What's missing?

[Bob Kolada]

I am posting this here because it is not strictly a tuba thing.

I am compiling a bunch of different low brass instruments. I have-
-2 Eb tubas (one big enough to sub as a contrabass for my needs, and a very small one which matches up well with popular small F tubas) and a decent euphonium
-a small tenor, large trigger tenor, and double valve bass trombone
-F contrabass trombone (on the way!)
-a usable 4 string bass guitar (which actually my brother has had for the last few years, but whatever...)

I am trying to get a bass trumpet now, am looking around semi-seriously for a contrabass trumpet, will probably get a bari sax in less than a year, and might might be able to spring for a full-on cimbasso soon. With the (hyper low range) bass trombone, contrabone, tiny Eb tuba, and possibly contratrumpet a cimbasso might be unnecessary. I don't know.... I think I "could get the same amount of work" with the bass trumpet and contrabone, though I've always felt that a cimbasso would be my ideal instrument.
My euph has only 3 valves, but given that I am only playing it about once a year or less and it has great false tones (though I would like a 3rd valve trigger for 123) it's fine. Or is it?

Any advice on what else I should try to acquire? I will probably get a bass trumpet even if it's not the one I am working on getting now. An English baritone maybe? An alto/tenor horn of some type? With my big Eb tuba I have little interest in a contrabass tuba.

I am nowhere even near the thought of being wealthy, but I seem to have an eye for bargains, don't need the newest-and-best horn, and am fine with waiting for a deal to come along. Hell, I waited like 5 years to get a 4 valve tuba!!!


I would greatly appreciate any serious, or at least half-serious, thoughts on this!


Bob"do I need all these horns???Kolada

[Todd S. Malicoate]

Get whatever you want. No one on the forum could possibly tell you what you want.

As far as "getting work"...if there's one thing I've learned in my years of experience, it's this:

Having possession of a particular type or model of instrument will never get you a job. Better to be a master of one instrument who can read anything (including a sheet with no notes on it at all, if you get my meaning), play well with others (intonation, blend, style), show up on time, and create no drama whatsoever. That will "get you work"...buying a variety of instruments will get you, well, a variety of instruments.

Todd, "Is this what all those threads about student loans for instruments were about?"

[Dan Schultz]

What?! ... no accordion? THAT'S where the money is!

[bort]

You need contrast. Get a 6/4 BAT.

(Or, a 6-valve French C tuba, that would be fun too.)

[Donn]

With my big Eb tuba I have little interest in a contrabass tuba.

Contrabass tuba.

I mean, go ahead and get a mellophone and who knows what other random stuff, if it breaks up the monotony, but if you won't play the contrabass tuba, who will? You a tuba player, or not?

[Søren]

I would add some kind of streetparade tuba, either a sousaphone or a helicon. In the past I did a LOT of parading, and I found that having a horn hanging in front of you is not nice in the long run. I settled on a good trusty old Conn 14K, simply because it was the best instrument and can withstand a substantial amount of beating and keep playing.

Now, did bloke ever sell his 5v B&S Eb helicon........

[windshieldbug]

Having possession of a particular type or model of instrument will never get you a job.

Even if it did, how much work can there possibly be for it, if your the only one (or one of the few) who has it?

[Bob Kolada]

As far as "getting work".....
Todd, "Is this what all those threads about student loans for instruments were about?"

Just to clarify, the "work" part was a joke. And I bought all these horns myself and have some room to possibly get something else.

[Bob Kolada]

Thanks guys! I've always wanted a bunch of different horns, but have never been able to pursue it at all.

bloke "who WON'T sell the valve trombone (as it's gig-able $$$$)...and who HASN'T sold the C ballad horn because [1] I still have fun with it, and [2] I only have $25 invested in it."

I'm hoping I can use the bass trumpet on valve trombone stuff. I will probably be doing so in my big band (director plays trombone and trombone so he shouldn't mind! ), though I'll have to figure out the schematics of what I'd carry on the bus! I do have a $5 Conn Eb/F mellophone my dad found in a yard sale, but I cannot play it that well (trumpet sized mp, I can play a small trombone mp at least!) and it's in decent condition at best.

I would add some kind of streetparade tuba, either a sousaphone or a helicon.

I have thought about this, but I have almost no room left in my apartment to put anything of size. I bought a used Neotech harness here in the hopes I could use that for standing and such, but I cannot get it to work for me at all. If I ever get interested in it again, I'm going to try to put something together that works for me- proper angle, squared in the back instead of triangular, fixed straps that don't slide into each other,...

[Bob Kolada]

Cross off the bass trumpet from that list- I should have this in about a week or so!

It's not the piston Getzen I couldn't work out with the buyer nor the rotary MW the seller never returned my email about,.... but for the fantastically small need I have for this it should be fine at least as a starter horn. In the 15 years I've been playing, I've heard of one time when someone I knew needed one. I never have. Oh well!!

[Donn]

In the 15 years I've been playing, I've heard of one time when someone I knew needed one. I never have. Oh well!!

