Question for Community Players

[Musical_Eagle]

This question is directed at community players since I won't ever be a pro musician needing the right "tool" per say for the job.

My question for community players who own 2-3 or more horns, is how often do you use each of your horns in an ensemble and why do you own so many horns?

Thanks for taking your time on answering but to me, it doesn't add up to own in excess of tubas because you won't play them all.

[rperrym]

I could easily get by with my 191, but I really like the Old Conn for community band, the 191 for church ensembles, and the Hojo for quintet. At one time, I used the 191 for everything. Also the 191 is a standby for whenever one of the other horns needs cleaning or some type of service.

Rick

[nycbone]

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[sousaphone68]

I own 7 horns but only really use 3 on a regular basis.
My 3+1 19" bell eb for community concert band a Conn 26K for marching band and a 15" bell Besson for when space is limited either in the section or the car.
I have a travel tuba that rarely gets used a Bb Euph for occasional fun at home and two project Bb German tubas.

As for the why like most players I grew up learning on band owned instruments and after a band I was in was folded up I was left without an instrument and was fortunate to be able to buy an instrument which was my sole instrument for 25 years. The freedom from being beholden to one organisation was worth every penny.
Now in my middle 40s I don't drink or smoke or have any other subscription hobbies so started buying instruments and eBay has allowed me to acquire 3 decent instruments over 5 years for less than $2300
Hunting and acquiring tubas is very addictive and enjoyable.

[Worth]

I'm a community player who plays for the enjoyment of it all. Being a community musician is a great social outlet and escape from the day to day grind. For that reason, although I might select a particular instrument for a specific application (orchestra, band, quintet, etc) I don't approach ownership from a utilitarian standpoint as a pro might. Many would consider 4 euphoniums and two tubas excessive but I dig the variety of my horns and the day job allows it.

[Michael Bush]

I have a tuba that has stayed constant and I use it for most things. Other tubas are coming and going all the time, because I just like tubas.

[opus37]

I have my Kanstul 66 for church quintet and other formal occasions. For out of town City band, I use my Martin. The reason is we play in an old band shell and there is a high likelihood of dents and things. For in town community bands I most often play the Helicon. With low ceilings in a lot of locations or out door locations the more directed sound helps me be heard. Besides the old folks like to look at it. I sometimes play my Bubbie for practice or for winter gigs when the snow and ice make it more convenient to transport. The Helicon or Martin is used for Tuba Christmas depending on my mood at the time.

[Dan Schultz]

Like others on this forum... I have more horns than I can conveniently list. On top of that... I like to play most every horn that comes through the shop... especially tubas. I play seven days a week in nine different groups. Attempting to play this many horns well is a real challenge. I think I could be a much better player if I stuck with only one!

Example over the last few days:
- Thursday 11am rehearsal here at my house with a small concert band... A Conn 'Monster' Eb that I just finished doing and extensive play condition on.
- Friday evening with The Rhein Valley Brass at Germania Mannerchor... a Marzan 'slant-rotor' BBb.
- Saturday morning here with my Dixieland group... the King rotary 'Monster' 1291.
- Saturday evening (in about an hour) with the Owensboro Community Band... a red, white, and blue Selmer 'commode-O-phone' for a patriotic outdoor concert.

I can't imagine using only one horn for these four events. But.... I could. And probably should!

[bort]

I used to have an F tuba, and I would play it in bands with large tuba sections. It sounded nice to have a balance of large and small tubas. Except for the surprise concert where I ended up being the only tuba. That was rough.

[roughrider]

I have three of my own tubas and access to two more through the bands I play in. I am now playing a Boosey&Hawkes "Imperial" 3 valve horn that I found in the storage room at the band hall. I had cleaning and repair work done on it, including the removal of the bottom ball and it plays and blends with the rest of the brass very well. This horn belongs to the band. My own horns are a King recording bass, a MW 2145 CC and a Holton/Yamaha 321 BBb 4 valve horn. The King is used primarily for outside work with the band and not very often. The CC is for duets and hopefully some quintet work eventually and the Holton just because I wanted a 4 valve BBb horn. I enjoy playing all of these horns and for right now, the stable stays as it is. It may change eventually, however not now.

[MackBrass]

I dont play in any groups nor do I wish to but I do own a Alex 163 CC, Miraphone 184, MW 2145 prototype, miraphone oval euph, wisemann 900 CC, B&S pre parantucci F, really old Alex BBb, and a cerveny giant F helicon. I play just for my own enjoyment the horn selection is based on the mood I am in at the time.

[Heavy_Metal]

My answer is similar, and I might have posted it before but can't remember.

Sonora- my main horn which I use for most medium to large ensemble performances. This is the tuba I identify with most, and which others identify with me.

Conn 20J/21J- front bell for outdoor performances where there is no acoustical shell, upright bell as a backup for the Sonora.

Besson 787- small but efficient horn which I use in quintet, TubaChristmas, hazardous-duty situations and where I have to stand up for long periods. This little tuba has handily exceeded my expectations of it.

[pdonoh]

I used to play a Conn 20J for performances and bring a fiberglass sousaphone to rehearsals. In the last few years I've put together a 38k sousaphone that seems perfect for outdoor municipal band stuff, played a lot on a meinl weston that belongs to the local college for serious gigs and in an attempt to downsize, now use a recording bell contempora for everything else. Admittedly, it's not much smaller than the 20j, but it fools me.

