Preparing for college

[Ansarum]

Hello fellow tubenetters,

I was wondering what the wise tubenetters would have to say about preparing for college auditions. I'm a junior that will be going into my senior year and I have a few schools in mind, but I was wondering about how I should go about preparing for them. Many of them have the same requirements:

Vaughan Williams Tuba Concerto (Or something similar)
Various Orchestral Excerpts
Major and Minor scales
One Technical Etude
One Melodic Etude
Sight-reading

As you can see there is a lot here, and I am mainly just a little bit worried about having to play the vaughan williams on a CC tuba, as it is the only one I have. I don't foresee myself getting an F-tuba any time before college so, how would one go about working up something like the vaughan williams concerto on a CC tuba. I am quite aware that many have done it in the past, such as Sumner Erickson, but how would one such as myself go about preparing it?

[Bob Kolada]

Don't think that it's difficult because of whatever horn you have. Hear the notes clearly in your head and focus on the singing of the music. Listen to recordings, not for style but to have it in your head. Bang it out on a piano.

Are you auditioning on chainsaw as well?

[Ansarum]

No, sadly, I am not skilled enough to master the fine art that is the chainsaw

[bentuba7]

If you find that the VW is too great a task for you on CC, I recommend that you play Hindemith as a substitute. I just got done with the audition process. Hindemith seemed to be the norm for a VW alternate. I can also tell you that your HB-2 is the PERFECT horn for Hindemith Sonata. I don't know where you plan on auditioning, but not one of the teachers/panels I auditioned for asked for scales or sight reading. Of course you should still practice them, but just a heads up. For a technical etude, play a Kopprasch. It doesn't have to be a tongue-twisting, valve-melting etude. Just play one that you sound good on that properly demonstrates how you get around on the horn. As for a melodic etude, play a Bordogni that properly demonstrates your musicality. For excerpts, most schools have generally the same list. All I can say is listen to as many FULL recordings of every piece that you have an excerpt from. Just listening to the excerpt will help, but knowing the piece, the composer, the style, and the score will help you so much more.

Hope that helped!!

[Ansarum]

Some of the schools that I am going to audition at have the vw concerto as a requirement. It's not that it's too much to handle it's just that it will be fairly challenging to play it on a large CC tuba like the HB-21. I know bob said not to see my horn as a limiting factor, and I don't think it will be, I'm just going to need some solid practice. How would you go about working out the higher, sustained parts like that of the Romanza on a CC tuba? Also, would you recommend switch to a smaller mouthpiece? At the moment I'm switching between a pt50 and an original Baer, which are by no means small mouthpieces

[k001k47]

I am quite aware that many have done it in the past, such as Sumner Erickson, but how would one such as myself go about preparing it?

Prepare the Vaughan Williams Concerto for Bass Tuba the way you would any other piece of music. Remember to emulate the tuba inside your head - among other pedagogical junk. Then, practice some more. Judging from the audition material, this is an arduous task you're taking up; best of luck to you, sir.
You've an expensive tuba. I guess you're on the right track to winning stuff.

[Bob Kolada]

The answer to every mouthpiece issue is Bach 18.

[pierso20]

I auditioned the 2nd movement of the Vaughan Williams on a Bb St Petersburg Tuba. It was fine.

Not about the horn at this point. It's about showing the professors you know your stuff.

[Ken Herrick]

The answer to every mouthpiece issue is Bach 18.

Bob, I have LONG refrained from replying to some of the absolute CRAP you post, but his one takes the cake and amounts to the last straw!!!

I have seen your bloody utube **** where you professed to demonstrate what a tuba should sound like - my dog farts better.

Go stick your face in a bucket and quit trying to be some great purveyor of knowledge about playing tuba when all you are going to do is feed **** to some poor young bugger like the OP.

[Bob Kolada]

The answer to every mouthpiece issue is Bach 18.

Bob, I have LONG refrained from replying to some of the absolute CRAP you post, but his one takes the cake and amounts to the last straw!!!

I have seen your bloody utube **** where you professed to demonstrate what a tuba should sound like - my dog farts better.

Go stick your face in a bucket and quit trying to be some great purveyor of knowledge about playing tuba when all you are going to do is feed **** to some poor young bugger like the OP.

Charming.

[MartyNeilan]

Practice.
Your.
Tail.
Off.

