covering tuba part in brass quintet on euph

[derrenba]

This morning after church, the tuba player in the brass sextet announced he's accepted a job offer in another state and will be moving next week.

The upshot is that, for the moment, we're down to a quintet consisting of 3 trumpets, a tenor trombone, and me on euph. (To this point, I've been covering the Horn part.) The 'bone doesn't have a trigger, but my euph's a compensator, so until we come up with a new tuba player, I'll be at least attempting to cover the tuba part.

My horn plays fairly open in the compensating and pedal registers down to the limit of my range (pedal Db), though the sound doesn't have nearly the weight or presence below the staff that a tuba would. Would a deeper/larger or a heavy weight mouthpiece give me a little more punch at the bottom end?

Thanks.

[TUbajohn20J]

Yes, the wider and deeper the cup..the bigger your low range will sound.

[Bob Kolada]

What horn is it? Contrabass trombone mouthpieces are -great- in bass trombones and euphoniums for just such a role. I have a Josef Klier KBP2C and a Kanstul (heavy JK copy) 2A; the 2A is just a little too much for my bass trombone but the 2C rocks there and in every euphonium that it'll fit that I've tried. I think it was about 50 bucks from Dillon's.
Think quick (to avoid the "omg!! i have to play a bunch of low notes!!" slowdown) and aggressive (playing loudly enough to bring out the low range) and you'll do fine; imagine yourself to be a bass trombonist with built-in intonation. Lose the "bwah" and bring the "bah" and make sure you can play low C and B in tune.

I think that if one of the trumpet players could manage an alto trumpet, alto trombone,... for the french horn part that 2 trumpets, whatever horn, a small tenor, and a euphonium could be a very nice sound- very bright and clear. "Trombone players" wig out at the thought of smaller tenors for anything other than big band and, as rarely as possible, the occasional "period correct" gig, but a small bore tenor, with an appropriately sized 5th voice, really blends well with the higher horns. I just saw The United States Army Band brass quintet play and the "small" horn Harry Watters played fit in awesomely with the higher horns.
I think it'd sound even better if you made sure to avoid having a french horn on the third part, but whatever.

[b.williams]

A Bach 1G makes my euphonium sound like a tuba.

[tbn.al]

You might think about a Yamaha Roger Bobo Tenor Tuba Solo. It has the euphonium shank with a tuba rim and cup. 32 mm inside dia. rim, semi shallow cup and 7mm throat. It sounds good in my King 2180 but it does introduce some intonation quirks in the upper register. Low register rocks.

[Bob Kolada]

bloke "and I don't see many tenor saxophone players trying to play their instruments with baritone saxophone mouthpieces / trumpet players trying to play Bb trumpets with Eb alto horn mouthpieces, either"

Yeah but they're not tubas or euphoniums. Mine works perfectly fine.

[tokuno]

How about borrowing a tuba?
I was in a similar situation trying to cover church bass lines on a Besson 967.
It was an interesting experience, but unfun, both technically and musically.

If a loaner is unavailable, it might be worthwhile to rent a tuba. I found it helpful to my euphonium airflow and breathing to switch to tuba for a while.

[tbn.al]

Anything beyond that (at least with me blowing through it) starts going crazy.

The intonation from the Bobo TT does get squirrelly in the normal euph register, anything above F in the staff. However, it's pretty good otherwise and really knocks out the pedal range. If I were atempting to play only church tuba parts I might try it. The problem is cost. It would be a pretty expensive test drive if it didn't work.

[elimia]

I actually cover some bass guitar range stuff on euphonium on a Bach 5G. I have to plug a ton of air through the horn to make it work. The 5G is a multipurpose mpc I think; for playing tuba range a Wick SM3 would be my suggestion. I also have an SM3.5 and it does great in the pedal register.

[MartyNeilan]

I actually cover some bass guitar range stuff on euphonium on a Bach 5G. I have to plug a ton of air through the horn to make it work. The 5G is a multipurpose mpc I think; for playing tuba range a Wick SM3 would be my suggestion. I also have an SM3.5 and it does great in the pedal register.

Do you play it 8vb as a real bass guitar would?

[tbn.al]

I actually cover some bass guitar range stuff on euphonium on a Bach 5G. I have to plug a ton of air through the horn to make it work. The 5G is a multipurpose mpc I think; for playing tuba range a Wick SM3 would be my suggestion. I also have an SM3.5 and it does great in the pedal register.

Do you play it 8vb as a real bass guitar would?

What he said.................................................................You are a better man than me if you are playing what is written where it should actually sound, down an octave, with a 5G.

[tclements]

Sorry to throw a damp blanket on this, but playing a tuba part on a euph, no matter how big the mouthpiece will just sound bad. I would suggest one of the two following remedies: learn to play the tuba, or find a tuba player and continue your sextet.

Good luck!

[Biggs]

You might think about a Yamaha Roger Bobo Tenor Tuba Solo. It has the euphonium shank with a tuba rim and cup. 32 mm inside dia. rim, semi shallow cup and 7mm throat. It sounds good in my King 2180 but it does introduce some intonation quirks in the upper register. Low register rocks.

A very similar option to this (that I use) is the Miraphone Jim Self Euphonium mouthpiece. Same deal: tuba rim, euphonium shank, high register foibles. However, all the euphonium playing I do is purely recreational; I'd guess a more experienced player would have better all-around results on this type of mouthpiece.

[Bob Kolada]

Sorry to throw a damp blanket on this, but playing a tuba part on a euph, no matter how big the mouthpiece will just sound bad.

Its all a matter of opinion. Some people like a leaner sound, some like a broader sound.

"papa bear" = contrabass trombone mpc., etc. ("too big")

Good thing I found out before it's too later!!

[derrenba]

Of course acquiring a tuba would be ideal, but unless someone donates a tuba--or the use of a tuba--to the church (a donation we would be happy to receive), it's neither practical nor financially feasible; and, of course, attempting to cover the tuba part with a euph is problematic, however, at least making the attempt is preferable--at least in the judgment of the church music director and the senior pastor--to not having the brass ensemble play at all until a new tuba player is found or a tuba can be procured.

[tbn.al]

There you go. You can see if the Bobo TT works for you at a reasonable price.

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