Overall Tone And Sound

[passion4tuba]

As i listen to recordings of the pro tubists i notice they have a rich dark sound, with alot of "core" and not so much fuzz.

I've been doing tone builders and exercises of that nature as a major focus for ...well awhile ( bout 3 years) but my sound hasn't reached that level yet..am i expecting too much? I'm a junior now in highschool and though my sound isn't where i want it to be, there is a considerable change in my tone and the prescence of it since last year. I have heard the term "maturation of sound". is this something that happens in one year, or over a period of years? Perhaps I need an outside opinion..never once have i been told my sound it mediocre or bad..quite the opposite..however i still feel there is something lacking...

suggestions..help?

[windshieldbug]

Find a dedicated tuba teacher, and ask them the same question. I'm having trouble hearing your sound with the lousy screen I have...

[Arkietuba]

This seems to be a problem with a lot of high school students that I see come in to college. I used to be one of them too. I apparently had a great sound and it wasn't until Brian Bowman himself told me that I played like a virtuoso and Jeff Jarvis told me I had a fantastic sound...you just need to find a professor near you and ask him what he thinks of your sound...from what you've said, it sounds like you have a pretty good tone...I obviously cannot comment on it since I can't hear you...but, one of the freshmen here at UCA is probably the second best tuba player here and he thought he had a horrible tone, when he had a fantastic tone.

[djwesp]

As i listen to recordings of the pro tubists i notice they have a rich dark sound, with alot of "core" and not so much fuzz.

Don't be too worried about the sound on a professionally recorded C.D. The pros sound VERY good, however a lot can be said of the environment the recording was made in. If you ever get the chance to go out of your way and hear a professional live, do it. The sound is much different in person, MUCH different. It will give you a better perspective.

thought he had a horrible tone, when he had a fantastic tone.

Matt is right. Best option? Record yourself (yes I know what I said about the professionals, but still) and see if you actually sound like you think you do. I have a feeling you will like the sound a lot more than you expect. It is a lot like hearing your voice on a message machine. The sound from the recording will highlight a lot of things you are doing well you didn't know about and doing poorly you didn't notice before. Slowing down the recording in the fast sections of your music will also draw a lot of things to your attention.


Congrats, you have taken one of the first steps to becoming a very good tuba player. You are concerned with tone, your sound, and how people percieve it. That is a step in the right direction, considering most people your age and around you don't have a clue.

[dopey]

Just to add, the way you sound to yourself is not how you sound to others... if you have never had a recording done of you, do it.. like wes said it'll big time change your view of your sound.

As far as tone development it does take time, there is few things that can change over night. As well, the bettter you become at playing, the longer things you try to improve take. My tone is still developing, I work on it every day with long tones and other exercises..

[Wyvern]

To make that rich dark sound try to open your throat and mouth cavity and 'think big'. Do not try to force the sound, or you can tend to go 'blatty'.

With dedicated practice, I am sure the sound you desire will come, although you cannot expect to make quite a 6/4 sound on a 4/4 tuba.

It is great that you are thinking of tone. I always believe that good tone is the number one requirement of a good tuba player!

[Arkietuba]

Just play the best to your ability...I never thought I sounded good until my freshman year in college...I never got any advice on tone in high school and it turned out that I had a good sound...I guess no one ever gave me advice becasue it was all ready pretty good...I don't know...don't try to compare yourself to the greats right now (you're in high school)...my brass choir instructor will all ways ask me to play the solos "a little more like Gene Pokorny" and I say to him that if he buys me a tuba like his I'll play like anyone he wants me to.

[TubaRay]

It is great that you are thinking of tone. I always believe that good tone is the number one requirement of a good tuba player!

Amen! And Amen!!!

[TubaRay]

I always believe that good tone is the number one requirement of a good tuba player!

Well, I always though the number one requirement of a good tuba player was to have a tuba.

That, too.

[windshieldbug]

Well, I always though the number one requirement of a good tuba player was to have a tuba.

That's why you went into Enforcement...

[tubatooter1940]

I was happily surprised to hear the highs my old King Efer with a plastic mouthpiece put out when I watched a video we made. Sitting under or behind the bell we hear a muddier sound than people hear out front.
Neptune's consel regarding opening up your throat and jaw larger puts out a larger, fuller sound.
Can't argue with Doc. The most important thing is to own or have access to a tuba.

[Rick Denney]

Well, I always though the number one requirement of a good tuba player was to have a tuba.

When I was first starting to play tuba again after 8 years away from the instrument, I volunteered to play in my church's orchestra for the upcoming Christmas extravaganza. The music minister look me up and down, trying to figure out how he could tell if I was really a tuba player. He came up with, "Do you have your own tuba?"

I did, but in the end that test probably didn't have the effect he wanted.

Rick "who probably should have spent a few more months restoring the embouchure before volunteering" Denney

[windshieldbug]

Rick, I think you may have misinterpreted

"Do you have your own tuba?"

