How do you hold that thing?

tubaplyer · Post by **tubaplyer** » Wed Jan 18, 2012 3:11 pm

Hello fellow players,

I was wondering if anyone has brought up a post on holding tubas while playing. I was always taught to use my legs to raise and lower the horn so that the leadpipe was in the appropriate position etc. However, I see a lot of guys putting the horn on the corner of the chair. I have also seen these tuba stands etc. (Baer says it is good for the vibration)

I know there isn't a best way, and depending on your horn size it may vary, but what do you do? Does it work? 5/4, 6/4, 3/4, 1?

thoughts?

Tubajug · Post by **Tubajug** » Wed Jan 18, 2012 3:30 pm

It has just depended on what tuba I'm playing. I rested my 186 on my legs and adjusted in the way you described. My current King 1240 is the right height for me to just rest on my chair. I've never felt the need to use a tuba stand (except for those chairs with the little adjustable rest sticking out the front on them when I started tuba in middle school

)

MartyNeilan · Post by **MartyNeilan** » Wed Jan 18, 2012 3:32 pm

I am only 5'7". I rest most tubas (other than small F tubas) on the chair. Depending on the chair, if the leadpipe is still a little high, I sit on a cushion - curse those chairs with the "buttocks cutouts" in them! I have also used a DEG stand sometimes in the past, but now find it is easier to use a cushion the few times when necessary (and the bell cover on an Altieri gigbag folded twice works in a pinch. )

Phil Dawson · Post by **Phil Dawson** » Wed Jan 18, 2012 5:22 pm

I just bought a K&N stand and I love it. I use it with my Miraphone 1290 and it makes a world of difference. I have played this horn for about 20 years and have always held it on my lap and over the years have had some problems with the horn slipping and when I held it so that it wouldn't slip I couldn't easily get to the slides (which are accessible) because of having to hold the horn. I've also found that I play with less mouthpiece pressure and better sound. On the other hand my Conn 3J still works very well on my lap. So I guess it depends on the horn and the person. I just wish I had tried one for my big horn many years ago. Don't be afraid to try one. By the way the cost of the stand from the Horn Guys was just over $100. Phil

DonShirer · Post by **DonShirer** » Wed Jan 18, 2012 7:23 pm

My tuba is too tall to rest on my legs, and some chairs don't provide enough room to rest the tuba on, so I cut out a roughly trapezoidal piece of 1/2" plywood, covered it with some carpet scraps and. I put this on the chair, sit on it, and rest the tuba on the blunt point of the trapezoid which juts out between my legs.

eupher61 · Post by **eupher61** » Wed Jan 18, 2012 11:02 pm

I bought a BBC stand 3 years ago, wish I'd done it a lot earlier. All I play is F. PT-10, it makes all the difference in the world in my comfort and relaxation.

bearphonium · Post by **bearphonium** » Thu Jan 19, 2012 7:37 am

Tuba on lap = mouthpiece at nose. Tuba on chair = hunchback slouch. Tuba too heavy to hold like euph = tuba rest. I have used the butt board method with my York Master. If I were to get a BAT, I suspect I would need a tuba rest as well...

Kevin Hendrick · Post by **Kevin Hendrick** » Thu Jan 19, 2012 9:59 am

LJV wrote:
Phil Dawson wrote:I just bought a K&N...
In addition to the comfort issue, you should see improved mileage and horsepower...

High-performance filtered sound!

Trevor Bjorklund · Post by **Trevor Bjorklund** » Thu Jan 19, 2012 12:02 pm

I just recently went through a similar process of finding the right thing to put the instrument in the right place, while still having easy access to my 1st valve slide. My problem was that having the tuba on my knees was a little too high and only felt good in a position that made it hard for my left hand to freely pull the slide, but putting it on the chair itself made me have to hunch over.

After trying various contortions and then buying/trying a K&M stand, I found the best possible solution was to build my own little platform to put on the chair between my legs, and rest the tuba on it. It is built out of a pair of short, well-sanded 1x6 boards screwed/glued together and then cut into a rounded, two-tiered wedge (the testicle-tray, as my section calls it). Then I wrapped the whole thing in a heavy wool sock, then wrapped it again with that special non-slip rubbery cloth you put under rugs. It will not win any beauty contests but it is small enough to fit in my gig bag and also the perfect height for me to sit up straight and relaxed (and bring the horn to me as opposed to bringing myself to it). The only downside is when the gig provides those super-crappy plastic folding chairs that sag in the middle, throwing off all of my careful calculations!

