Just got my horn

[Lew]

I had one of these (Cerveny 686), although it had the name Styriaton on it and was in rose brass. I found it easy to play, but it took a lot of air. It is a relatively large bore horn, and if you haven't played in a while you may not be used to the lack of resistance that it has. This could make it feel less free blowing. Working on supporting your air column should make it feel better.

Of course there is the possibility that there is a leak or something in it, even if it is a new horn. If you know another tuba player locally you could have them try it out and see what they think.

[Tubaryan12]

When I bought my first tuba (an old York Master Sousaphone) I hadn't played in about 4 years. I sounded like crap! Couldnt center any pitches, Couldn't hold a note more than 4 beats. It will get better. When I got rid of the horn 3 years later it remakably sounded much better.

Hope this story helps.

[TubaRay]

What's all this business about sounding like crap after 10 yrs., 4 yrs.? I sound like crap after 1 week.

[Rick Denney]

Rick Denney, it may be a while before you see me a LSW, I'm gonna need A LOT of practice!!!

It'll come back quicker than you think.

Start with long tones. Try F at the bottom of the staff. Just blow the note. Stay within the octave starting on low Bb until you can make good-sounding long tones within that octave.

The Cerveny is a free-blowing instrument and you'll have to get used to moving some air again. But don't give up. I played a similar instrument soon after I started after a long absence (8 years in my case), and during that startup period I could not make recognizable pitches for a little while either.

Practice a few minutes just on the mouthpiece, holding your pinky finger over the end until you have enough resistance to be able to buzz that F. Thinking about focusing the air through the moutpiece to a point about three inches beyond the mouthpiece. That will take air. As you progress, make bigger and bigger openings with your pinky, and after a while you won't need it at all. But be patient--don't push too much or you'll resort to bad habits, like using pressure or getting tense. Five minutes is more than enough for buzzing on the mouthpiece; then put the mouthpiece back in the horn and I think you'll surprise yourself by how much sound comes out.

It will take a while to build up strength in your embouchure again, too. Just like lifting weights in the gym, build a little bit each time rather than trying to lift too much too soon. That's the purpose of staying within that one octave until you can blow a decent long tone.

When you inhale, think "suction". Get a 1" long piece of 3/4" PVC pipe and put it between your teeth and inhale through it. That's what it ought to feel like--hardly any friction. And when you play, think of letting that big load of air fall through the horn, rather than pushing it through the horn. Just relax and let it fall out.

It takes a little while, but you'll get there.

Rick "been there, done that" Denney

[MaryAnn]

They're all correct...just give it a little time. When I started about three years ago it was on a 3/4 Eb tuba, and although as a horn player I could get pitches, my chops were so tight that they were, uh, tight little pitches....but about three months later I was getting a whole lot more sound of the thing. And the guy sitting next to me who had thought I had the world's worst instrument realized that it wasn't the tuba's fault at all.
MA, who still has BAT fever