Where should the 1st tuba sit?

[MartyNeilan]

Sit next to whoever is the most fun to sit with. If they make you laugh so hard you can't make your entrance, then you've got it ....

Nah...
On very long rests, take a huge breath and act like you are going to play one or two measures early. Always gets the people who aren't counting.
Of course, we never did that in college
Marty "who gladly played out of the fourth folder in a local college-community band, even when featured on the VW concerto"

[Wyvern]

Sit next to whoever is the most fun to sit with.

Reminds me playing in band with a young female tuba player with who I get on well. We came to play a piece and there was only one tuba part, but no-one on bass trombone. Without her knowing I got the bass trombone part and started playing that. The problem was when we got to passage with the bass trom off the beat and tuba on. She did not know what I was doing and tried to get with me - in the end she could not continue playing for laughing and the band was left with just an off-beat tuba - the conductor not knowing what was going on

[tclements]

Wherever he (OR she!) damned well pleases!!!

[Rick Denney]

Music directors would help their musicians out by being clear.

In our band, we have no principals and there are no first-chair players. We do have administrative section leaders, whose role it is to poll the sections for availability for potential performances, etc.

I suppose I'm one of those self-appointed principals, though. When I'm the most experienced person in the section, and when the music calls for pp and I hear f, or for legato and I hear attacks, I'm going to say something. It's usually something like "hey, guys, I see pp in my part. Set phasers on stun, not kill." Sometimes that works, sometimes it doesn't. Often, the conductor will reinforce what I just whispered. Rarely, he will contradict it and I will say, "Okay, put 'em back on kill."

But I have never made headway getting people to lay out for cues and when the part is marked for solo, etc. When I'm the best player in the section, I want my share of those solos and would like the opportunity to be as musical as I can be. When I'm not the best player (which has often been the case), I expect the better players to take those solos most of the time and be more musical with them than I would be. I then listen and learn. But if I can't count on that person being at the rehearsals and concerts, then I end up having to make those solos work when they are not there, and then they get to play them in the concert. That isn't really fair--the point of a community band is not to make the best possible musical product, the point is to provide a satisfying musical experience for the sustaining members. Based on that, those solos have to be spread around. Playing solos, however, should be negotiated, not peremptorily claimed. Again, the conductor must be willing to take leadership on those decisions, to keep a section with no established leader from building resentment.

We do invite professionals to help us out when needed. The role they play is entirely up to the regular attenders. We have a policy that ringers do not play solos and lead parts. This is in keeping with our mission of providing satisfying musical experiences for our members--and that's the reason we are there. The folks who have been at the rehearsals get their pick of the good stuff. The ringers play the parts that would cause those regulars to blow their chops, which makes it more possible for them to play well for those solos. The ringers, who are paid professionals, are told that their role is to support the amateurs so that they are able to play their best and derive the greatest satisfaction. The pros walk out with cash--that is their satisfaction. In my experience, every one of the pros we have brought in has been a huge positive influence on us, both with their musicianship, and with their professional character. And they have all exemplified politeness, respect, friendliness, and supportiveness. I look forward to sitting next to them when the opportunity occurs.

As to how to arrange a section, it should be arranged to provide the best possible outcome, both musical and in terms of enjoyment. I have always sat downwind of better players, and upwind of players who are not as good, as a matter of survival. I'm not so good that I can hear a faulty part right in my ear and not be messed up by it. I think passing the good stuff from player to player in that order helps out, ultimately.

Finally, the number one requirement and qualification for being in a band is this: Commitment. There are many very fine players who just want to show up for the dress and the gig (or even just for the gig). Community groups cannot survive with players like that. The person sitting in that chair every week, woodshedding the part and doing their best with it, has earned the right to perform it. It may not be the best possible performance, but it's the performance you know you can count on, and it's the performance that everyone builds into their hearing of the work, which is part of what makes a community group sound well-integrated. Community groups become less satisfying to play in when they have too many heroes.

That is not the same thing as being just a social group. These principles are aimed at groups that have musical rather than social goals.

When better players have showed up in our band, I have always done my best to make them as welcome as possible. But they have to come for a while before they can get the good stuff, and if they don't get that, then they really should rethink what community groups are all about. The may be able to read our music at sight and do beautifully, but they still have to demonstrate the commitment to the group that means we know we can count on them.

Rick "it is not a competition" Denney

[ekwjr]

Since I am the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc. (i.e. the only Tuba) I sit dead center, back row chairs right in from of the timpani, with the Bass Trombone to my right. A few spaces on my left, then 1st trumpet. This is a concert band with everthing but strings, the conductor moved me there for more projection, since I am so out numbered!!

[sloan]

Again, it's important to respect others' domains.

Joe is right on. Whether I am being paid to be there or just a guest, I let prevailing winds blow. It makes no difference in anyone's life. That's why I let the "section leader" in the experience I shared "talk and talk and talk" without making any comment or putting up resistance. I sat there and agreed and nodded my head---and then played my bit, collected my check, and politely and silently left. Go with the flow in these matters...

Courtesy costs nothing and is never wasted, even on the rude.

