How Am I doing?

DevilDog-2013 · Post by **DevilDog-2013** » Sat Jun 18, 2011 2:02 am

Would you mind listening to these two, short pieces I am in the process of composing? And tell me what you think?

Chanson Triste Phillips- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOg2VxLNSiY" target="_blank" target="_blank"
Berceuse- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGbMcB35je4" target="_blank" target="_blank"

It would be much appreciated
Thanks!
Erica

k001k47 · Post by **k001k47** » Sat Jun 18, 2011 4:46 am

What mic are you using? It records your playing well.

DevilDog-2013 · Post by **DevilDog-2013** » Sat Jun 18, 2011 6:24 pm

Thanks for the replies

I am working on my vibrato. I've only just recently learned how to do it. It needs help still!
I've tried it by moving my jaw and I failed miserably. I found the only way that works is wind.
And the main reason I recorded these was to get constructive criticism. I'm just "noodling" and trying to improve my playing ability. I think this is an extremely effective way of learning!

And actually we played several pieces that called for vibrato in concert and jazz. Of course our dynamic markings were pp but still, it's cool

And I actually just recorded it on my phone! It's just an old Samsung cell, it has a great mic!

Thanks

tuba.bobby · Post by **tuba.bobby** » Sun Jun 19, 2011 4:26 am

goodgigs wrote:Chopps vabrato is the most consistant one. But I'm sorry to say, tuba only very rarely uses any vibrato.
It's cool when playing for your own enjoyment, or durring a solo, but almost never is it called for in band music.

Is it? I've never seen a Tuba player use chop vibrato, and I've always been taught vibrato must come from the diaphragm never moving anything on the face.
And I use it all the time, just especially in solos. Brass bands and wind bands both call for it, and it doesn't do harm to use it in the orchestra too (appropriately of course). And with little pieces like these vibrato warms everything up and gives it that colour

MikeMason · Post by **MikeMason** » Sun Jun 19, 2011 11:58 am

I believe there may be a cultural difference with vibrato between British tubists and the rest of the world.Just my observation...

fairweathertuba · Post by **fairweathertuba** » Sun Jun 19, 2011 11:36 pm

Your tuba pieces are coming along nicely, keep working on them until you are happy with them.

One question for you, what method books do you regularly study?

DevilDog-2013 · Post by **DevilDog-2013** » Mon Jun 20, 2011 2:35 pm

Thanks for the replies

And ummm... don't hit me, but I don't practice any method book anymore. I used to use the Essential Elements when it was required in school, but I found them annoying. I had a hard time learning like that because I started relying on them. For a while I was stuck on paper. I could only play what was written. Until I dumped the method books.

I find it easier to sit down, play my scales, learn a complicated piece (Haddad's Suite for Tuba currently), then work on something I made up. My tuba friends and I will make something up, play it for hours in someone's garage then go walk around town playing our arsenal of pieces

And I feel I have improved more this way than with any book or teacher.

I don't really know why this is exactly, but my best guess is this:
When someone composes a piece of music, it's what they feel, what they want to express. That's fine most of the time. But I want to play what I feel, what I want to express musically.

I don't know, now I'm just confusing myself!

Thanks,
Erica

Brian C · Post by **Brian C** » Mon Jun 20, 2011 4:30 pm

Erica-

Essential Elements is a method book in name only. Here are the method books I bought before I quit playing in college, which represents a representative collection for the serious amateur:

1. Hal Leonard Advanced Band Method for Basses with Special Studies by Arnold Jacobs.
2. The Remington Warm-Up Studies (for trombone).
3. Marco Bordogni 43 Bel Canto Studies for Tuba.
4. Rubank Advanced Method for Eb or BBb Bass Vol 1 and 2.
5. Clarke-Gordon Technical Studies for Bass Clef Instruments.
6. Gallay 30 Etudes, op. 13 for Tuba.
7. S Vasiliev 24 Melodius Etudes for Tuba
8. Blazhevich 70 Studies for BBb Tuba, vols 1 and 2.
9. Rhythmical Articulation for Bass Clef Instruments by Pasquale Bona.
10. Pares Scales for BBb Bass.
11. Studies in Legato for Bass Trombone and Tuba.
12. Melodious Etudes for Trombone by Rochut.
13. Arban's Famous Method for Trombone.

