Ideal instrumentation for Tuba quartet?

[EdFirth]

I played in the Tubafours@ Disneyworld quite a bit while it was up and running. They used two Besson like euphoniums and two middle of the road C's(Miraphone 186 and MW2145). They sounded very good but I always held that the ideal instrumentation would be an Alto, a Euphonium, an Eb tuba, and a Bb tuba. Four different timbres/voices, like a Sax quartet with soprano, alto, tenor and bari. Some of us got together and got some charts written for it but right away the perspective Eb player wanted to use a small C which skews the whole Eb,Bb,Eb,Bb thing. Like the brass bands over here often use C and F tubas. Not that it doesn't sound nice, it just isn't the blend the Brits get with their instrumentation. An exagerated comparison would be someone playing second trombone on a euphonium. OK, I'm done now. Ed

[tclements]

Almost all of the available repertoire works best with 2+2. Typically, the "3rd" voice works better with a bass tuba, with the contra on bottom. With a 1+3 setup, the sound gets too muddy, and while it might be fun to play 2nd euph part on an F/Eb tuba, the listener quickly tires of the darkness.

[Jack Denniston]

We usually use 2 euphs, an Eb tuba (Willson 3400) and a BBb tuba (St Pete). You can hear that sound here- http://www.triangletubas.com" target="_blank

Recently we've been experimenting with 3 euphs and a BB tuba on some pieces with high 1st tuba parts (e.g., Brink), and that seems to be working well for us.

[Bob Kolada]

I like the idea of two baritones, one euph, and a bass tuba. I kinda dislike three trombones and a tuba. Bleh.

[bill]

I am mentioning this only because the instrumentation has not come up in a response. In 1980, I formed a tuba quartet, in Bellingham, WA. It had one Euphonium, one bass tuba (Cerveny f) and two BBb contra bass tubas. Kyle Hanki, of the Royal Hawaiian Band played Euphonium; Joe Baker, my son, at 17 years of age, played bass tuba; George Black, a New York free lancer and 84 years of age, played tuba 3 and I played tuba 4. Our group was called The Brass Bottom. We played more than 30 jobs that summer and were elected best new act in the Pacific Northwest area covered by our local Union. We were the low brass section of the Bellingham Civic Band, at the time one of three professional municipally sponsored bands, in the US. The following year, everyone but George had moved, far far, away and the group was no longer able to play but, WHAT A YEAR!

[jrobba]

We use 3 euphoniums and a 6/4 BBb. Our 3rd euphonium player who plays the 1st tuba part plays a Yamaha 842, and I play a Meinl Weston Fafner.

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[Sandlapper]

Interesting post on Ideal instrumentation for Tuba quartet? Thank you for raising the question. I'm playing with three trombones mostly church 5 or 6 + times a year although we have also played a concert for a retirement/nursing home and also for our local hospital. Music has been the tuba quartet EETT arrangements which have worked well for us, the 1st tuba part is being covered will with trombone with F attachment. We've been getting together to practice weekly and it is one of the most enjoyable practices I go to for the last year or year and half. I'm playing a BBb186 and have been debating if a different horn might blend better. I'd been thinking of an Eb or possibly F primarily for a little easier time with the upper register which in this format has been a little higher than what I play in concert bands. Not trying to redirect the thread, but would be interested in thoughts of what you have done in similar situations.

Thanks

[euphoni]

The ideal instrumentation for a Tuba Quartet is two Bb euphoniums, one Eb tuba and one BBb tuba.

-A baritone horn or tenor horn would not be the "ideal" instrumentation in a "Tuba" Quartet because they are in the horn family, not the tuba family. Euphoniums are in the tuba family.

-The reason this particular tuba quartet instrumentation (3 Bb/1Eb) sounds better than the rest (F/CC tubas, etc.) is because the overtones harmonize, blend and resonate much better than having Bb Euphs, an F tuba and a CC tuba... That's a clash of overtones that we can't necessarily hear, but it definitely makes a huge difference to my ear with the group's blend and quality of resonance. Think of how British style brass bands (all pitched in Bb/Eb) have such a great blend, fairly consistent intonation, and ring to the ensemble's sound. The overtones have to jive.

Of course everyone has different likes and preferences as to what they want in an ensemble, but IMHO this is the best sounding, most flexible, and most ideal instrumentation of a "Tuba" Quartet, in it's truest sense.