Interesting Photo

[JB]

Stumbled across this photo, thought it might be of interest:

http://www.pbase.com/pippington/image/29571526

[Will]

I wonder if there'd be a problem with projection, since the bell is now behind/below the stand. At least he has an easier time with mutes.

[Dylan King]

The thing looks stupid. How would you carry it around. And you can forget about having a gig bag.

[JB]

The thing looks stupid. How would you carry it around. And you can forget about having a gig bag.

Given the reason for its creation (if you take time to read the caption under the photo), I thought it was rather clever and inventive. Beats not being able to play to make a living any longer, don't you think?

Looks stupid? Perhaps, in the opinion of some.

I didn't think that way; I thought it was creative and allowed a very fantastic player to continue playing/working in spite of a problem.

(For example, would anyone have thought Tommy Johnson's special mouthpiece used when afflicted with Bells Palsy was "stupid" looking? I think not. What is the difference here? Aside, from being a player in another country than the US?)

[CJ Krause]

***

[UDELBR]

Here he is, featuring the bent bell.

[smurphius]

That is absolutely amazing. Although there is definately portability problems among other things, but it is a very fine demonstration of the versatility and great craftsmanship that can be put into our beautiful instrument.

[Tom Holtz]

As a tuba player (and sousaphone operator) whose chronic back pain keeps me awake at night and gives me fits during the day, I am totally on board with this axe. When pain keeps you from doing your job, you find a solution. This solution rocks. To be able to sit in the chair, not hold anything, and have your arms in close and down at your sides... schwing!!

Projection--not an issue. The bell points up, it'll sound exactly the same. In fact, if you're recording in a less-than-perfect studio with a low ceiling, having the bell lower to the floor is an advantage.

Portability--blows. This dude takes it on the train?!? He's got stones. Seriously, I'm impressed. I'd be scared stiff to take a totally custom axe like this on the train. I don't know how I'd get it from one gig to the next.

Looks--hey, I'm ugly, so I can't complain. Besides, the rig with the curved bell looks like some kind of contrabass saxophone from hell. I'd love to see the looks on the faces of whoever had to sit right in front of me. It's unique, and I like unique.

[TonyZ]

Three cheers for ingenuity!!! I think the Wright Flyer is ugly, too!!

[Dylan King]

The thing looks stupid. How would you carry it around. And you can forget about having a gig bag.

Now that I am sober, I think it looks cool.

[TonyZ]

Good sobriety timing--the game just finished!

[Dan Schultz]

Here's the question for Dan Schultz and Rick Denney (and all you other engineers):

Why do you think a tuba was designed the way that it looks now?

My opinion of why ANYTHING is manufactured the way it is goes something like this:

The material and configuration of any product is what it is because that is the most economical way for the product to be made. It doesn't matter if you are making toasters or tubas. The same rules apply. Regarding quality... That's the level drawn by what the customer will tolerate and still buy the product.

[Cameron Gates]

How would you stand to play the national anthem? Big flaw.

Other than that, I would love to try that thing. It would be nice to hear exactly what comes out of the bell. In my case I would hear a lot of fuzz and uncentered notes I am sure. It would be a great practice/self teaching instrument.

Did anyone else notice the cimbasso on the floor next to him? MMMM.... cimbasso.

[Chuck(G)]

How would you stand to play the national anthem? Big flaw.

I think your statement goes a long way toward explaining the current state of the shape of tubas. Made for bands and not orchestras. People stand and march in bands.

I've always wanted a tuba that's shaped like a straight contrabassoon, tall, with the bell pointing outwards and downwards.

How about this tuba:



or this one:



or this one:



Why should everyone have to play an instrument with carriage rings?

[MaryAnn]

So a Sousaphone isn't stupid looking? Nor a Cimbasso??

It doesn't look STUPID, it looks DIFFERENT.

Yeah, isn't it amazing the knee-jerk reactions people have to anything that isn't what they've seen the last elbendy seven years?

Oren has a particular interest in new playing techniques. One of the photos in this thread show some hosepipes in the shot. If I've got this right Oren takes the valve slides out of the 'main tuba' and adds lengths of hose, each attached to another tuba somewhere in the room. The differing lengths of hose effectively make the 'remote' tubas in a variety of keys when the corresponding valve is pressed. Oren uses this technique for performance and the results are quite remarkable.

Bravo Oren for thinking outside the norm!

I saw a comedy routine in which a horn player did this....ran hoses from his valves to people holding funnels (on the ends of the hoses) and did some really raucous things! It would be very curious to try it with an entire instrument on the other end.

MA, who had the "engineer reaction....KEWL!"

[Hank74]

I have come up with a name for this great invention that I'd certainly like to try one day. The orenophone.

As one who usually plays the sousaphone, I'm still trying to get used to playing a regular sitdown tuba with the right posture. This orenophone might help out future peformers who want to play the tuba but don't have the build to do so.

I've always thought about how would a BBb tuba would look like without all the wrappings that goes with it. This is a good indication. Whether it has a straight bell or curved one, I like this design. The only thing though I would suggest is to have it divided into different parts, like the sousaphone, so that it can be carried easily in a bag. I say this so that the chance of getting dents and scratches would be reduced.

Oren, if you are a visitor and poster on these boards, I'd like to invite you to pm or e-mail me since I want to ask you some more about your special tuba. Great job though from here on the other side of the pond who proudly plays the American adjustment to the tuba, the sousaphone. I think Sousa would have been proud.

Hank74

[Hank74]

How long has he played this instrument?

[Paul S]

Strange? perhaps compared to "run-of-the mill" but it is attractive, practical and perhaps even more true to tuba design than what most of us have in our laps.

Isn't this horn actually somewhat along the design of an Ophicleide or appear like an instrument that would be called a "Saxhorn"? It sure reminds me a lot of a brass Saxaphone...

hmmm Sax.. Adolphe Sax seems to ring a bell as an important name in tuba design history...

I really like the design as an orchestral horn and am sure it could be constructed to be easliy broken down for travel just as a bassoon or large sax is.

[Lew]

I know of at least 4 of these that still exist, and I'm sure there are more. I'm still kicking myself for not buying the one I saw about a year and a half ago for $2500.

[Chuck(G)]

I know of at least 4 of these that still exist, and I'm sure there are more. I'm still kicking myself for not buying the one I saw about a year and a half ago for $2500.

I believe that Fred Young's monster is built from one of these. I was only tempted to get the one shown last year. Then I thought about getting it to and from gigs and figured it'd be worse to lug around than my bass...