Deciding on a tuba...

k001k47 · Post by **k001k47** » Sat Mar 15, 2008 3:00 pm

Here's my scenario:
I want to try my hand at a performance major in school and will be doing alot of solo work to improve as an individual player. However, the school I want to attend has no bass tubas and I want to make the switch to one a.s.a.p. (I've been on contrabass through all my playing days); I don't know if sticking with contrabass would suit me though. That said, I have a question to ask. Which budget horn would be of more value to me, a St.Pete Eb or a good used Mira 184 or 186 CC?

TubaRay · Post by **TubaRay** » Sat Mar 15, 2008 3:08 pm

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I always thought my Miraphone CC was a contrabass tuba. It is a standard 4/4 horn, but not an Eb or F.

k001k47 · Post by **k001k47** » Sat Mar 15, 2008 3:12 pm

Sorry, let me clarify.

Would an Eb or a CC be of more value to me?

TexTuba · Post by **TexTuba** » Sat Mar 15, 2008 3:16 pm

josh_kaprun · Post by **josh_kaprun** » Sat Mar 15, 2008 3:28 pm

Is there a school horn that you can use as a contrabass? If so, I'd suggest getting the Eb for the sake of solo/quintet literature. Then, save up for a really good contrabass.

k001k47 · Post by **k001k47** » Sat Mar 15, 2008 4:03 pm

tubashaman wrote:
BTW, where do you want to study.....is it in TX. If so I can probably tell you what the teacher wishes or what might suit you best (qualifications, being from texas and knowing several of the profs)

I'm going to study in A&M Kingsville and have talked to Dr.Kono about it; he told me that there aren't any school-owned bass tubas and to play on what I like most.

k001k47 · Post by **k001k47** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 1:33 am

I feel really torn; every time I'm sure I want an Eb, I convince myself that a small CC will do better. Same goes when I decide on a CC.

I'm sure some of the tubenet gurus have good advice.

SplatterTone · Post by **SplatterTone** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 1:39 am

I'm sure some of the tubenet gurus have good advice.

BIG BB-FLAT.
Give the band some BASS. They'll love you for it. Leave the pretty solos to the euphoniums.

danzfat · Post by **danzfat** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 3:52 am

I a have a feeling many will agree the perfect tuba for your case is a Meinl Weston 2145.

Jay Young · Post by **Jay Young** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 1:38 pm

I play a MW 2155 and a Besson 983. I love 'em both. Both horns complement each other quite nicely. My only problem is that I don't have much time to practice. (I teach full time and I just had a little girl.)

When you boil it down, play what you sound best on. If you buy into everyone else's opinions, you end up being unhappy. Go to Midwest, TMEA, Woodwind and Brasswind, Baltimore Brass or whatever and play a bunch of horns. When you find one, whether it be CC, Eb, Bb, or F, it'll fit you and you'll know.

Cheers!
Jay

BriceT · Post by **BriceT** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 7:02 pm

Hey man, I'm the kid that sat in front of you at TMEA this year, and I really think you should look into getting CC especially the Miraphone 1291.

Now, I realize that I am biased because I personally own one, but I will tell you this. The Miraphone 1291/2 is in my opinion the best all-around CC tuba. It provides great clarity in all registers and you wouldn't believe how good it is in the low register. The response of the horn is great too. The price isn't bad either.

The Miraphone 186 and Meinl Weston 1245 are also awesome all-around horns. However, whatever you do I would take a trip up to as many distributors and try your luck at as many horns that you can get your hands on.

I would definietly start with a "contrabass" CC, and then also get a "bass" Eb or F tuba. The CC fingerings are pretty helpful whenever you pick up an F as well.

Good luck with your search!

windshieldbug · Post by **windshieldbug** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 7:29 pm

When I picked up tuba in school, my first horn was a CC 184 4U, and I never regretted it.

It was a good compromise; I learned CC, I could punch through any ensemble, it's been described as the "ultimate quintet horn", and it's lightness was great for solos.

A few years later, I ran accross a bigger CC, got it, but always kept the 184.

I didn't even buy an F until a few years into my orchestra gig, and even then it was a 6/4 F.

Of course, YMMV, but that's the route I went, and it worked for me.

