Studio Musician

[iiipopes]

Studio work requires precision, responsiveness, a "clean" intonation and tone, and versatility/flexibility. A tuba that is too large potentially can be a detriment to any or all of these aspects, where the "breadth" of the same tuba can fulfill a supporting role in a larger orchestra better.

Just like any professional: the right tools for the right job are what are needed.

[Ken Herrick]

It's Reality Check Time!!!!!!!!!!!!!

For somebody to decide in first year of college in the middle of the Pacific Ocean that they are going to be a "studio musician" is really a bit much. SORRY - but, you've got to get a grip on yourself here.

To make a living in the studio you will need to become one helluva player and get some good experience and be in the right place at the right time. New York & LA are probably just about the only places in the world where more than 1 player (IF THAT) can make a living that way.

I don't know what sort of nonsense your "professor" is feeding you to make you think that such a limited career goal is viable, and this after the crap about you having to get a PT6 or PT7. That might be okay if you are going to be taking over from Gene Pokorny or such but for somebody to go that sort of route when they "think" they are going to be the next Jim Self or Howard Johnson is ridiculous. There is even a model or two of tuba carrying his (HJ) initials which would be far more appropriate for what you are suggesting. Then there is the factor of being able to come up with the scratch to buy something.

Yes, there are a lot of people going into a studio and cutting a solo disc these days, (like maybe one in 1000 tuba blatters) but how many have any hope of succeeding in the way you are proposing? Bloody near zilch!!!!! For most that will be the only recording they ever make and many of them should never waste their time inflicting their playing on the world in the first place.

Just get yourself a decent 4/4 or even 3/4 axe - BBb or CC doesn't really matter too much and get in that practice room and practice till your fingers move so fast they are almost ready to fly off, your chops are tougher than old boot leather, and you can play anything at sight, or after hearing it once or twice and be able to transpose anything into any key and play it in twenty different styles. Then, in your spare time get an electric and/or string bass and become proficient on that. Then think seriously about getting pretty good on trombone so you can do some brass doubling as well.

Did I say something about being in the middle of the Pacific? Oh yes, plan on getting somewhere to study with somebody who IS making a living this way - they just might get sick one day and send you in to cover for them. That is the most likely way you will ever get that first gig.

Then you better be prepared to live in a slum, eat crap, and wonder why the hell you are doing it for ten years, at least, before you make it up to the poverty line. If you don't like this career path, you can get your PT7000 so you can make LA and the rest of the coast think the big one has hit while you wait for your current prof to fall off his perch so you can take over his job.

Hate to sound pessimistic, lad, but if this all sounds a bit rugged you better take up underwater basket weaving as your chances of "success" would be a lot higher.

Good Luck

[Bob Kolada]

Here's a cool website, picture, and instrument list (regarding the original question)-
http://www.johnvanhoutentuba.com/johnva ... ut_Me.html

[MartyNeilan]

I am planning to be a studio tubist

I am planning to be 9 feet tall. Hasn't happened yet, though.

[Tubadork]

http://www.bassethoundmusic.com/hardware.htm" target="_blank

[Kevin Hendrick]

stephanie?

I would think so.

[Ken Herrick]

"Give me a place to sit, and a tuba huge enough, and I will shake the world" (with apologies to Archimedes)

Kevin, PLEASE, Don't Do That it's only been 5 years since you last did it and caused a tsunami - you'll make Southern Cal. fall into the ocean if you do it again!!!!!!!!!!!

Then again............ that could put a lot of studio work a bit farther west.

[Kevin Hendrick]

"Give me a place to sit, and a tuba huge enough, and I will shake the world" (with apologies to Archimedes)

Kevin, PLEASE, Don't Do That it's only been 5 years since you last did it and caused a tsunami - you'll make Southern Cal. fall into the ocean if you do it again!!!!!!!!!!!

Then again............ that could put a lot of studio work a bit farther west.

I'll be careful, Ken -- 'preciate the reminder!

[Dylan King]

In limited studio work I have done in Los Angeles (in a past life) I learned a few things about tuba equipment.

An F tuba with rotary valves that lacks a good low C, B, and Bb isn't ideal. I had a Rudy F and played a few dates with it, and right when I was starting to get more recording gigs, I knew I had to switch to a piston with a better low register, finally deciding on the YFB-621. A good recording instrument needs to be able to play the entire range of the horn with consistent color and pitch.

As far as I know, Tommy Johnson preferred his 822 F over all of his tubas, including contrabass horns, for quite some time. He had a special pickup truck with a heavy-duty locked cab, where he kept a variety of other instruments, just in case he needed them. I think he liked the 822 so much because he could use it for just about anything. Doug Tornquist and Jim Self also play an 822.

A CC tuba that plays in tune and has a solid low register is also a good idea. Along with a good contrabass and bass trombone, and at least one CC or F cimbasso.

I think the best way these days to get into studio playing is to make friends with composers and orchestrators. So much of TV and film music is sample based, but if a composer knows a good instrumentalist, they are happy to call them in to "spice up" their mix with some REAL sound. When I started scoring cartoons for WB and doing some other projects for reality TV, and fellow composers found out I played the tuba, they would ask me to come by their home studio to record. There are fewer and fewer (Hollywood orchestra) call gigs, and only a few guys who do it, especially now that so many scores that are still recorded with live players are done overseas or out-of-state.

