48 Year Hiatus

[Fiat Lux]

I am a 62-year old with a rented Yamaha 102 wondering if I can play any better then I did in 1966. After two months of independent tootling, I think yes. My one instrument problem has been the accumulation of "water" somewhere in the tuning slides making an annoying tick-tick sound. I resolved this by pulling all the slides out, leaving the instrument on the floor, bell-down, for five minutes and wiping up the water drops. What did I do wrong to have that accumulation of "water" that could not be drained out via the "water valve"?

One more question. Since I am playing by myself to improve fingering and embouchure before I have the nerve to join my community band, I would like to find some simple melody music to play familiar and recognizeable old favorites, in bass clef, of course. Is there any such music floating around on the web?

Thank you!
Fiat Lux

[bighonkintuba]

Water often collects in tuning slides and other places, depending on the route/wrap of the tubing. No way to control that. You'll figure out the most efficient and orderly way to dump hidden water - using water keys, pulling slides, rotating the horn carefully in some cases. Each horn has its own water purging method.

Good stuff here:
http://tubapeter.com/" target="_blank
including solo versions of many tunes for tuba.

Welcome back!

[jsmn4vu]

What did I do wrong to have that accumulation of "water" that could not be drained out via the "water valve"?

You did nothing wrong -- condensation happens. Take a good look at your horn in the orientation it's in when you play it. The water has to be in one of the descending loops.

Next time you hear it, and it can't be removed with the water key, see if you can isolate it by pressing each valve in turn while blowing. If the gurgling is particular to any one valve, the water will be in whichever descending loop is associated with that valve. Strategy for removal is, as they say, left as an exercise for the reader.

[Heavy_Metal]

What they said...... and, welcome to TubeNet, and welcome back to the

[Minkrott]

Welcome back. I did the same after being out 25 years. You can google and get Christmas songs and others like Camptown Races and Silent Night. It might also be helpful to get a Tuba Christmas song book.

I drained my YBB104 by rotating counterclockwise twice and using the water keys.

Mike

[zatoichi]

Welcome to TubeNet. I too returned after a long hiatus.
Regarding your water bubble sound, I echo what has been said.
You may have to resort to the infamous tuba spin to move the water from where it has collected to a water key.
Best of luck as you progress and enjoy playing again

Ernest

[bort]

All I can say about the 48-year hiatus is... try not to do it again. Welcome back!

[imperialbari]

Welcome back to the low brasses!

If you want a lot of fairly simple bass lines to practice, then follow the link in my signature and go to the Modular 4-part settings. There also are relevant scale and interval routines. When you improve you may like some of the classical duet and trio stuff.

Klaus

[opus37]

Welcome back to tuba. Many on this net have come back after a long hiatus. Look at the website tuba4u.com you'll find a few things that will get you started.

[TubaZac2012]

All I can say about the 48-year hiatus is... try not to do it again. Welcome back!

Bort. I am seriously rolling on the floor at work. Hahahaha.

[TubaRay]

For some music to play:

http://www.tuba4u.com/
http://tubapeter.com/

There is much more out there. These happened to be the first two that came to mind.

[TubaZac2012]

Seriously though, this is awesome! Glad to have you here. I love when people pick up the horn again and want to play.

[MartyNeilan]

Water issues aside, congratulations! It is nothing that adding an additional water key in the right spot can't fix.
I have a trombone student who had a 50 year hiatus (quit trombone his last year of high school due to a dispute with the band director, and started in his late 60's) and at 71 he is one of my best students and practices much more than most of the younger ones! He takes lessons on Mondays and plays rehearsals at church every Wednesday night and two services on Sunday and loves it. Finding a teacher to work or rework the basics can be very helpful.