Most Beneficial Type of Tuba (BBb, F, Eb, CC)

[jonesbrass]

Good to see a young tuba player with such enthusiasm!! Don't lose that.

Now I'm going to tell you something that isn't as exciting as shopping for a new horn: stay on your current horn. Master it. Invest your money in a copy of Arban's and go through every page, taking your time and doing right. Spend your time in the practice room and not on TubeNet. Get a top-notch teacher to guide you.

[Alex C]

No one has mentioned that playing F or Eb tuba will not automatically give you the upper register notes you mention. If your embouchure doesn't vibrate high F, playing an F tuba won't help you much.

Learn to play the BBb, be happy, it's a great horn. You may want to look for a teacher who is also a tuba player, that'll help you progress. Trumpet is not like trombone which is not like tuba, so if your teacher plays another instrument you are missing some good information. But it's not essential, you can still learn to play and enjoy the tuba.

[UTSAtuba]

No one has mentioned that playing F or Eb tuba will not automatically give you the upper register notes you mention. If your embouchure doesn't vibrate high F, playing an F tuba won't help you much...

I did

... F tuba doesn't make the high register "easier". More accessible? Possibly...but you definitely need the chops to play high no matter what instrument you play (a mouthpiece that matches the horn doesn't hurt either!)...

[toobagrowl]

@TinyTubist97

Your band director gave some "interesting" info.

The King 2341 BBb is a great all-around tuba and plenty for you at this time. But if you are really serious about tuba you should look into a good tuba teacher and later down the road maybe a bass tuba. If you stick with tuba all the way to college, you can then decide if you want to keep on BBb or pick up/switch to CC. There are so many great choices to choose from ALL BBb, CC, Eb and F tubas these days, new and old.

All best

[TinyTubist97]

Thank you!

[biscuitsdonovan]

might I remind everyone that this young mans tuba teacher took from Arnold Jacobs, which to me is cool......personally,(Back to the topic of conversation......I digress...) I like the feel of the C tubas and F simply because they are free blowing to me.....but.... thats me. You need to try out things yourself and see how it all fits you.

[peter birch]

3. Forget what you've learned about your abdomen. The diaphragm contracts downward to aid in defecation, tensing the abdomen, or childbirth. Neither the abdomen or diaphragm have any useful role in playing while you are physically playing. If anything, the excess tension may be hurting your playing.

that is completely wrong I'm afraid. The diaphragm contracts down to create a negative pressure in the thoracic cavity to pull air into the lungs and relaxes to push it out, it is controlled by the phrenic nerve, which is controlled by the autonomic nervous system, and therefore outside voluntary control, and is a purely motor nerve with no sensory element, so you cannot feel it. it is not amenable to improvement by exercise.
childbirth is a function of the uterine muscles and abdominal muscles, defecation is a function of peristalsis in the large bowel aided by the abdominal muscles.
the abs do play a part in tuba playing by forcing air out of the lungs when playing loud and controlling air flow when playing quiet, and are really more important than the diaphragm

[jamsav]

the 2341 is a fine instrument- you could take that as far as you want to go ....it can be played large, small or in between . Spent about an hour with one at Dillons recently and was truly impressed. Classic American tuba sound and workable intonation ...
An "f' tuba will not enable high player , nor be a hindrance to getting down deep and dirty. If I were so inclined to learn anything new, it would be that. I love the way a friend sounds on his Yamaha F , and amazed by the range and versatility he presents with that horn . A good horn for sure, but , it s the player....
when he popped the pedal Bb at the end of a Grainger piece, I asked " how the hell did you do that ? "
His response , " nobody ever told me I couldnt ...." , my advise, work the horn you have , its potential is limitless !

[sousaphone68]

It's too late the king is for sale on the forum and he now plays a Getzen CC