One wonders if it might not have showed more respect and courtesy to say "Hi, my name is ... and I've been asked to solo - do you mind if I sit in with the section for the rest of the concert?"

It seems to me that it's pretty rare for someone to just walk in and sit in the section without *any* introductions.

Of course, it applies in the other direction, too - it's pretty rude for someone to start lecturing the new guy (or gal) on how things work without at least saying "Hi, my name is ... Welcome!" before launching into a dissertation on policies and procedures.

I have to say that both you and bloke's daughter share at least *some* of the blame for allowing someone to *continue* to act like a fool. In both cases, my opinion is that simply smiling and nodding is *not* the way to show respect. More like condescension. You call it "polite" - but I disagree.

[Rick Denney]

The only time I've ever had an invited tuba-playing soloist sit in with the section, it was Chuck Daellenbach.

We forgave him.

Rick "who would have welcomed him warmly had he been able to voice actual syllables" Denney

[sloan]

All of that being said, I've been considering playing the baritone in one of the local community bands on a more semi-regular (maybe most last two rehearsals/performances

Here, it gets twisty-turny.

Believe it or not, *some* "community bands" are not really about "the performance". They are about the rehearsals. There is a very wide variety of motivations at work.

Some bands are "level 0" : there is a bunch of regulars who show up to rehearse - but they have serious deficiencies in instrumentation. They *need* ringers to come in and cover the parts.

Others are "level 1" : the regulars cover the parts OK, but the performance can be improved by some ringers.

And then there are a few "level 2" : the regulars are more than competent and don't need ringers.

The problem occurs when "level 1" bands slip back to "level 0" BECAUSE OF THE RINGERS. When enough of the good players catch on to the idea that some people can show up for "the last two rehearsals/performance" (or, worse, get paid to show up *only* for the performance), they start to think "Hmmm...maybe *I* should show up for "the last two rehearsals/performance" (or, better, get paid to show up *only* for the performance). Attendance at early rehearsals drops, until only the very worst players show up for the first rehearsal or three - which accelerates the trend. Pretty soon you end up with a group of semi-pros who have the tee-shirt and hat for the local community band, but who only get together to play the gig. There is essentially no band, and no community - just a contractor who makes the phone calls the week before the performance.

Perhaps this is a slight exaggeration - but it's the truth.

UNLESS you have been specifically invited (on *their* initiative, not yours), please don't make a plan to "join" the local community band (but only for the last two rehearsals and the performance). You might (marginally) improve the quality of the performance, but you may trigger a collapse (or at least, a degradation) of the COMMUNITY band.

Notice that this is a bit different from "I'd like to play occasionally, but I'm so busy that I can't make *every* rehearsal". That's the norm for community bands where most of the members have day jobs and lives outside music. What's offensive is the plan to attend *every* performance, but *none* of the early rehearsals. If you are a quality player, the community band needs you *more* at the early rehearsals than they do at the performance!

JOIN the community and participate. Often, what holds a community band together is the *constant* and *consistent* presence of members who know how to behave professionally and teach by example. It may well be that it would be better (for you, and for the band) if you showed up for the *first* two rehearsals, and skipped the last two rehearsals and the performance.

After all, if your missing the performance leaves a hole in the band, they can always call for a pro to show up and sight-read the concert.

Note that the above assumes you are doing this on *your* initiative. If the music director ASKS you to show up for 2 rehearsals and a performance (I hope he's paying) then you are off the hook.

Also, note that the biggest danger is not that *you* will do these things, but that you will influence someone else in the band to follow your example.

To address Rick's point: the last time one of my community bands had a tuba soloist, it happened because the guest star poked me and said "Gee, I really miss playing in a BAND for a holiday performance. Is there some way I could sit in with you guys? Maybe play a solo, or something?" Our price for allowing him to sit in the section was that he had to go out front and play a couple of solos. A good time was had by all.

Before that, we once had someone come in to play *only* the performance at a nursing home gig because our conductor was retiring and our guest star was a "blast from the past" surprise for the conductor.

Notice that in both of the above cases, the key word was "community" and not "band".

[Rick Denney]

bloke "who, really, has an issue with going into Memphis any more often than necessary (basically LOWE'S, Greyhound Package Express, and for-profit excursions)"

I agree with Ken on his points, and I would say that in our band, we would love having the sound, but would not accept it on those terms without prior arrangement.

We leave it to our music director to make those arrangements. Our policy is any member who must miss more than a rehearsal or two leading up to a concert, or any of the rehearsals the week of the concert, must discuss it with the music director. We don't have a firm policy beyond that, because the decision depends on who it is, the music, and the section.

We had a member who was a wonderful tuba player but who was unable to attend any rehearsals. Once, he arrived for a concert without anyone knowing that he would be there, and after we had already figured out what we would do. We had to tell him that while we loved having him there, we needed him more at the rehearsals than at the performance.

Some bands are casual about this, and others are strict. Make sure the music director and section members know the deal before you assume it's okay.

Without intending any insult, there really are some folks who are too good to play in a given community band.

Rick "who has, on rare occasion, been that person" Denney

[sloan]

It's amusing to see that, as usual, everyone thinks that *they* are exceptional.

sometimes, it's even true.