Is the valve trombone a longer but better balanced bass trumpet, or are there significant differences? Looks like a smaller bell, anyway.

[bort]

I've seen one "in the wild" once, in a weird church jazz group I rehearsed with once (again, it was weird, so I quit). Looked like fun though, but was hardly necessary. But looked like fun.

[iiipopes]

A valve trombone is exactly that: a valve trombone. A valve block instead of a slide. I've played several over the years. Most of what I've played were based on something like an old King 2B, with the @.490 bore. I believe the original intent was for those switching from another instrument, or who just couldn't get the concept of positions solidified.

It doesn't sound like anything else except the best ones sound like a trombone, but without the ability to gliss and because of the block a little more stuffy on occasion.

[Donn]

A valve trombone is exactly that: a valve trombone. A valve block instead of a slide.

I know what a valve trombone is. They're relatively commonplace, in fact I have one myself. Whether it's a trombone or not is a matter of semantics. Whether trumpets belong in the trombone family is similarly a matter of semantics, but they are loosely similar in bore profile and I wouldn't be the first person to make that suggestion. But theory aside, we might infer from the existence of bass trumpets that they're different. Or we might not, and since I don't have a bass trumpet, I was thinking someone who does might have a clue as to the practical difference.

I don't think the "original intent" of the valve trombone means much. It's a different instrument; if you're someone who would like that sort of thing, it's just the sort of thing you'd like, as the man said.

[tofu]

A valve trombone is exactly that: a valve trombone. A valve block instead of a slide.

I know what a valve trombone is. They're relatively commonplace, in fact I have one myself. Whether it's a trombone or not is a matter of semantics. Whether trumpets belong in the trombone family is similarly a matter of semantics, but they are loosely similar in bore profile and I wouldn't be the first person to make that suggestion. But theory aside, we might infer from the existence of bass trumpets that they're different. Or we might not, and since I don't have a bass trumpet, I was thinking someone who does might have a clue as to the practical difference.

I don't think the "original intent" of the valve trombone means much. It's a different instrument; if you're someone who would like that sort of thing, it's just the sort of thing you'd like, as the man said.

I've got one too that I bought on the cheap at a violin auction and it actually plays pretty well and in tune to boot. I've always assumed they were originally aimed at euph players as something to march with. They seem to be extremely popular with Banda bands where you see them a lot. I assume they use them as they dance around a lot and hanging on to a slide would be tough. I've been surprised at how many manufacturers seem to still list new ones in their instrument listings.

[MartyNeilan]

Have a good solid, in-tune contrabass tuba. Keep your 1062 bass trombone, they are some of the most versatile bass bones out there. If you want, have a decent Eb tuba with workable intonation for the split band parts and messing around.
PRACTICE YOUR BUTT OFF.
That is all you really need, for a long time to come.
Stop screwing around with all this other stuff you will never need nor use in the real world. It only takes away from what you should be practicing - are you getting in at least four hours a day of face-time?

P.S. I really am proud of you for your reserve band accomplishments. Keep working it, and pursue the full time band thing if that is what you want once you finish your degree.


You really want to pick up something else? Get yourself a cheap electric bass. I am sure your Uncle can find some way to "plug you in" with it.

[Donn]

I assume they use them as they dance around a lot and hanging on to a slide would be tough. I've been surprised at how many manufacturers seem to still list new ones in their instrument listings.

See, this is why they should be called something else. As soon as you say "valve trombone", everyone thinks "trombone - why no slide? Must be because ... someone doesn't know how to use a slide ... it's hard to work a slide while dancing ... slide is dangerous to the row seated in front of you ...", whatever. So we need another name. Let's say ... it's the moral equivalent of the ophicleide, but a valve instrument and we have more sense than that guy who tries to reuse that name for some kind of saxhorn (what does cleide mean?), so how about ophetronium!

Why doesn't the trumpet have a slide? Answer: it's a trumpet, trumpets don't have slides! Why would the ophetronium have a slide? What a weird question, it doesn't have a slide because it's an ophetronium! The ophetronium has a tone quality rather like the trombone, but is of course much more agile and is popular in various Latin genres and occasionally in jazz. Is it very different from a bass trumpet? This question has confounded experts, since none of them have ever seen one.

[imperialbari]

Why hasn’t somebody suggested the most urgent need being some real Piña in the Kolada.

K

[Bob Kolada]

Stop screwing around with all this other stuff you will never need nor use in the real world.

Ah nuts to that! I am already talking with a guy about a 2nd contrabass trombone....
I do actually use most of these things a lot- large tenor for rock band and small bass stuff, bass trombone for blah blah blah, contra for brass choir and trombone choir, bass trumpet for valve trombone parts in big band and loan out to people I know who actually get bass trumpet gigs ,.... I really wanted a piston bass trumpet, but couldn't quite justify the cost. Maybe someday. It should be here Wednesday, and I'll have the whole day off to see how bad I am at it.

You really want to pick up something else? Get yourself a cheap electric bass.

I do have one of these too, and an amp as well though actually my little brother has had both the last few years!

[k001k47]

I like tourduls, liek him.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMNry4PE93Y