CC tuba for jazz?

[amg123]

Hello tubenet,

I'm looking for recommendations on some different C tubas. I play in some jazz combos at school on guitar and bass and last week we had our first concert that featured me on tuba walking and soloing on a rhythm changes tune. I want to work this up and someday do what Sam Pilafian and Bob Stewart do, but I've come to realize my C tuba may be too large to keep up with faster tempos...

Obviously I'm just going to have to practice and get good at using my miraphone 1292 in the mean time, but eventually I'd like to have a "jazz horn". I need something small/easy to play, can achieve a round upright bass-type sound, and it doesn't need to have a fifth valve. What does Tubenet recommend?

Thank you,

Andy

[David Richoux]

When I saw Bob Stewart playing (at the NOLA Jazzfest) many years ago he was playing a Yamaha 621, but I don't remember if it was the CC or BBb. He did have a mic attached to the bell - a Shure SM57 as I recall, suspended in the center of the bell.

Looking at photos on Google, most of them show him with that same horn and mic setup.

I also use a CC621 for a lot of indoor jazz work but mine is not amped. I had extensions made to convert it to BBb but that "softens" the sound and focus a bit. If I were to buy a new one I would get a BBb. I also use a BB-103 on some gigs - (indoors and out) - it has the same major bows and bell as the 621 but it seems to be MUCH louder.

[Bill Troiano]

Bob Stewart does use a 621S CC. I've used the same horn (in lacquer) for years. I've also used a Shure 58 mic taped to a goose neck desk lamp that had a clamp to attach it to a desk. I just removed the lamp fixture and wiring and taped the mic to the gooseneck using electrical tape. I just clamp it to the bell and it works great on my 621. Although I still use it a lot, these days I've been using a Conn 36K sousaphone, cut to CC, by a buddy here on Tubenet. It works very well. With the bell pointing forward, I don't have to work as hard and the other musicians like it as they can hear me better. And, being fiberglass, it only weighs about 16 lbs. I could carry it around for hours. It seems to have a different feel in playing it being fiberglass, but in recordings of me I've heard, it still sounds like me playing a tuba. I'm too set in my ways to switch to BBb. CC sousy is the way to go for me !!

[bort]

Conn 2J

[amg123]

Nothing wrong with a CC for Jazz. Not sure I would use it for traditional dixieland , but anything else, why not?

Absolutely. CC and F are what I'm most comfortable with, and there are uses in jazz for both. And yeah, I'm using my schools Reynolds Contempora for trad jazz.

[amg123]

I'm too set in my ways to switch to BBb.

Me too!!! If getting a hold of CC sousaphone were easy, that would be the first thing I'd jump on for my dixieland gigs. Unfortunately, My school doesn't have a sousaphone, or any CC tubas so going back to BBb for them has been annoying.

I'll look into the piggy. I've heard those are really fun horns.

[amg123]

F or Eb might make it easier getting around, but you have a good CC that is easy to play and steer.

I see F tuba being an effective horn section instrument rather than a rhythm section instrument. A friend of mine spoke to Sam at ITEC about bass tubas in jazz and Sam actually recommending an Eb tuba, because you get a little bit of both worlds. I still prefer F over Eb though so I don't think I'll go that route, but its something to consider.

[amg123]

I use a mirafone 184 and have no problems at all, it is the five valve version. I have always used this horn for all jazz including Dixieland with no issues.

Yeah, I think Marcus Rojas also uses a 184 with one of Dave Douglas' bands, I'll check those out too. Thanks for everyones input!

[bighonkintuba]

Marcus Rojas could do more with a garden hose than 99% of tuba players can do with a tuba. Improvisational music is a product of the mind. The choice of instrument is irrelevant.

I use a mirafone 184 and have no problems at all, it is the five valve version. I have always used this horn for all jazz including Dixieland with no issues.

Yeah, I think Marcus Rojas also uses a 184 with one of Dave Douglas' bands, I'll check those out too. Thanks for everyones input!

[HenkEb]

Marcus Rojas plays on an older 4 valved Miraphone 186 Cc.

I found this info in a message from the older Tubenet:

http://www.chisham.com/tips/bbs/feb2004 ... 65430.html" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank

The 184 has a smaller bore of 18 mm. The 186 has a 19.6 mm bore and corresponding sound.

The older 186 Cc tuba has a smaller bell then to-days model ( 42 cm versus 45 cm). Some people prefer these smaller bell sound-wise.... I do.

Personally I have 2 of these older 186 Cc Miraphones - 5 valved. On from 1963 with fast expanding lead-pipe and on from the 70-ties with slowly expanding lead-pipe. The older one has a slightly harder attack but bigger sound with lot of warmth and edge. ( hard to explain but really very nice) The other one has an a smoother attack.

Another good Cc Tuba for jazz is Conn 52J with big bell 45.5 cm but smaller bore 17.5 just like Yamaha Cc 621. José Davila from Henry Threadgill's band Zooid plays this model.

[bighonkintuba]

Which bore size, bell diameter, leadpipe expansion rate and finish (silver or lacquer) would be best suited for playing smooth jazz on tuba?

-bighonkinG

[Toobist]

Which bore size, bell diameter, leadpipe expansion rate and finish (silver or lacquer) would be best suited for playing smooth jazz on tuba?

-bighonkinG

HAHA!

3 years ago at NAMM, I turned around too quickly and accidentally shoulder checked some lady... Then I blinked and apologized to Kenny G for running into him.

[amg123]

Marcus Rojas could do more with a garden hose than 99% of tuba players can do with a tuba. Improvisational music is a product of the mind. The choice of instrument is irrelevant.

Very true! Reminds me of of some of things Victor Wooten has been preaching.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfoBRdEybGQ#t=210

[J.c. Sherman]

I'm too set in my ways to switch to BBb.

Me too!!! If getting a hold of CC sousaphone were easy, that would be the first thing I'd jump on for my dixieland gigs. Unfortunately, My school doesn't have a sousaphone, or any CC tubas so going back to BBb for them has been annoying.

I'll look into the piggy. I've heard those are really fun horns.

There are a few of us here who can make a CC Sousa for you...

[Dylan King]

Back when I played a lot of jazz and "rock" gigs in Los Angeles, I almost always played on the Yorkbrunner.

[J.c. Sherman]

A good classical tuba is a good jazz tuba