Dorky tuba player stereotype?

[The Big Ben]

I once saw a video of former Chicago Bears player William "The Refrigerator" Perry jumping from the floor to a tabletop about 30" high and back to the floor again and do it ten times in rapid succession. Fridge was weighing almost 350 lbs. at the time.

If people realized that the tuba could be agile and mobile as well as providing the solid bottom for a polka or Dixie band, I would be happy as a tuba player. I played a series of tuba solos for my family this Christmas and they were surprised that the tuba could sound beautiful as a melody instrument.

Dorky tuba stereotype? I can live with it and it sure is fun showing people what the tuba can do when given the opportunity. I love showing a YouTube of Wynton Marsalis doing 'Carnival of Venice" and then following it up with Oystein Baasvick. Jaws drop. Kinda like mine did when I saw The Fridge kip up onto that tabletop....

[TexTuba]

Well, let's see:

I was put on tuba in 6th grade because I was fat.
I continue to be quite fat.
I get REALLY dorky when it comes to tuba-related stuff.
I can drink with the best of them.
I enjoy spending time with musicians...even better if they're tuba players!
I know I'm getting into Heaven because I took pity on a sax player and married her...

[Mister JP]

Good discussion, but I'm in the same boat as TexTuba... keeping the sterotypes alive

I stand 6'4"
I'm currently weighing in at about 280 (in my avatar pic I'm probably 40 lbs lighter)
I didn't date until college - because I'm so awkward with women
I drink quite a bit (well, I'm also Irish, so double whammy there)
I also love comic books (graphic arts is my 9-5)
favorite sport: Bowling
Married a clarinet player

[David Richoux]

Good discussion, but I'm in the same boat as TexTuba... keeping the sterotypes alive

I stand 6'4"
I'm currently weighing in at about 280 (in my avatar pic I'm probably 40 lbs lighter)
I didn't date until college - because I'm so awkward with women
I drink quite a bit (well, I'm also Irish, so double whammy there)
I also love comic books (graphic arts is my 9-5)
favorite sport: Bowling
Married a clarinet player

Check
Check (+/-)
Check (only tuba player in High School, so that is obvious.)
Check (but I am Scotch-Irish and Cajun so that may be a Triple)
Check (Industrial Design with Graphics Minor)
Bicycle Racing
Married a music fan who cannot play any instrument...

Destined to Eternal Dorkdom?
Probably - ( for example - see my collection of Tuba Kitsch in the ClipArt section )

Proud to be a Tuba Player?
YES!

[tubashaman2]

.

[David Richoux]

Is it just me, or does the sousaphone only have one tuning bit, if any at all...seems to be an actor to me.

True that - looks like none or maybe one bit, possibly. Also, the horn is resting on the furthest part of his shoulder - looks like it might fall off in a second!

[TUBAD83]

Everybody knows the tuba section gets the most attention in the band!--cameramen LOVE em (even the guy that got flattened by one last fall)
Tuba is a serious "babe magnet"--as long as you don't look like a serial killer and bathe regularly, you can work it

Besides that stereotype was started up by jealous trombone players!

[cdtuba]

Everybody knows the tuba section gets the most attention in the--cameramen LOVE em

Indeed. I get tons of camera time in every televised WVU game. I'm even in a few newspapers

[jeopardymaster]

Babe magnet?

Yeah, just like being a Jeopardy! champ is.

Nope.

[pierso20]

Everybody knows the tuba section gets the most attention in the--cameramen LOVE em

Indeed. I get tons of camera time in every televised WVU game. I'm even in a few newspapers

Which is great...as long as the paper doesn't call your instrument a trumpet...

[TUBAD83]

Babe magnet?

Yeah, just like being a Jeopardy! champ is.

Nope.

My man I do speak from experience--just last year several very attractive women asked to take pics with my me and both my Schillbruner and my Conn 36K. Gotta have confidence if ya gonna play tuba!

JJ

[TexTuba]

Babe magnet?

Yeah, just like being a Jeopardy! champ is.

Nope.

So I take it you haven't reaped the rewards of being a jeopardy master?

[Sally Larsen]

-5'4" (and a little bit)
-struggling to stay above 130 lbs
-definitely a magnet for newspaper photos (Oooh, a little girl with a big horn!)
-Geeky? I drive a 1988 Volvo 240 with flames painted on the hood!
- and...I'm over 50, with a nice salt-and-pepper natural mohawk.

Guess I don't quite fit the stereotype. However, all my tuba playing friends are over 6' and over 200 lbs, including the women!

[jamsav]

Many , many moons ago, at Lincoln Ctr , NYC, performing during a Tribute to Mr Words ( Ira Gershwin ) , The Divine Miss M threw her arm around me and exclaimed " I love a boy with a big horn..." and the crowd went wild !!!

[Funcoot]

Out of the 7 people in our line at school, only 2 could be viewed as the stereotypical "dorky" tuba players. It's pretty much only cause both of them are big guys and are really good. Both of them are on the track team. One of our other tuba players is on the baseball team as well. One of our tuba players also barely breaks the 5ft mark, he is very short.

I'm just average.

[pierso20]

It's funny about this topic because when I was attending college, almost all of our 25 person studio were relatively skinny AND snazzy dressers might I add. There were a few athletes as well and one who plays in an up and coming rock band (for real...they really will be out in the scene soon).

I do enjoy getting the media's attention since our instruments are great for pictures!

Chicks DO dig the tuba....after all, my fiance loves "that big shiny instrument".

[KevinMadden]

Tuba is a serious "babe magnet"--as long as you don't look like a serial killer and bathe regularly, you can work it

I've always been a fat guy (now 5' 10" at 300 Lbs) and therefore I don't really get that cold often. Back in HS doing marching band in the snow in NH I would be the only guy in the band to be warm and even sweating after half time (steam would often come from my collar if it was really cold) I had every girl in the band wanting to either have my warm hands on their faces or their cold hands some where on my warm body (kept it PG still thank you very much )

so yes, babe magnet

[The Big Ben]

Tuba is a serious "babe magnet"--as long as you don't look like a serial killer and bathe regularly, you can work it

I've always been a fat guy (now 5' 10" at 300 Lbs) and therefore I don't really get that cold often. Back in HS doing marching band in the snow in NH I would be the only guy in the band to be warm and even sweating after half time (steam would often come from my collar if it was really cold) I had every girl in the band wanting to either have my warm hands on their faces or their cold hands some where on my warm body (kept it PG still thank you very much )

so yes, babe magnet

Well, Kev, like you, I'm kinda built for comfort not for speed (6' - 350) and I think they think we're "cute" and "harmless". Especially if we have one of those awkward instruments...

I don't know if I like that but, there ya go...

[WakinAZ]

I was not aware there was a dorky tuba player stereotype. We always thought we were cool in high school (maybe not as cool as the drummers, but well, you know) and rolled that way. Now the bassoon, now there's an stereotype to overcome...

I am now pretty well beyond being concerned about being cool, and that is very cool, to me. Being a geek has been in for a while now, anyway.

Eric "the coolest guys/gals do not try to be cool, they just are" L.