tuba choice in quintets

[bigboymusic]

Our symphony guys have been asked to play a quintet concert this fall. I have played in various groups with various equipment. Having watched and listened to hundreds in my life, I love the big horn in quintet. I have also seen people that before you even play are telling me 'that tubas too big, you're gonna drown out the trumpets".....

Interested in the views of my esteemed colleagues here in the forum.... What do you think?????

[Ace]

For a number of years, I used my Cerveny 601 CC in quintet. It's a fairly large tuba, at least a 5/4. The horn has dynamic flexibility and can easily be played softly when necessary. Overwhelm the two C trumpets? No way. Never had any complaints from the quintet or audiences.

Ace

[Z-Tuba Dude]

It is clearly possible to play a large tuba in a quintet setting (after all, Arnold Jacobs did it!), but I think most non-Jacobsian (?!?) players would have to divide their musical attention between holding back, and being in the moment, with the music. Plus, you can never really "put the pedal to the metal", along with everyone else.

[Bob Kolada]

My ideal quintet stable would be a medium size bass tuba for most things, a big bass trombone for most of the rest, and a small Bb for occasional use with jazz charts.

[Dan Tuba]

I think, as bloke mentioned, what literature you will be preforming as well as what sound concept the group is striving to achieve. Some quintets I've played with had a "chamber" approach and some had more of an "orchestral" approach (entire orchestra brass section with 5 players). If its the former, I would use a Besson 980 or 981. If it's the later, I would use a BAT! Lol

[TheGoyWonder]

Helleberg 7B makes a big tuba work for quintet.

[windshieldbug]

Depends on the bore the other players use...

I've been very happy using a Marzan 5/4 or a 184...

[Tubaryan12]

It's not the size of the tuba, it's how you use it

that wasn't a joke. I thought my 601 would be too big for a quintet, but after I sold my piggy, I found out it was fine. I just used a bloke solo MP and played a little lighter

I'm no pro, but the members of my quintet (especially lead trumpet) likes when I use this combination as well. Blokepiece solo with the quintet, Blokepiece symphony with the orchestra.

[bort]

...and whether you want to group to sound like

"five voices"

~or~

"four voices & a bass"

What a great way to put it. I think that's my problem with some recordings of orchestras with 6/4 York style tubas. The sound is too tubby and not enough definition. Like a hazy cloud of "bass" floating around.

As for the quintet question, I think anything other than bass trombone (instead of tuba) is fine. Not that bass trombone sounds bad, but it ain't no tuba!

[Phil Dawson]

I've used a Miraphone 1290, a 1293, and a Conn 3J,all CC and a Besson 983 E flat in quintets. The larger horns had a big fat sound but the intonation was harder to keep in line. The 3J plays quite large because of its large bell and is much better in tune (less slide pulling). I find that the 983 plays as well or better in tune than the 3J and it has more guts than the 3J. For most things I am now using the 983. Given the chance to play with a real pipe organ I will always pull out the 1293 and go for the biggest low register I can get. Phil

[jonesbrass]

I'll play the red team here . . .

I don't think the tuba matters nearly as much as your ability to play tastefully and the audience you're performing for. Most audience members don't know the difference between a bass and contrabass tuba, and they probably don't care, either. I played with a small band for a year or so, and the conductor didn't realize I was playing an F tuba (Cerveny 653) . . . he liked the foundation that was provided, and how the parts were covered musically. And I was the only tuba in the ensemble!

[pjv]

Don't hate me for this but...

if you have a choice in tubas...

how do you want to sound?

The balance of the instruments within a brass quintet is quite exposed because there are only five players. The better the balance the less the musicians have to work to produce the desired result. My choice of instrument can aid this and help towards enjoying what I want to do.

If I'm playing classical & virtuosic & in a church I'll take an F to (help) keep it as clean as humanly possible. And if it's a cold church and in the winter I'll definitely be taking my B&S F. Nothing beats the water drainage design on German-style tubas.

If I'm doing a lot of standing & bass playing I'll take my Conn 14K sousaphone. As a BBb it gives a good bottom end without too much work, it's not too dominating in the balance an it's more then enough tuba to play the fast and technical stuff when it comes along. And Sousa's were made to stand-in! Problem solved.

[Roger Lewis]

I use either my CC Piggy or my 188. I save the bigger gear for bigger ensembles. I'm not sold on F tuba in a quintet.

Roger

[Kevin_Iaquinto]

I use my big ol' Kalison in a Quintet. For me its just a matter of how much sound is required/how much sound I should be putting out

[tclements]

I always carry 2 tubas: A 4/4 CC and a M.A.T. F tuba.

[bigboymusic]

Anyone use two CC's??? I've contemplated 4/4 or 5/5 CC and a YCB 621.....

[tbn.al]

i'm playing a double trombone quintet gig tonight using, among others, some charts from Tutti's trombones. After I get through all those pedal G's, F's and even a few E's I'll be wishing for my quintet tuba. Of course if I showed up with it I would be drawn and quartered. Sometimes you just can't use the instrument that makes sense. They can't stop me from using my custom Bach 30E though. I think I may have detected some lusting after my tuba, "bass trombone", mouthpiece a few times in rehearsal though.

[Z-Tuba Dude]

Anyone use two CC's??? I've contemplated 4/4 or 5/5 CC and a YCB 621.....

The Yamaha is plenty of tuba for a quintet, by itself.

[MikeMason]

My favorite was a sweet "time capsule" conn 2j.Lee Stofer did some work on it and it was perfect . Stupidly sold to a college kid who trashed it.

[michael_glenn]

I don't have too much experience with quintet, but my teacher will go between a PT-6 and a PT-15 depending on whether the part lays better on CC or F. They sounded great on everything regardless of whether he was playing the large CC, or F. I think it doesn't matter too much what you have. You just take what you have, and make it work the best you can.

The CSO brass quintet recordings I've listened to have sounded great with the large York. But also the Canadian brass recordings also sound good with the small CC, or other groups that use an F or Eb. They all have their advantages and disadvantages.

Play the thing and have a good time.