Donn · Post by **Donn** » Mon Jun 20, 2011 4:33 pm

DevilDog-2013 wrote: I find it easier to sit down, play my scales, learn a complicated piece (Haddad's Suite for Tuba currently), then work on something I made up. My tuba friends and I will make something up, play it for hours in someone's garage then go walk around town playing our arsenal of pieces

That sounds like an excellent strategy to me.

If you are headed for a professional tuba career, then I imagine you will have a lot of catching up to do on certain skills. I wouldn't know, really, but I know my somewhat remedial skills in some areas, like reading, make it hard for me to even take a sub job. But of course, only a tiny minority of music students go on to make a living at it (even if you define "living" very liberally), while the majority of the rest go on to never play a note again in their lives. It sounds like there's reason for optimism that you will be among the remaining fraction that does make real use of their music skills in their adult lives, albeit not at a commercial level, and furthermore that you're building the foundation to do this in a more interesting way than just, for example, community college band as a continuation of high school band.

fairweathertuba · Post by **fairweathertuba** » Mon Jun 20, 2011 10:35 pm

Good luck with your method, it might work but then again you could wind up sounding like you do now, forever. If you want to be creative that's good, actually that's great, but also you need to learn how to build technique and a solid tone, those things will help you in your endeavor to create. Your method might work, actually it works for a lot of people who go into jazz and pop music who start out with garage bands and work their way up into the gigging world.

My advice is if you go it on your own you need to listen to a lot of music, record yourself and compare it to what you would like to sound like. Also, having some passing knowledge of a few method books ( I'm not talking about your beginner or jr high band books, but some real tuba, trumpet, and other brass books) will only help you. A teacher may not really be necessary, actually they are terribly expensive for what they teach you. But then again, some passing lessons here and there from a real tuba player who is good at teaching could only help as well.

DevilDog-2013 · Post by **DevilDog-2013** » Tue Jun 21, 2011 12:48 am

Thanks for the replies.

@ Brian C,
I have the Rubank Concert and Contest Collection for Eb or BBb bass. I will admit that I do like it but I just don't play it enough.

@ Everyone,
I took a lot of advice (from you guys and friends) and I improved one piece. I think I'm just going to trash the other ones.
If you're interested:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptEQnHtt12A" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank

I didn't realize how difficult it would be to get it down on paper. I got this far at least. I guess it sounds okay

I think i sound a lot better in this one. Unfortunately, the better recording of the two wouldn't upload so I had to cut out a bit

Thanks.

DevilDog-2013 · Post by **DevilDog-2013** » Wed Jun 22, 2011 12:01 am

Yes, constructive criticism is what I am looking for.

I can take it

tubajazzo · Post by **tubajazzo** » Wed Jun 22, 2011 3:59 am

+1 for Mr. Goodgigs advice! The "no tongue" approach works. Try to produce a solid and full sustained sound started only by your breath. Begin with one note in the middle register. It may need some time to develop...If you got it on one note, then gradually move to higher and lower notes.

gerd

DevilDog-2013 · Post by **DevilDog-2013** » Thu Jun 23, 2011 7:41 pm

Great, thanks guys

I never realized what I was doing wrong. I'm so glad I posted these videos! I've always been told I have good tone. But that's all anyone ever told me. They never told me what I'm doing wrong, so I decided to ask. Good thing for TubeNet

(even though I feel like I bother everyone

)

I never noticed it when I'm playing but after listening to the recordings, I found a few things to work on. So I'll fix it and keep you guys updated.

Thanks

Anterux · Post by **Anterux** » Sun Jun 26, 2011 8:00 pm

I liked your chanson triste. Very nice! Sad.

Now you should develop it, make it tell a story, make variations, make it fly!

Once again, Very nice work groing on!

DevilDog-2013 · Post by **DevilDog-2013** » Mon Jun 27, 2011 1:51 am

Thank you

TubeNet

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