BBb Tuba Fingering Charts

[mark38655]

Here is a link to a basic fingering chart with a range from pedal Bb up to high F above the staff: https://rapidshare.com/#!download|53tl2 ... 4fa3175%29

Here is a link to an alternate fingering chart for BBb tuba which has its notes grouped together by fingering and in order from lowest to highest:
https://rapidshare.com/#!download|542dt ... 4fa3175%29

1) Click on the link.
2) select "download" in the center.
3) select "free download".

These are drafts for a collection of warm-ups, tuning exercises and technical scale studies for the BBb tuba that I am writing and compiling. Hopefully someone here on Tube Net will find them to be of use. If anyone sees an error or has a suggestion I would like to hear from you.

Thanks in advance,

Mark Howle

[PMeuph]

Neither of those charts goes above the High F. I want a chart with all the possible alternatives in the really high range.....

[mark38655]

Neither of those charts goes above the High F. I want a chart with all the possible alternatives in the really high range.....

How high do you want it to go? If it goes much higher than the F, then you can finger any note with any combination of valves because the partials are only about a half step apart up there.

I'm wondering if a third chart wouldn't be a good idea. One that has notes grouped in ascending and descending chromatic patterns like on the basic chart, but with all alternate fingerings indicated in one place for each note.

[PMeuph]

Neither of those charts goes above the High F. I want a chart with all the possible alternatives in the really high range.....

How high do you want it to go? If it goes much higher than the F, then you can finger any note with any combination of fingerings because the partials are only about a half step apart up there.

I'm wondering if a third chart wouldn't be a good idea. One that has notes grouped in ascending and descending chromatic patterns like on the basic chart, but with all alternate fingerings indicated in one place for each note.

It was more of a joke than anything else....

One of the things that I have really appreciated from playing some trombone, is the use of "unusable" harmonics as alternatives (especially the 7th harmonic). I think such a chart on the tuba/euphonium would not be the most useful piece of information.

[mark38655]

It was more of a joke than anything else....

One of the things that I have really appreciated from playing some trombone, is the use of "unusable" harmonics as alternatives (especially the 7th harmonic). I think such a chart on the tuba/euphonium would not be the most useful piece of information.

I'm awfully slow at picking up on humor even with the aid of emoticons. I realized you were probably kidding, but not until I had already posted my first response.

[mark38655]

The text below will accompany the two fingering charts. (probably on a separate page immediately preceding the actual charts)

The Basic Fingering Chart for BBb Tuba covers a range from pedal Bb up to high F above the bass clef staff, and notes are arranged both in descending and ascending chromatic order. Notes that are enharmonic partners such as D# and Eb are notated as two half notes sharing the same measure. There are a few common alternate fingerings that are indicated in parenthesis ( ). Since five-valve BBb tubas are rare, this chart is written for tubas that have either three or four valves.



The alternate fingerings chart for BBb tuba indicates all the possible notes, within a range from pedal Bb up to high F, that can be played using each of the following separate valve combinations: open, 2nd, 1st, 1st & 2nd, 2nd & 3rd, 4th (or 1st & 3rd) and 2nd & 4th (or 1st, 2nd & 3rd). Since the chart is written for the BBb tuba, all lines are notated in the key of Bb major.

This chart is organized as follows: The first line provides all the notes that can be played in the open position from the lowest note up to the high F. The second line has all the notes that can be played with the 2nd valve only. The third line has all the notes that are possible with the use of valves 1 and 2 combined; the next line indicates all notes using valves 2 and 3 combined; next is the 4th valve (1st & 3rd) and the last line includes all notes that can be produced with the 2nd and 4th (or 1st, 2nd & 3rd) valves engaged.

Please be aware that the second note of each line is a “false” or “privileged” tone, and may not be possible to produce on some tubas using the fingering indicated, especially if the instrument has a relatively small bell. However, on some tubas, the false tones can be produced at a level that is indistinguishable to the listener from notes that are produced using second partial fingerings, (ex. The low Eb fingering of 1, 2 & 4 vs. the open position, and the low D fingering of 2, 3 & 4 vs. the 2nd valve only).

[PMeuph]

Please be aware that the second note of each line is a “false” or “privileged” tone, and may not be possible to produce on some tubas using the fingering indicated, especially if the instrument has a relatively small bell. However, on some tubas, the false tones can be produced at a level that is indistinguishable to the listener from notes that are produced using second partial fingerings, (ex. The low Eb fingering of 1, 2 & 4 vs. the open position, and the low D fingering of 2, 3 & 4 vs. the 2nd valve only).

For some reason, you might want to keep false tones separate. They are so different on each horn in terms of response that it might lead to confusion. Otherwise, you could maybe just bracket them off to indicate their "unnaturalness".

[iiipopes]

One of the things that I have really appreciated from playing some trombone, is the use of "unusable" harmonics as alternatives (especially the 7th harmonic). I think such a chart on the tuba/euphonium would not be the most useful piece of information.

On the Besson I used to own, the 7th partials were actually usable, only slight lipping needed, no more than some other tubas that have notoriously flat 5th harmonics. I played 4th space G 2nd and Gb 1st.

[jmerring]

Once again, I find myself amazed at the range of our horn. I was once told that, if all of the notes from all of the different horns (BBb, CC, EEb, Eb, etc) we have the largest range of any horn in the orchestra. Just wonderful!