Am I the world's shortest tuba player?

[euphomate]

At 5"6" in barefeet, do I hold the world record as the shortest, fully grown, adult male tubist? The average height of the tuba sections I have played with seems to be 6' . I'm starting to feel a little self conscious. Are tuba players selected by height and build at high school over musical aptitude? I might stick with the euphonium, it seems to be a more height-friendly environment for littlies like me. BTW I mainly play a Besson Sovereign EEb.

[David Richoux]

One of the first sousaphone players in my community marching band was barely 5' 2" tall - he had a very large horn - not exactly a Jumbo, but very large (and it looked even larger on him.)

Here is a picture of him from 1967.

and in a more formal group shot.

[sloan]

At 5"6" in barefeet, do I hold the world record as the shortest, fully grown, adult male tubist?

No.

[TYA]

I am 5'2 and the shortest at my college and also by considered my everyone else to be the best at my college so I think short people can play tuba just as well as taller people.

[bort]

I think the average height of a male in the US is something like 5'9"...so it seems like you are not any farther from average than your 6 foot friends are!

Height matters very little in music. If you can comfortably hold the horn and have enough air to play it, that's it.

[opus37]

I'm 5'6" too and my repaid person is 5'2" and weights about 100 pounds soaking wet. She'll play circles around most anyone. Size only matters on a long march with a monster.

[GC]

Don't forget nations and ethnicities where the average height is much less than the U.S. average. They have Sousaphonians, too, and I'll bet that some are under 5'.

[djwesp]

Went on a brass quintet tour in Japan last christmas.

I'd say there are tons of good, adult male, tubists... that have you beaten by an easy 5-6 inches. They had some serious chops, as well.

[termite]

At 5"6" in barefeet, I'm starting to feel a little self conscious.

Ahh, euphomate, I'm picking up on a range of issues here. (I'm five foot seven, heh, heh - runs away laughing).

Signed
anonymous