Is my embouchure in jeopardy?

[Matt G]

Who is responsible for this level of *your* education?

Personally, I believe college is not the place to be switching instruments. I started college being a decent bass trombone player. That fell by the wayside as I went through school. I played little, if any bass trombone for my two senior years!

With that being said, it is your chops. No one knows you chops better than you. I would consult with your instructor before going too much further. I know of professional level trumpet players and horn players who at one time played tuba, and tuba players who once played some other brass instrument. The one thing in common that they all have though, is that they simply don't play the other instrument much, if any, at all.

I do remember Mark Ridenour showing up to a TubaChristmas in Tampa with a (really nice) F tuba many years ago. Probably, I'd guess, one of the few times per year that horn saw the light of day.

[tubashaman2]

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[Kevin Hendrick]

I have my private lesson directly after I play Horn for an hour and haven't noticed a problem switching back and forth.

I wouldn't say after playing it the past 3 months that my embouchure feels much different. I feel as though my playing has enhanced as well as my musicianship. I practice more knowing I'm not playing in an ensemble this semester and my private lessons are going better than they ever have before. I feel more confident as well (which could also be the fact that I am section leader this semester) and that is something I've always struggled with.

It doesn't sound like you're having any trouble from playing several instruments -- actually, it sounds like it's been good for you. You do seem to be monitoring the situation, which is wise ... if your tuba playing starts to suffer, you may need to consider a change, but as long as things are going well (and your instructor agrees), I'd stay with it.

I would consult with your instructor before going too much further.

Excellent advice.

[Doug Elliott]

It's working for you.

There's nothing better for your playing or your musicianship than doubling or tripling as you are doing successfully. You will never regret it.

Just find the balance between what you need to practice and what you don't need to practice, on each instrument, so you don't overdo your face time.

School should be about learning to be a musician, not just practicing tuba.

[Mudman]

At the University of North Texas, there is a guy who is a lead trumpet player from one of the lab bands (I seem to recall that he is lead in one of the top three bands). He also plays a killer trombone in the UNT Jazz Bone group. Their trombone group won the International Trombone Competition and played at the ITF last year.

Doubling without hurting oneself is often about practicing the switch.

Doubling is great, especially if you are a music ed major! If you want to develop a world-class sound that is competitive at the highest level (NY Phil or CSO), you may be better off focusing on one instrument.

[TubaRay]

Doubling is great, especially if you are a music ed major! If you want to develop a world-class sound that is competitive at the highest level (NY Phil or CSO), you may be better off focusing on one instrument.

I believe you have pretty well said it all. Excellent post!

[tubajoe]

Is my embouchure in jeopardy?

NO.

[tubajoe]

Is my embouchure in jeopardy?

NO.

[ken k]

If nothing else, playing the FH will force you to focus your buzz to the center of your chops and improve the focus of your tuba sound. this is what i have found anyway over the past 20 years of teaching elementary band and playing along with all the trumpet and french horn kids. Prior to that I had a mushmouth type of embouchure that was never the same on two consecutive notes, now thanks to many years of playing smaller mouthpieces, i have learned to focus my chops to the center of the lips, making attacks and notes much more accurate on tuba.

that is my story and i'm sticking to it. honestly....
k

[Alex C]

I see a lot of "jazz guys" doubling; I don't see that many "legit guys" playing anything but one instrument (exclude the tuba/tenor tuba and trombone/bass trombone argument). So the original post about whether your embouchure was in jeopardy depends largely on which route you are currently following.

There are notable exceptions: John Fletcher was reported to have won a spot as third horn in the LSO before he became their tubist. Are you a John Fletcher? A number of the LA studio musicians seem to be prodigious doublers, too.

On the other hand, I would be motivated to go to another school if inadequate facilities forced me to have to change instruments or practice habits. It's one thing to study a double on your own, it's quite another to be manuevered into it.

I am surprised that no faculty members seem to have been involved, either by you or of their own volition.

[tubashaman2]

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[Kevin Hendrick]

Amen to what Alex said, doubling is great but mainly for Jazz purposes.

Doubling is also great for getting-more-gigs and getting-paid purposes ...

[Kevin Hendrick]

I play and teach tuba and euph for a living. I also play upright bass for a lot of extra money and fun. But my embouchure keeps getting screwed up trying to vibrate those strings.

Rough on the teeth, too! "Bzzzt!"