And by the way, no matter how many good horns you have, how great and in tune you sound, and how reliable and nice you are in person, if you can't sight-read on the tuba better than 99.8% of tubists out there, you won't last long in anyone's studio.

[Steve Marcus]

It has been documented that there was exponentially more work for the studio musicians on "conventional" instruments years ago than there is now. Much more soundtrack music was composed and recorded for these instruments in all media decades ago. The only exception might be blockbuster motion pictures, but we've discussed how even that work for studio musicians is limited.

Here's proof:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXiZVOPOJZM

This is a collection of TV commercials for toys that aired in the 1950s and early 1960s. If you keep your mind off some of the incredulous scripts and toys themselves, you can hear a remarkable amount of original music performed by instrumental ensembles that was composed specifically for these commercials. You just don't hear anywhere near this amount of pure, original instrumental music on commercials that are aired today.

Of special interest to TubeNetters:

3:30 "Robot Commando" Lots of low register lines here, but I believe that they're being covered by bass trombone and contrabass clarinet, not tuba

4:30 "King Zor" Now here's a great tuba line.

25:45 "Mouse Trap" Perhaps because of the tuba line in this "ragtime" soundtrack, I've had a vague memory of this soundtrack since my childhood. Now it can be heard again for real.

53:33 "Buddy L"

Enjoy this collection of historical studio musicians' work. The majority of TubeNetters were not even alive when these were aired.

[kontrabass]

Mr. thread poster, you are clearly feeling some sort of pressure to decide the career path for the rest of your life, but my advice to you would be to chill out a bit and stop worrying about what Path to Success you need to follow. It's more important that you figure out what kind of music you really care the most about and what you are hoping to get out of a career in music. In the meantime practice hard and acquire skills. The path will make itself known to you when you are ready.

As an aside, you should be aware that music schools shovel students towards orchestra jobs because they don't really know how to train them for anything else. These days, however, it pays to be creative as you construct your career path. If you are actually interested in commercial/jazz music - which I assume you are if you are interested in studio work, that will be 98% of what you do - then you will probably grow frustrated with the 'orchestral auditioner' path that you are about to head down. You can make a career in that field if you move to a big city; rock bands are interested in "strange" instruments like the tuba these days, and you can carve out a niche for yourself (supporting yourself by gigging, teaching, and possibly serving coffee for a while, but it can be done).

[Alex C]

In limited studio work I have done in Los Angeles (in a past life) I learned a few things ...

I think the best way these days to get into studio playing is to make friends with composers and orchestrators. So much of TV and film music is sample based, but if a composer knows a good instrumentalist, they are happy to call them in to "spice up" their mix with some REAL sound. When I started scoring cartoons for WB and doing some other projects for reality TV, and fellow composers found out I played the tuba, they would ask me to come by their home studio to record. There are fewer and fewer (Hollywood orchestra) call gigs, and only a few guys who do it, especially now that so many scores that are still recorded with live players are done overseas or out-of-state.

...

Great post. I hope the OP takes it to heart.

[bort]

I am planning to be a studio tubist...

I'm a studio tubist now. Planning to move in the spring and be a 1-bedroom tubist. Hoping in a few years to be a 3-bedroom/2.5-bath tubist too.

Real estate is a hell of a thing...

[Neil Bliss]

I was just poking around Jim Self's site again this morning, and re-discovered this article he wrote on the "studio tubist":

http://www.bassethoundmusic.com/article ... t-2004.pdf" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank

[Ken Herrick]

I was just poking around Jim Self's site again this morning, and re-discovered this article he wrote on the "studio tubist":

http://www.bassethoundmusic.com/article ... t-2004.pdf" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank

Good on ya, Neil, for bringing that article to peoples attention!!!!!!!!!!!!

That is an article worthy of being put on the "Tips" page and highlighted with a bit of a note to the effect that: "If you ever want to make a living as a "pro" read this!" It should be mandantory reading for all who ever think of being a "pro" and for all those "professors" of tuba out there who are making a nice living in acadaemia churning out students who, on the basis of available jobs compared to applicants have virtually no hope of ever getting one.

It is fine to "DREAM" about getting that position in the back row of an orchestra and without the dream one will almost certainly never get near it - but it takes going through hell in almost every case to ever attain that dream.

It is great to hear that there are thousands of tuba players who would be good enough to hold down a job - but sad that there are so few jobs. My advice is to work as hard as you can to become as good as you can BUT, be realistic and have a back-up plan cause it's a long way to the top, even if ya don't wanna rock 'N' roll and if you want to make it in the studio - you better be able to.

[The Big Ben]

Tommy Johnson used a cross section of Miraphone and Yamaha tubas, as well as, Hirsbrunner (YB), Gronitz (PCK), and B&S/VMI (a Neptune that John Van Houten now uses) instruments, among others.

I've seen numerous pictures of Tommy holding a cimbasso. I suppose you never know quite *what* the composer and director want for the music so you have to be ready.