Are we supposed to move our tuba while playing?

[Leto Cruise]

Recently noticed that some players tend to tilt their tuba forward when playing high and then back a little towards them when playing mid range. Is there a particular reason for this or is it simply for the show? Someone please elaborate.

[djwesp]

here's a helpful link
http://www.trombone.org/articles/librar ... ?ArtID=240

[gilmored]

With me, I tend to move slightly with the music and really, to me, this is an unconcious thing. Moving helps me feel the music and remain fluid. If I'm still my body as well as my sound get stiff. I really don't know if I should do this but my instructor hasn't said anything and I've seen others doing it as well.

[peter birch]

One way or another, music is movement. How you move depends on the context in which you are playing. In a military band, your movement would be limited to marching and the instrument itself is kept quite still, in ansmall ensemble, movement indicates phrasing, entries and endings.
the main movement you make, of course, is breathing and you will find that your instrument moves as you breathe, particularly when you take an effort breath either for a long phrase or a big note.

[wr4]

I do occasionally move to "get a better grip" or with a musical phrase, but don't sway to the beat.
There was an incident in high school where my section mate and I were forced to stand while playing in the gym. We decided it would be interesting to bob up and down (oom-pah), alternating our fiberglass sousaphones like big white pistons. That lasted all of 10 seconds because we started laughing so hard. I wonder if anyone noticed.

[Donn]

Folks, if you take a clue from djwesp & bloke and read the text and not just the subject title, the question is about playing high notes, not whether it's a good idea to wave your tuba around to the music.

Personally I would guess that if you have sufficient range of motion in your neck, you'll be able to make this adjustment with more facility by moving your head, rather than the tuba, but I'm no expert.

[Tuba Guy]

We decided it would be interesting to bob up and down (oom-pah), alternating our fiberglass sousaphones like big white pistons.

We do that in Pep band on Duck Tails...it's funny to see our sousas alternating (when there's more than one).
In pep band, we move, dance, jump, and everything on those risers. It's a lot of fun (and a very good core workout).
In concert settings, it really depends on the horn. With my tiny CB50 or York Eb, I can move easily. I sometimes even do it subconsiously (if a phrase is going up, i move up; if i'm going to a deceptive note, I'll make sure tha audience understands that). If it will help my musical ideas come across to the audience, I don't mind looking a little funny (and with how I look most of the time, it's not hard)
With the bigger horns (the Kaiser and my Martin), it's a litle tougher just because of their size. I'm finding that I need to play the kaiser on a seperate chair (it's on the corner of one, and i sit on another) to be able to reach the leadpipe. Once I get more comfortable and figure out how to get it to my mouth more easily, I'll probably start to move with it too

[Dan Schultz]

The short answer to that question would be NO. You don't HAVE to move your horn and you don't HAVE to keep your horn stationary. If you personally need to move your horn to accomplish an alignment with your chops that's comfortable, my take would be that it's OK.

On the funny side of that question... we have a clarinet player in our local symphonic band who is SO animated that the rest of the section leaves an extra space on either side of her.

[Leto Cruise]

Thanks guys, but to be more specific here's what I was originally referring to. For example, notice how this guy moves towards the tuba instead of moving the tuba towards him. Is there a reason for this to play the high notes efficiently or just something normal?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tm272w2gLsw" target="_blank

[Dan Schultz]

Thanks guys, but to be more specific here's what I was originally referring to. For example, notice how this guy moves towards the tuba instead of moving the tuba towards him. Is there a reason for this to play the high notes efficiently or just something normal?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tm272w2gLsw" target="_blank" target="_blank

To me... that looks like more of an individual style than anything. Of more interest to me is the fact that his chops are nowhere near centered on the mouthpiece. I'll bet he's a converted horn player.

[WakinAZ]

I've had two world renowned tubists tell me to move the horn forward for high, backward for low. It may just be a reinforcement for some people, a physically necessity for others, unnecessary for others still. It's just a rule of thumb or convention. If you aren't having trouble with high or low range playing or skipping around large intervals, don't worry about it.

[TubaRay]

***MOST IMPORTANT***

If you aren't having trouble with high or low range playing or skipping around large intervals, don't worry about it.

[djwesp]

Yeah, should probably not get your oil changed either. Just drive the car until it seizes up.


"hey, let's not learn about stuff unless we are already having a problem with it."

this should really be ameliorated to...

"the more i know, the more powerful I am as a player, because i can address issues as they happen and maybe, MAYBE, even discover that there are things that i thought were "just fine" that i can greatly improve on with knowledge"

[Toad Away]

I had been taught what was then called the
"pivot system" which allowed slight posture
movements for high-end or low-end playing.
(Less pressure on the lower lip for the low
notes, less pressure on the upper lip for the
high register.)
You get the picture.

[windshieldbug]

My teacher, who was taught in New York by the great Bill Bell, had me learn exactly such a "rocking" system when I started on tuba in collej.

Rock the horn forward for high notes, back for low, using the lowest bow as the pivot. Four octaves, each fingering combination.

What it does, of course, is set in one's tactile memory the sense of seamlessly moving the lower jaw out for low notes, and in for high range, without the need to reset one's embouchure.

As time went on, I ceased the need to move the horn, but continued the concept of using the lower lip to make range changes in the music as effective as possible, which was the whole point.

It seemed kind of silly and elementary when I started, but I cannot argue with its effectiveness, nor its usefulness for myself. I had auditioned for school on trumpet, and kept sliding down the brass range once there due to embouchure problems. This method straightened me out once and for all!

[eupher61]

The title question makes me chuckle, and I could answer with all sorts of smart aleck comments. But I'll be good.

"Supposed" to is a lot differnent than "is it OK to" move a lot.

I agree with the notion of the pivot, totally, but IMO, moving a tuba or a euphonium is a bit too much motion. Minimize it by letting the jaw do the work. It also helps keep an "open throat".

High range = OVERBITE. Lower jaw pulled back.

Low range = UNDERbite. Lower jaw pushed forward.

Middle range = find that point in between.

Pedal range = whatever it takes to make it work.

It's really uncomfortable to do these motions and have the teeth closed and tongue up in the way. One has to work at that.

[Dylan King]

The proof is in the professional...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NymprfjizE

[Dan Schultz]

The proof is in the professional...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NymprfjizE

I had not seen that interview before. Thanks for the link. Did I hear a 'belch' about two minutes and thirty seconds into the interview?... right as Mr. Bobo was sitting down?

I also found it interesting that he described his horn as being 24 feet long if it was stretched out.

Anyway... back to the original topic... I didn't really note any correlation between the 'tilt' of the tuba and the range of the playing. Did I miss something?

[MileMarkerZero]

If you were accepted into a certain tuba studio in middle Tennessee you would be taught this technique within the first 15 minutes of your first lesson.