Woof!

gregsundt · Post by **gregsundt** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 11:18 am

I have seen the term "woofy" on a couple of forums, and just to make sure I know what I am reading, please clarify what is meant by this. I suspect it is the tendency for some horn / mouthpiece / musician combinations to get a soft, muffled background attack before the "real" sound jumps out of the bell? I have certainly heard this (and done it), and it seems to be mentioned as a characteristic of a large-bore or large-bell horn (perhaps too large for the player involved). Some illumination, please?

cjk · Post by **cjk** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 1:42 pm

Put a PT-88 in any tuba.
Play it.
That's woofy.

gregsundt · Post by **gregsundt** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 1:50 pm

cjk wrote:Put a PT-88 in any tuba.
Play it.
That's woofy.

Cute, but not helpful.

eupher61 · Post by **eupher61** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 2:14 pm

My interpretation of "woofy" is similar. Unfocused, unresonant, uncolorful tone with a lot of excess air in it.

In my personal experience, that's what I get with any BAT, no matter what the mouthpiece. In my case, it's from not having the airflow control, whatever that entails..., to get the horn working to its full potential. I have never really played BATs or anything similar for any time that I can say I learned how to play that horn. Every time I've had access to a York-esque horn, it's more frustrating than rewarding, because I know I'm not really doing well with it.

But yes, mouthpiece can have a part in it. I'd stop short of saying the PT-88 is a universal woofer, but for some people that may be the case. For me, it's the Bach 18 that woofs in any situation, no matter what key and size/pitch of tuba. An old DEG 25 I had in early college days was wonderful with a MW BBb I used, but horrible on a 186.

So, yes, it's horn and mouthpiece and player combining into less than stellar sound production.

windshieldbug · Post by **windshieldbug** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 2:43 pm

I think the previous poster nailed my concept of it:

Unfocused and not resonant, regardless of volume.

gregsundt · Post by **gregsundt** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 2:50 pm

Sort of like when I tried the Megatone 1G on my King 5B. Thanks!

Tubaguy56 · Post by **Tubaguy56** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 4:51 pm

I think woofy implies a lack of overtone and core to the sound. my sound used to be called woofy, and I figured out I was having embrouchre (spelling?) problems that was causing me to use far to much air and not have a focused lip set in which to create such a sound. Remedy? lots of buzzing....

Tubaryan12 · Post by **Tubaryan12** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 5:01 pm

Does anyone have a soundclip example of a woofy sound they could post?

jonesbrass · Post by **jonesbrass** » Sun Oct 28, 2007 8:49 am

eupher61 wrote:My interpretation of "woofy" is similar. . . that's what I get with any BAT, no matter what the mouthpiece. In my case, it's from not having the airflow control, whatever that entails..., to get the horn working to its full potential. I have never really played BATs or anything similar for any time that I can say I learned how to play that horn. Every time I've had access to a York-esque horn, it's more frustrating than rewarding, because I know I'm not really doing well with it.

My experiences are similar. "Woofy" to me sounds like someone stuffed a nice, warm blanket down the bell.

Rick Denney · Post by **Rick Denney** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 11:21 pm

For me, the clearest description is "lack of clarity and color".

I use a PT-48 in a big tuba to combat woofiness, and it does remarkably well.

But lack of practice causes woofiness in my playing far more than the wrong mouthpiece.

A clear, colorful sound is immediate, present, and sweet, even if it is big and deep from a big tuba. In a flute, the description would be "silvery".

Rick "noting that trying for dark, darker, darkest often misses dark but nails woofy" Denney