And my rosin tastes like what I imagine* to be the flavor of crap…

_____________________

* phrase inserted merely to fend off the inevitable questions about whether my observation was based on some sort of weird personal experience…

"Tastes like what crap smells like", eh? Wonder if Zaja would consider doing a short run of flavored-and-scented rosin?

[jonesbrass]

. . .I also play upright bass for a lot of extra money and fun . . .

If you want to double on an in-demand instrument that won't hurt your tuba chops, do the electric/upright bass thing. It's a lot of fun, and opens doors to playing with a much wider range of groups.

[eupher61]

I have no bow technique with a bass fiddle bow. I fear it has something to do with chapped lips, there's absolutely no vibration, and besides that the tip really hurts when it's more than 2 inches up my nose.

[Doug Elliott]

I see a lot of "jazz guys" doubling; I don't see that many "legit guys" playing anything but one instrument (exclude the tuba/tenor tuba and trombone/bass trombone argument). So the original post about whether your embouchure was in jeopardy depends largely on which route you are currently following.

Sorry, that doesn't follow at all.

"Whether your embouchure is in jeopardy" does not depend AT ALL on which route you are currently following. It depends on whether you're able to do it. And you are already demonstrating that you can.

The fact that most "legit guys" have chosen not to even try to double has nothing to do with anything but their paranoia.

[EuphoniousJoy]

It is important to pay attention to how your embouchure feels every time you play. If you can figure out what is changing your embouchure (if anything) and if it is good or bad, that is the first thing you need to figure out.

However, if you are a tubist and that is your major, no matter what, you should be able to play it. The school does not have a good excuse, in my opinion, why they do not have enough slots for their instrumentalists on their major instrument. You should talk to someone (director of bands, orchestra?) and ask why there aren't enough spots for all of you. If that is the case, they really need to get another ensemble put together.
I don't know about your school, but where I'm at, everyone is required to be in one or two ensembles- due to this, we have many ensembles. Our professors understand that sometimes nonmajors want to play too. Which is awesome; but they try to fit the majors first, so that if there are too many of one instrument, the non-majors are the ones that don't get to play. This may seem unfair, but when you think about it, they don't HAVE to be in an ensemble. You do.

I personally don't think there is any problem with switching instruments, as long as you can monitor yourself and your embouchure for any negative changes. I myself am currently playing Euphonium (my major instrument), Baritone (actually just finished this ensemble, it's over for now) Flute, Oboe, Cello, and voice all in different ensembles. I played trumpet and bass last year. I have always been an advocate of switching instruments. I believe that it gives you a better understanding of sound characteristics, and makes you a better musician. Each instrument has its specialties in sound or development. If you play multiple different instruments (I'm not saying you have to be fantastic) you will gain knowledge and skill in those particular specialty areas of the instruments. This will then come out in your other playing, on your main instrument too.

For example-
flute and oboe are very highly technical. due to playing them, i can single tongue on my euphonium faster than most people, and i have really gotten better at fast fingerings.
cello (along with any other string instrument) is very pitch centered. You must be able to hear pitch in order to sound good and match the ensemble. This has made my pitch center on my euphonium (and flute and oboe) much much better.

OVERALL- keep tabs on your face and how it feels. You should be playing your tuba somewhere somehow because it is your major. The school needs to give you the opportunity to play YOUR instrument, but nothing says you can't play other ones also.

[DHMTuba]

. . . and besides that the tip really hurts when it's more than 2 inches up my nose.

Thought about switching to French bow?

[sailn2ba]

NO! Just practice the ones you need (and don't develop sores from pressing too hard on any of them.).

[noriegatuba]

It's working for you.

There's nothing better for your playing or your musicianship than doubling or tripling as you are doing successfully. You will never regret it.

Just find the balance between what you need to practice and what you don't need to practice, on each instrument, so you don't overdo your face time.

School should be about learning to be a musician, not just practicing tuba.

I completely agree with this statement. Recently, I lost an Easter gig at a church, but as luck would have it, I picked up another one. Only thing was that it required me to play on trombone. Now I haven't played trombone in about seven years and the first day I struggled. The next day, I borrowed a larger bore mouthpiece and a slide chart and off I went! After a couple of hours, it wasn't so bad. I played fairly well that some of my colleagues took note and commended me. After those two weekends of church services, it was really nice to go to my tuba and realize how much stronger it seemed (or maybe it was just my imagination, I'm not sure) but it still felt quite good. Just be wary of any awkward embouchure changes..