For the record, I am 5'7" and playing on a Mirafone 188.

pjv · Post by **pjv** » Thu Jan 19, 2012 3:46 pm

the Hercules stand

Those Hercules stands are, believe it or not, for resting the tuba and NOT for playing it. There are no adjustments to raise or lower the stand, let alone any angular positions.

I have NO idea what they were thinking about when the made these. Be warned!

-Pat

Wyvern · Post by **Wyvern** » Thu Jan 19, 2012 3:55 pm

KiltieTuba wrote: I am really interested in those playing stands - like the Hercules stand, but since knowing that the sousaphone stand doesn't fit a jumbo, I'm not sure if it will fit a 6/4 like the 345.

My Neptune will fit in one of those Hercules stands, so I expect a 345 will too, but as stated they are not adjustable in height, so not much use as playing stand.

What they are good for is as display stands for dealers.

edtheorg · Post by **edtheorg** » Thu Jan 19, 2012 4:47 pm

Second try at posting.
I built a tuba stand using a camera tripod (5800D) that cost $10 at Goodwill. After stripping off all parts I inserted a 7/8" dowl rod and attached a square of 1/2" pine covered with a piece of chamois. (drill a hole in the pine first for the dowell). Also had to ream out the hole with a 7/8" spade bit. And that's my tuba stand.
Ed the org (old retired guy and tinker/plugger)

edtheorg · Post by **edtheorg** » Thu Jan 19, 2012 10:17 pm

I am working on a telescoping monopod that would attatch to the bottom of the tuba. The remote control hovering helecopter didn't have enough lifting power to hold the tuba up in the air.
Ed the org

ken k · Post by **ken k** » Fri Jan 20, 2012 12:19 pm

i need to raise my mouthepice on my B&H Eb tuba up about 4 inches to reach my mouth and I could never get comfortable with the horn on my lap, even then it is a bit low, so i started to use a Stewart Stand. Eventually I mounted it directly on the horn. It is the best modification i have ever done.

ken k

ps here is a previous post with some pix:

viewtopic.php?t=23013&postdays=0&postor ... &start=12k" target="_blank" target="_blank

eupher61 · Post by **eupher61** » Fri Jan 20, 2012 3:38 pm

Trevor Bjorklund wrote: The only downside is when the gig provides those super-crappy plastic folding chairs that sag in the middle, throwing off all of my careful calculations!

a good reason for a support which is not dependent on the chair. eg, a rest or stand.

Unlike bloke, I find the rest gives me a lot more relaxation. Usually I feel more comfortable leaning into the horn slightly; I can't do that resting it on my legs or the chair or anything else. The difference is amazing. Admittedly, I don't practice regularly, so I need to be comfortable as possible on a gig. Before the rest, it just wasn't working any more, but now it's as if the horn is another part of my body that doesn't get exercised enough, but still manages to perform just fine when needed.

No, don't let your mind go that way.

big_blue_tubist · Post by **big_blue_tubist** » Fri Jan 20, 2012 4:05 pm

Tuba stand- carefully adjusted so that I don't have to stretch or slump to get to the mouthpiece. It also allows me to sit on any type of chair that might be provided, including those with arms.

Tuba-G Bass · Post by **Tuba-G Bass** » Sat Jan 21, 2012 8:45 pm

I use a BBC tuba rest for playing a 5/4 BBb Rudy Meinl and a Schiller "Miraphoney" 1291 5V,
Works Great!

I had bought a K&M before the BBC, very sturdy,
but the legs take up a lot of room.

eupher61 · Post by **eupher61** » Fri Aug 31, 2012 6:13 pm

Reviving an old thread, I now use the BBC stand with F and my Martin. Playing the opera, with the ceiling joists about 15" above the bell, it made a huge difference, I could turn the horn more to 45º and still have no difficulty holding it.

TubaTodd · Post by **TubaTodd** » Fri Aug 31, 2012 8:01 pm

+1 for Tuba stand. I've used it for every horn I've ever had from 6/4 down to 3/4 size.

Gilligan · Post by **Gilligan** » Sat Sep 01, 2012 4:03 am

I use a DEG stand. I've found that with both my BBb and Eb it frees up my left hand to work slides, a fourth valve and anything else as needed.

TubeNet

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