[jamsav]

It's self indulgent for a "community player" to have more than one horn.
A medium sized(4/4) horn, BB,C, Eb- doesn't matter.
Of course if you march, or play standing a sousaphone or a smaller horn could be added to the arsenal.
The tool(s) must be suited to the job you do

[opus37]

It's self indulgent for a "community player" to have more than one horn.
A medium sized(4/4) horn, BB,C, Eb- doesn't matter.
Of course if you march, or play standing a sousaphone or a smaller horn could be added to the arsenal.
The tool(s) must be suited to the job you do

Yes, it is self indulgent. For most community band players it is a hobby. Woodworkers have specific saws or hammers or planes for a specific purpose or several because they like the feel. Motor heads tend to have multiple cars to work on. To me, it's part of the fun. One horn is needed, multiple horns is nice to have. Some folks I play with use borrowed horns. They are much happier when they get their own horn. Multiple horns seem to just happen after that.

[TubaZac2012]

I think this is an awesome, thanks for starting it! Something I've been meaning to start for months now since I've gotten back into the community band scene.

I have two horns, obviously. I typically take them both to rehearsal, and use them as I see accordingly. I think there's something to be said for having an F tuba in a band full of BBbs. I use the F currently on one piece. It's the Tuba Tiger Rag, other than that I do everything on my CC, just to keep the nice contrabass sound. I like the way the F sounds, but I hate having to decide on the spot if I'm taking stuff up the octave, or playing as written.

We're also playing Stars and Stripes, which is fun to play on F, if you're playing the higher octave, but not so much the correct octave, so I stick with CC on it.

Again, this is all coming from a 20 year old who gets bored from time to time in community band.

I'm the end, I feel like there's really no need for more than one horn the community band, but if you have it, take advantage of it.

Thanks again, hope this helps.

[Dan Schultz]

.... I like the way the F sounds, but I hate having to decide on the spot if I'm taking stuff up the octave, or playing as written...

We're also playing Stars and Stripes, which is fun to play on F, if you're playing the higher octave, but not so much the correct octave, so I stick with CC on it.....

Do you 'take stuff up an octave' whenever you wish? .... or at the direction of the director/conductor?

Just curious. I never take it upon myself to 'take it up' or 'take it down' an octave. In a community band setting (where you are not the soloist) it make more sense to 'play the ink'. Even if the parts are written divisi... who plays what should be at the discretion of the section leader or director.

Simply acting on the whim of playing stuff other than the proper notes often does not fit the ensemble and more often than not just sounds bad. But... then again... I guess we tuba players sometimes know more than the arrangers, sections leaders, or conductors.

[TubaZac2012]

When I say up the octave I mean where it's split, sorry for the confusion.

[Dan Schultz]

When I say up the octave I mean where it's split, sorry for the confusion.

OK. Sorry I jumped to conclusions. I've been around tubaguys who like to 'take it down' like many trumpet players like to 'take it up'. Sometimes the resulting sounds are very annoying.

I'm glad to know that you are not 'one of them'.

[iiipopes]

I play my "Bessophone" (Miraphone 186 BBb with Besson 17" BBb bell) for most applications, and a Reynolds 'glass souzy for outdoors and the occasional gig where because of the venue there is either no sound shell, or bad acoustics, or with the way the stage is setup for theatre, the sound coming out of an upright bell would just get lost in the rigging and never come out front.

I have tried various tubas and souzys of various sizes, keys, pitches, etc. over the years, and I keep coming back to a 4/4 BBb tuba & souzy. I've probably done all the tuba trading I will do for awhile.

My 186 used to have a detachable bell stack with both upright and recording bells. But the tenon damped the tone, and the recording bell just didn't do all a souzy does outdoors, and I became dissatisfied with how I was supporting the ensemble as a result of it getting burbly. So I had my tech put on my favorite bell for articulation, tone and intonation, and sold everything else to get the souzy.

But if you want one tuba for a variety of gigs, a King detachable with both bells does really well, as the tenon is not as massive as the Miraphone.

Where I am, the tuba sections tend to have few players, so playing conventional 4/4 sized instruments is best. If the section is large, I agree it is fun to have an Eb or F to take the upper notes when the parts split to give more harmonic character to the section, and it is better to have a 4-valve BBb instead of a 3-valve, or 5-valve CC instead of a 4-valve, for all the conventional reasons.

I also agree that it is absolutely annoying to play with those players who always "take it down" an octave, especially on parts that need clean articulate rhythmic figures. I only take it down occasionally, for example, if a part that is written awkwardly, to go on down a couple of notes or so when it makes more musical sense than a strange less-than-octave interval return, or at a cadential or final note situation where the character of the piece would benefit from adding the sub octave. Otherwise - play the ink. You will never go wrong, and better yet, you run less risk of not fulfilling the ultimate goal of a community band musician - having fun, and not getting called out to fix something in the middle of rehearsal.

If you want more than one tuba, well, sky is the limit. I had several at one time. I enjoy the company of those who also like to purchase tubas, as occasionally I get to try other instruments. As for me, I finally got tired of carrying them all around and fiddling with bell-on, bell-off. But we all have the same sub-vice - a good mouthpiece safari. I have my "main," but if I see a good deal on a used mouthpiece in the cup size I prefer for my embouchure, well, what is a couple of paper-weights among friends?