Once upon a midnight dreary.....

[tubafour]

I was pondering this thought while driving the other day (nearly cost me my life).........I want some input on what you guys think......

I'm not saying that modifying instruments is in any way wrong or sometimes even unnecessary, but it seems to me that some people worry far, far too much about the equipment aspect of the tuba. After all, we are what determines the sound that comes out of the horn. So, in the time that it takes people to sit around and think about or modify their equipment, could they not apply that (sometimes, but not always) vast amount of time to actually practicing their instruments to reach that desired sound/level of playing? I've seen countless posts about plating of instruments, bore of instruments, mouthpieces, etc., etc., but ultimately, even a York Master doesn't amount to a hill of beans if the player doesn't have the ability required to play it.

Does anyone else think that we (tubists) should spend less time thinking about and modifying out equipment, and simply change the way weproduce the sound (aka: practice)?

This whole post may make no sense to anyone but me, but I would like feedback from you guys on my thought.

Josh "isn't it much easier and cheaper to make subtle changes in embouchure/air than resort to manipulating brass?" Stanley

[TubaRay]

Josh, I believe you raise a valid point, and certainly one which others have raised on occasion, here. Certainly, many on this forum are equipment geeks. I believe if anyone is looking for the magic equipment to make them a better player, they may well be looking in the wrong place. That being said, sometimes equipment can HELP one to achieve the desired results. That is probably what most members of TubeNet would say in response.

As for me, I have owned one contrabass tuba in my lifetime. Furthermore, I have used(at least, regularly) a total of four mouthpieces with that instrument. I don't think that qualifies me as a person who often looks for the answers in the equipment world. However, when I find items that make a noticable difference, I don't shy away from them(provided I can afford them).

I also don't feel it is fair to automatically assume that time spent looking at equipment is time taken away from improvements made through practice. These are not mutually exclusive. One might practice a great deal and still look at equipment possibilities.

[Rick Denney]

Does anyone else think that we (tubists) should spend less time thinking about and modifying out equipment, and simply change the way weproduce the sound (aka: practice)?

This is always the Great Debate in any activity where the creation of art requires the use of apparatus. If you think tuba players are bad, talk to trumpet players. Or photographers.

There is no denying that the art comes solely from the mind of the artist. There is also no denying that the apparatus has a relationship to the art, because it stands between the artist's mind and the concrete expression.

We can apprach the apparatus from one of two perspectives: 1.) which piece of equipment is the coolest--that will make those who compete with me tremble in fear when they see it, and 2.) which piece of equipment will make it easiest to produce the art that is in my head. To eliminate the value of the equipment would be to take a third choice that denies the physical existence of the sound and how it is produced.

Obviously, any musician will strongly favor the second perspective and will at least claim to avoid the first, especially when they are stated so directly. But even the true, committed artist contemplates tools, and those who deny the importance of the tools are kidding themselves.

For me, making it easiest to produce the art in my head involves magnfying my strengths and minimizing my weaknesses as a player, and that's how I choose equipment. It's well and good to say that I should work to eliminate those weaknesses, but I'm a hobbyist and I don't do this for work. I still have weaknesses after 35 years that many more talented players overcome after 5 years. But I can still choose hardware that overcomes faulty software to the extent possible.

The final point is that it isn't easy to talk about art. Music as art stands on its own and defies verbal description. If we could describe it with words, the experience of creating it and hearing it would not be so singularly satisfying. We can talk about technique, of course, and I think we tallk about that quite a lot on this forum. Again, you should hear photographers talk. You would think that photography can only be done with a $3000 lens until you remember that Ansel Adams used lenses not as good as your average sub-$100 point-n-shoot. But that doesn't stop photographers from talking all the live-long day about resolution, acutance, bokeh, depth of field, contrast, mean transfer functions, and the most fuzzy concept of all, sharpness. Rarely do they ask why it is that Adams's work has such power.

Fact is, I like tubas. I like thinking about them, talking about them, measuring them, trying them out, polishing them, and, yes, even sometimes playing them. I don't think about equipment when I play, but that is because I have been fortunate enough to find equipment that doesn't place too many obstacles before me.

Rick "who can't practice at the office but who can type fast" Denney

[tubatooter1940]

I have a friend who builds boats.He creates his dream boat,takes one cruise on it and puts it up for sale to finance his next dream project.
I worked in four bands with a guitarist who,whimsically trades top-dollar guitars almost yearly.I'm glad I worked with him because he sold me a Gibson I pounded on for 40 years and still treasure.
The greatest lead singer I ever heard,a guy who had everything,quit and took a job in construction because his wife thought it safer,somehow.
What I'm trying to say is the attraction of an art is so many things to different people it is facinating to hear thier motivations as well as thier
demonstrations of excellence.

[tubafour]

Thanks guys! Great feedback.

The real reason I made the post:
I found myself slipping into one of those "can't do this or that until I have ________" states of mind. When I was thinking about that (about 2 weeks ago--I've been snowed in since), I realized that I was the world's worst. I have been having trouble playing in the low register of my instrument, and was convinced that the only possible way to fix it was through a new mouthpiece. Once I applied myself, I discovered that the biggest problem was the way I was breathing.

Could a new, larger mouthpiece have helped? Definitely. Was it rewarding that I fixed my problem in spite of my lack funds on my current equipment? Absolutely.

I do agree completely, however, with the fact that it is fun to talk about tubas.....to an extent. I am one of 3 tuba players in my county (4 schools). It's not every day that I get the opportunity to talk tuba with a tuba player, although it is funny to see the bored look on my friends' faces when I try talking tuba with them.

Most rewarding of all is when I can sit above someone at regional/state/festival bands who is playing a horn that costs $10k, and a triple-whatever plated mouthpiece.

A lot of my thought was, I suppose, the actual "mentality" with which we approach our instruments.

Josh "1-3 additional inches expected tonight" Stanley

[MikeMason]

the physical, equipment part, of tuba is deeply satisfying and enjoyable. i'm not ashamed to say it. it is, however a largely separate issue from playing the tuba. but both aspects have their rewards. what other explanation is there for a partially rational man spending countless hours building a 4valve CC helicon

[Rick Denney]

what other explanation is there for a partially rational man spending countless hours building a 4valve CC helicon

The only guy I know building a CC heliocon is Joe (aka Bloke). Just who are you talking about?

Rick "stuck on the 'rational' part" Denney

[MikeMason]

PARTIALLY rational....

[Alex F]

Post the tubists nevermore . . .

Sorry EAP