The person was just worried that they might have to provide one! (and not everybody has a couple in their closet!!)

[drow2buh]

I always believe that good tone is the number one requirement of a good tuba player!

Aha, my main worry. Sadly, I have been told that I am an absolutely fabulous player on all facets of the instrument, except that my tone quality is lacking. This is not something that I deny, this is a problem I accept. My teacher and I have worked and worked the past 4 years of college trying to make it better with some, yet minimal, success.

Are there any suggestions, general or very specific, of how I can improve my tone? Sometimes all it takes is a different perspective.

[lgb&dtuba]

Are there any suggestions, general or very specific, of how I can improve my tone? Sometimes all it takes is a different perspective.

I'd think that trying to tell someone how to improve their tone over the internet would be like trying to teach someone to ride a bicycle over the internet. Can't really be done.

Yet, I think you'd know if you were actually riding a bicycle once you'd tried enough to actually acquire your balance.

Same thing may well apply with tone. By listening to good recordings you'll develop an ear for what good tone sounds like. Once you've locked that into your mind then experiment with breath support, air flow, the feel of your embouchure, the shape of your oral cavity (how you're holding your mouth, tongue and throat). Listen to yourself carefully as you do those things and note the effect on your tone.

A good practice space will be important for this process. You want to really hear yourself. If you are stuck in a dead room then get something to record yourself so you can immediately listen to what you've just been doing.

Another approach is to use a personal monitor such as a Rolls PM50S so that you can listen to yourself on headphones as you are playing.
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/ ... sku=483853

The main reason for either recording or listening to yourself this way is that it sounds different out in front of the horn than what you hear as you play. Once you get the idea of what you sound like out front and compare it to what you sound like to yourself (unassisted) then you'll be on the road to developing better tone and control of it.

What all that means is that once you have an idea what good tone is, then conciously listen to yourself, making adjustments as you go until you are actually producing the tone you want. Just like riding a bicycle - once you are doing it you'll know beyond the shadow of a doubt that you are. And it takes a little time to master either.

Good luck.

Jim Wagner

[Rick Denney]

The person was just worried that they might have to provide one! (and not everybody has a couple in their closet!!)

Oh, I already knew the answer to that question. I was a regular attender of that church.

Later, I did sell a VMI tuba to a different church in Austin, and their tuba player still uses it.

Rick "who played in the first extravaganza at that church that had an orchestra" Denney

[Rick Denney]

My teacher and I have worked and worked the past 4 years of college trying to make it better with some, yet minimal, success.

Sorry, man. If your teacher can't help, then the Tubenet Freak Jury has no hope.

Rick "whose tone problems are caused by insufficient embouchure strength and efficiency and lack of air flow, leading to the excessive use of pressure" Denney

[tubeast]

T4S,

Well placed words have been posted in this thread.
A disclaimer first: this is not to discourage anybody from starting and continuing to play tuba, as it may read like on first glance. Quite to the contrary.

I´ve been playing tuba for 16 years now. The past six years I´ve been mainly concentrating on air flow, shape of mouth cavity, inhaling, and exhaling, with SOUND being the major aim. No technical gimmicks, only little circular breathing. No need for speed. Every once in a while I come across a new mouthpiece. I´m making up my own exercises, fool around with imitating string and electric bass, meditate on the tuba´s role in traditional vs. contemporary band literature and all this kind of stuff.

Whenever I play very regularly (an hour a day or more, and I do have a job, so I can´t do that all the time), I get excited about the progress I´m experiencing. Especially when I have the chance to play very much during vacations.
Whenever I don´t, the opposite comes true.

Tell you what:
I´d say you´re never done improving your sound. Especially not within the first thirty years of playing.
To me, that´s a very good thing. It means playing the tuba will be exciting for years tocome. If I´m lucky, me playing the tuba will be pleasing to others along the way.

The day I´m done improving on tuba, I´ll go find a new hobby.

[Rick Denney]

Whenever I play very regularly (an hour a day or more, and I do have a job, so I can´t do that all the time), I get excited about the progress I´m experiencing. Especially when I have the chance to play very much during vacations.
Whenever I don´t, the opposite comes true.

The Hobbyist's Lament.

I´d say you´re never done improving your sound. Especially not within the first thirty years of playing.

The Hobbyist's Lament, Part Dieux.

Rick "who has played for 36 years with one gap, and is still unsatisfied with his sound" Denney

[tubatooter1940]

Every player is familiar with "hitting a plateau" where you maintain for a while but don't seem to progress much. Then something happens that fires you up and away you go to the sky's the limit. It can be a musical project that draws you out or the privilige of playing with others who inspire you and take you on a ride with them that has you breaking new ground with your playing and going places with them that you've never been before.
I hope every tubenetter gets to do lots of that.