You need to decide where you think you want to go NOW, solo, or ensemble. It may change, but that's the question that you're asking NOW.

pierso20 · Post by **pierso20** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 10:12 pm

I'm confused as to what you are saying in your post. Are you saying you wanted to pick up a bass tuba in ADDITION to a current contrabass? Your wording indicates you were thinking of switching entirely from contrabass to bass.

This being said, make sure you have a good contrabass (CC horn or etc) since you will be playing a LOT on a cc horn in school. Look to add a bass tuba soon, but don't neglect the CC.

You will probably at some point own both a CC and a contrabss (F or Eb horn). If you want a do it all horn, then Eb is the way to go...HOWEVER you will miss that tubby wide sound of a CC horn.

Good luck!

pierso20 · Post by **pierso20** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 10:14 pm

I agree with an earlier post as well.....learning CC and really developing your sound on that will help you on the quest to a contrabass tuba. Especially if you play an F horn.

I play a Cerveny CFB 635-5I......AMAZING little F tuba. I'm always putting plugs in about it. The more I play it the more I realize that for $3200 NEW I have a horn that plays as well as something twice as expensive...NO LIE.......

windshieldbug · Post by **windshieldbug** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 3:58 pm

Bob1062 wrote:
windshieldbug wrote: I didn't even buy an F until a few years into my orchestra gig, and even then it was a 6/4 F.
Yeah, but you did have something that filled the same shoes (an Eb), right?

Yep, an old Distin Eb. What I was trying to say was, that in my case, it was much easier to make do without a bass than it would have been to make do without a couple of contrabasses.

MartyNeilan · Post by **MartyNeilan** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 4:39 pm

A player donâ€™t pick the tubas. Mmm-mm. Tubas pick the player. Itâ€™s a mystical bond between man and machine.

Wyvern · Post by **Wyvern** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 6:38 pm

Although I have grown up in the land of Eb tubas (UK) and have that sound in my blood, I still have no hesitation in saying a CC makes a better all-purpose tuba.

In most works, tubas should provide a solid foundation to the ensemble and a CC is without doubt better than an Eb at providing that, while still being good for solo playing.

I would only suggest going for an Eb if you want to also play in brass bands, then go for a Besson 981, or similar.

MaryAnn · Post by **MaryAnn** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 7:17 pm

Well...I'm guessing you're playing on a school-owned BBb?

If so, and you are *accepted* into a performance major program, a) find out if the school has a tuba you can use, that is decent, and if so, just wait a year; b) talk to the actual tuba teacher, not other high school kids on Tubenet, about what you should do; and c) all else failing, get a 4/4 CC. Used. One you can sell in two years for what you paid for it when you find out that it is not really what you wanted. Your chances of being one of the very few who picks the pefect tuba for life on the first try, are quite slim. Unless you're really lucky and/or smart, every tuba you buy/sell is going to cost you money. The longer you wait, the better chances of your getting *a* tuba that will work for you for at least a few years.

Of course if you're just asking to hear your head rattle, you'll get plenty of rattling material from the TNFJ.

MA, who was one of the lucky few in terms of tuba-picking, but she had excellent advice from pros, and actually took that advice.

pierso20 · Post by **pierso20** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 7:26 pm

MaryAnn wrote:Well...I'm guessing you're playing on a school-owned BBb?

b) talk to the actual tuba teacher, not other high school kids on Tubenet, about what you should do; and c)
MA, who was one of the lucky few in terms of tuba-picking, but she had excellent advice from pros, and actually took that advice.

I'm hoping that this isn't what you meant, but are you saying that we are all high school kids offering advice???????

She is giving you completely valid advice. The important thing to do is to get good advice.

I would also say that the key is to KNOW you will probably sell your first horn. You could get an AMAZING $20,000 wonderful horn and want to sell it in 4 years because you either changed what you wanna do in school or because the horn WASN"T A FIT....and that's the thing...it will really take you a while to learn what is nice for YOU and what isn't. I've played horns that very good players have played and sound great on, but I didn't like the horn. That's because different things for for different people...(I'm not saying I didn't sound good on the horn(s)...just that they wern't my cup of tea as far as sound, ergonomics etc...)

well, girlfriend is calling...

gotta go

Again, the key is to get good advice from the right people.

Cheers!

MaryAnn · Post by **MaryAnn** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 8:01 pm

Nope, not ALL of the people giving advice are high school kids, but I bet SOME are.

Just not like ALL posts like this are from trolls, but I bet SOME are.

MA

TubeNet