[pierso20]

The answer to every mouthpiece issue is Bach 18.

Bob, I have LONG refrained from replying to some of the absolute CRAP you post, but his one takes the cake and amounts to the last straw!!!

I have seen your bloody utube **** where you professed to demonstrate what a tuba should sound like - my dog farts better.

Go stick your face in a bucket and quit trying to be some great purveyor of knowledge about playing tuba when all you are going to do is feed **** to some poor young bugger like the OP.

Charming.

[Ansarum]

Well, this is becoming quite the thread XD. I am well aware of the fact that having an f does not automatically just increase the range, I was more referring to the fact that it is easier to get the lighter sound on an f, which does make it a bit easier to play.

[PhilGreen]

The answer to every mouthpiece issue is Bach 18.

Bob, I have LONG refrained from replying to some of the absolute CRAP you post, but his one takes the cake and amounts to the last straw!!!

I have seen your bloody utube **** where you professed to demonstrate what a tuba should sound like - my dog farts better.

Wow Ken, no doubt with that forthrightness that you really are from Oz (the real place). I like your style although I'm never sure when people put smilies on a post if they're serious or not?

I suppose your post does raise two questions for the forum:

1. Is there a video of your dog farting anywhere on youtube for us to compare and contrast with Bob's?
2. Is it worth the thread "which is better - a Bach 18 or a dog's anus"?

[MartyNeilan]

Well, this is becoming quite the thread XD. I am well aware of the fact that having an f does not automatically just increase the range, I was more referring to the fact that it is easier to get the lighter sound on an f, which does make it a bit easier to play.

Based on your signature, you seem to have a very nice contrabass tuba. Keep the PT50L+ for the large ensembles, but try something a little shallower and tighter for the VW concerto. Blokepiece solo #2 might be a good starting point for that horn.

[Ansarum]

Does bloke offer trials on his blokepieces? If so, id have to try some out. If not, I could do a group trial with some mouthpieces from hornguys, correct?

[PMeuph]

Well, this is becoming quite the thread XD. I am well aware of the fact that having an f does not automatically just increase the range, I was more referring to the fact that it is easier to get the lighter sound on an f, which does make it a bit easier to play.

But, on the down side, you have to buy an F tuba, learn F tuba, Practice both F tuba and CC tuba and haul two tubas to your audition....

FWIW, I would not worry about the F tuba right away.

Here is my advice. (It follows what MartyNeilan said above)

1. Practice this piece a lot, every day.
2. Break it up in small chunks and work at those individually until they are as good as you can make them. Keep track of everything in a journal.
3. Listen to plenty of recordings. Both with piano and with orchestra.
4. Listen to plenty of recordings with the score in hand, listen only or the piano part. (or orchestra)
5. Get Roger Bobo's "Mastering the Tuba." Use his method to work up the "tricky licks".
6. Record yourself often and listen back.
7. Get lessons with all the prospective teachers you can.
8. Play it with piano if you can.

.....

There are a couple alright recordings on youtube with the Vaughan Williams on a BBb (search " Vaughan williams Tuba BBb").
There might be better ones labeled otherwise.

[Todd S. Malicoate]

Well, this is becoming quite the thread XD. I am well aware of the fact that having an f does not automatically just increase the range, I was more referring to the fact that it is easier to get the lighter sound on an f, which does make it a bit easier to play.

Having played the concerto in question on both for about twenty-five years now, I can say with complete confidence that an F tuba doesn't make the piece any "easier to play" with the possible exception of aiding with second movement endurance a bit.

If anything, I would say that the outer movements of the piece are "easier to play" on a C tuba.

[iiipopes]

Ask your private teacher, if you don't have one get one.

+1
It was voice (although you wouldn't know it now), not tuba, and only a semester-to-semester stipend, not a large scholarship, but it would not have been possible without the help of my private teacher.

[swillafew]

VW: I played the second movement on a Meinl Weston BBb, with a Conn Helleberg. It wouldn't be my first choice today, but it worked pretty well due to plenty of preparation.

Please play a solid routine of musical fundamentals and the concerto will take care of itself. My teacher at the time told me more or less the same thing, and I am grateful for the good advice. If you can play 3 octave F minor arppegios, you are well on the way! If you can't, I am sure a qualified teacher will show you how.

Don't limit yourself to music majors; if you play well enough, you will be welcome in the music department, major or not.