Proper Sousaphone Position

[tubamonster]

I hold my sousaphone front to back. There is only one other person in the "Bass" section at Texas A&M that does this. Obviously, I'll try to fix this when I become an upperclassman. Wearing a sousaphone side to side does cause issues with marching. If the sousaphone is worn correctly and you are in line, you should not have to turn the horn to avoid clanging bells as the Aggie does. We also wrap our neck and bits with athletic tape so that there are no leaks and so we won't constantly have to readjust.
Wearing the sousaphone front to back does tend to dig into my side. I probably have the bits adjusted wrong, but then again I have a longer neck than most people. Most people I see need to readjust their bits so that they do not have to "slouch" their neck to get to the mouthpiece. This also causes additional pressure on the top lip.

tubamonster

[tubamonster]

We have King 2350s in the Aggie Band. I'm just now getting to know the directors, so at some point I'll talk to them about fixing it for next year.

[Rick Denney]

Why not bring this up with the director? She/He would have the authority to tell them how to put together the sousaphone and use it - way beyond what any section leader might say.

"She"? I suppose it's possible.

I try to imagine Major Haney (commander of the Aggie Band when I was there) allowing the Aggie Band bass section to hold their instruments sideways, and I just can't conjure it up. I wasn't a BQ--I played in the A&M Symphonic Band and was not in the Corps--but I knew Joe McMullen (who directed our group) and Major Haney well enough, and even knew many of the guys in the Aggie Band bass section (most of whom were not really tuba players, of course--the Fightin' Texas Aggie Band isn't that kind of group).

Times have changed. Most of the kids coming into the Aggie Band probably played convertibles in high school, even assuming they played tuba at all. A&M reveres tradition, but many things taken as traditional are not as old as the current residents think--when generations only last four years traditions change faster than people realize, as I note every time I'm back for a visit.

The seniors have the authority in the section, just as in most other aspects of the Corps of Cadets. The regular Army commanders and staffers allow that to happen with minimal interference.

To Tubamonster: Be careful what you try to fix as a fish. Wait at least until you have earned pisshead status. But you can be subversive in behalf of doing it right among your fellow fish, just do it quietly. Patience. Maybe post a few pictures of tuba players in the premier military ceremonial bands. I was at the Air Force Band's Christmas program last week, and I didn't notice the guys in the Ceremonial Brass holding their sousaphones sideways.

Rick "'80" Denney

[SousaSaver]

Now the real question is: how do you pass this advice on to educators? I am going to have an answer very soon...

[SousaSaver]

Now the real question is: how do you pass this advice on to educators? I am going to have an answer very soon...

[tubamonster]

@Rick: I'm not planning on fixing anything in the Aggie Bass section anytime soon. It would be best if I waited until my year. There is no female director of the Aggie Band.

[Mike Finn]

[SousaSaver]

AWESOME PHOTO!!!!