Tuneup Systems

[Tubaster]

Which version would better suit CC tuba? The Bass Clef C or Tuba version. I have heard that the tuba is aimed toward BBb. Any help would be appreciated!

[gdthetubaman1291]

I've been using the tuba version and I've been getting good results.
I think the only difference between the tuba version and the C bass clef version is that the C bass clef version is an octave above the tuba version. If you bought that you'd probably find it more convenient to take everything down an octave. Unless of course, your chops are made of titanium.

[PolkaNoble]

I understand "TuneUp Systems" is an audio CD, but I have not used it or seen it used. Is there someone here who can explain more about how it works, and how well it works? It seems it would be a good idea to buy a copy for myself but I need to know more about which tuba and euph players and teachers use it and what the results were/are.

I've seen the web site. It helps, but there is nothing like personal testamonials to help me decide

[David Schwartz]

...Is there someone here who can explain more about how it works, and how well it works? ...

Stephen Colley's Tune-Up System is a book-with-CD consisting of carefully chosen exercises and accompaniments designed to provide ear and instrument training in just intonation or pure harmony. The exercises include chorale-like missing note exercises which guide you to play in tune, perfectly in tune.

Tune-Up System works very well. For the price of a lesson with a great teacher you can train yourself to routinely play consonant intervals rather than equal tempered intervals. It is a worthwhile endeavor, and the book-with-CD enable you to work on your own, not necessarily with the guidance of a teacher.

Several years ago I attended a class at nearby Osmun Music with Stephen Colley. I was sufficiently impressed that I developed my own play-along CD for practicing scales and arpeggios in just intonation. My book-with-CD is called Breakfast; it is in bass clef, pitched for trombone or euphonium. With an octave adjustment Breakfast, too, can be useful for tuba intonation development. At this link you can find details.

David

[Roger Lewis]

I have used David's book and find that it is also a great tool for really dialing in your work on tuning. Both of these methods are extremely helpful and really open your eyes to some things you may have been missing in the past. David's "Breakfast" is more detailed and goes through more exercises than the Tune-Up System, but the Tune-Up System is a little more direct and simplified.

When I'm working on scales and arpeggios I use David's Breakfast. When I want a good warm up focusing on tuning and long tones I use the Tune-Up System. It takes about 45 minutes to an hour to go through the whole book. I recommend recording yourself playing along with either of these methods and then listening to it and making sure that you are hearing the same things that the machine is hearing.

Just my $0.02.

Roger