[dmmorris]

........do you guys think acompanying her with tuba would be a good idea?

I do this regularly. I love playing bass line on hymns. The tuba gives you a nice palette of timbres…..depending on the type of song, or the part your covering. Tuba allow you to schmaltz-it-up more than you could on bass if your doing melody on an occasional verse. I’ll even occasionally toss a mic down the bell and go through an amp eq’d so as to emulate the punch of an electric bass doing walking lines if the song is one of those “cheesy-contemporary-Christian-pop-praise-songsâ€

[Will]

I love how people are speechless after I play a solo on the tuba in church. They always say they never knew how beautifully a tuba could sound and play.

[LoyalTubist]

TUBA--Large brass instrument. Not very pretty. May be a sousaphone, tuba, or other forms. Don't use them unless you don't have anything else to take its place. And try not using more than one. Remember, worship music is for the glory of God. A tuba cannot serve that purpose.

Bill- Your copy was smudged. It's supposed to read "TUBA PLAYER -- Not very pretty... "

I have to show this to Hanh!

[LoyalTubist]

Before leaving for church on Sunday morning (or any time if you can get TBN) turn your TV set to a Sunday morning worship service of either a local church in your area or one of the better known churches nationally and see who uses even one tuba. I think what the guy said in that book caught on!

[LoyalTubist]

I know of churches in my area that have instrumental programs for kids, since some of the schools are dropping theirs.

[iiipopes]

Yes, a local Lutheran school starts them in 4th grade. I started in 5th, and all of the area public schools have dropped 5th and are starting in 6th.

[LoyalTubist]

I didn't say schools. I said churches. They do it on Sunday afternoon and Wednesday night.