BRITISH BRASS BANDS

[eeflattuba]

For those who did not know, the 2013 National Chamionship of Great Britain were held this morning in london at the royal albert hall. For those on this side of the pond who have never participated in this type of ensemble i urge you to give it a chance. The sound that two compensating bb flats and two ee flats can produce is amazing. The euphonium playing is stunning along with the british baritone. I have particapated in every type of brass ensemble during my 35 years as a tuba player and you will not find a more satisfying musical experience than playing in a british brass band.The tuba parts are a challenge to play.Just one mans opinion.

[Dan Schultz]

+1. Even more of a challenge if you ordinarily live in the 'bass clef World' and they hand you treble clef parts.

[oedipoes]

+1. Even more of a challenge if you ordinarily live in the 'bass clef World' and they hand you treble clef parts.

believe me, vice versa is the same challenge !

[eeflattuba]

Could not agree with you gentelmen more. I play ee flat in our tuesday night brass band and bb flat in our thursday night brass band up here in saskatoon saskatchewan, canada. On numerous occasions we have good tuba players join but read only bass clef. This is a problem and they usally give up. I know there are computer programs out ther that can change treble clef into bass clef but i am not sure this is the answer. Perhaps one of you out there has a better answer.

[Untersatz]

Yeah, the tuba is a BASS instrument, always has been & always will be!
Write the tuba parts in bass clef like they should be!
We DON'T need a trumpet player playing a tuba anyway!

[Lectron]

.......
We DON'T need a trumpet player playing a tuba anyway!

Well, some time ago they might did just that....Or a cornet would be more correct

[Untersatz]

Some time ago, yes.........but really, let's get with the times

[ppalan]

Its music. Its written the way its written. Just learn it then play it. The Eb part is especially easy for a bass clef tuba player to learn. For the treble Bb part get the Rubank Elementary trumpet method, run through it and learn the fingerings. Its all a matter of motivation. Look at it as a session at Planet Fitness for the mind....or not ...just my $.02.
Pete

[Untersatz]

Its music. Its written the way its written. Just learn it then play it. For the treble Bb part get the Rubank Elementary trumpet method, run through it and learn the fingerings. Its all a matter of motivation. Look
at it as a session at Planet Fitness for the mind....or not ...just my $.02.
Pete

OK Pete. I'll buy into that. I like a good challenge
Now that I'm over 50, I'll see if my brain can still learn new things!
I still don't think it's right to make a tuba player learn trumpet fingerings
for brass band. If it was just straight treble clef in concert pitch, I can do
that.........it's the transposing part that I don't get. Hey, we don't make trumpet
players (sorry, cornet players) play from bass clef music

[oldbandnerd]

Here's a great example of that wonderful tube sound. Black Dyke BB plying "Immortal" at Leeds Metropolitan Uni.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0x9n2svGwk" target="_blank . The euphoniums aren't too bad either

[eeflattuba]

Here's a great example of that wonderful tube sound. Black Dyke BB plying "Immortal" at Leeds Metropolitan Uni.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0x9n2svGwk" target="_blank" target="_blank . The euphoniums aren't too bad either

Thank-you. I can spend many hours on youtube listening to the sound of a traditional british brass band. I will say it again, the sound that two compensating ee flats and two compensating bb flats can make is like no other. It may not be everybody's cup of tea but i sure do enjoy it.

[peter birch]

Some time ago, yes.........but really, let's get with the times

I have been following this discussion, and several like it, about treble and bass clef writing in the brass band. Most of my playing has been in a brass band and I must admit I didn't really see an issue, but I have been reflecting on it and have come up with some of the following
1. most of start learning on a cornet reading treble clef transposed into Bb, we then move on to other instruments as we develop or according to the needs of the band. No one really starts out as a tuba player (maybe some player who start later in life) so that is why we are all used to reading transposed treble clef, a few might start out learning to be orchestral players, and for them playing in a brass band is just as big a challenge
2 brass bands started as a working class activity among people who were poorly educated, now if you can hardly read and write, it would be difficult to learn more than one clef
3 we hang on to these traditions quite tenaciously
4 brass banding is an amateur activity fitting around work and family, making it difficult(not impossible though) to learn multiple clefs and keys

not an exhaustive list, and by no means do i claim it as authoritative, but it is my perspective on this issue. It is how we learned music in the UK for generations. As younger players are better educated it may well change

[Untersatz]

No one really starts out as a tuba player

That may be true, but not all instruments are transposing instruments like
trumpet/cornet. In beginning band, what would happen if every student
played the trumpet? It just doesn't work that way. I myself, started out on
trombone in 5th grade, then switched to tuba two years later & I've been playing
the notes on my instrument the same as my music for almost 40 years (in bass
clef, obviously). I've been asked several times by members of brass bands to join
the group, but the music is just "not right" I can read treble clef music, I had piano
lessons as a child (and still remember) but now you are saying that a written C in
brass band music is not a C, it's now a Bb?
So basically what you are saying is that brass bands don't have any "real tuba players"
only converted cornet players? I find that really hard to believe! I am very curious about
one thing.......in the UK, are the tuba parts written in treble clef for concert band music?

[Lectron]

No one really starts out as a tuba player

[/quote]

Uh...I did
It's not really that uncommon

[ppalan]

Now that I'm over 50, I'll see if my brain can still learn new things!

I'm well past 50 too and that is precisely why I decided to give this a try. (well at least one of the reasons)

I still don't think it's right to make a tuba player learn trumpet fingerings

Disclaimer: I graduated from Temple Univ. school of music and taught instrumental music in public school for many years.)...but I look at it this way... once I learned the trumpet fingerings they were no longer trumpet fingerings. They were mine for whatever use I wanted. Anyway, good luck and I'm sure your 50+ year old brain will do just fine because you're motivated and you're a tuba player.
Pete

[Dan Schultz]

No one really starts out as a tuba player

Uh...I did
It's not really that uncommon [/quote]

Me too. However.... back in 'the day' (mid-50's) most grade schools around here started tuba players on Eb tuba. Once the fingerings were engrained from a visual concept... a kid could be moved to trumpet or other transposing treble clef instrument by just changing the flats and sharps.

I played Eb tuba until just a few years ago until I made the switch to BBb. That made the treble clef tuba 'learning curve' a lot easier to deal with when I started playing in brass bands here in the US. The only time I really had a problem with it was when I played with a brass band in Scotland while with The Navy in the mid-60's. But... I was drinking more then, too!

With music being a lot more 'International' these days.... it might not be a bad idea for middle and high schools to keep a few Eb tubas around. The traditions on each side of 'the pond' surely will eventually merge but it's not going to happen in my lifetime.

[Untersatz]

OK, I just ordered the Rubank Elementary trumpet method book & I'm going to give
it a go...........wish me luck

[Wyvern]

No one really starts out as a tuba player

Uh...I did
It's not really that uncommon

So did I. Well I had one lesson on euphonium, then on seeing a tuba in the cupboard said "Please can I play that!" - and have never looked back and have never wanted to play anything else.

The big advantage of the bass part being in treble clef is on the BBb bass music, which if in concert pitch would mean many ledger lines a lot of the time. The only other option would be to write it like double bass music, an octave above pitch.

[elihellsten]

Looking forward to Swedish Nationals in a few weeks. Playing Year of the Dragon!

[Lectron]

I'm goanna do it nationals as well haha