Six BBb and one CC tuba in a sinf. wind orchestra: Does that

[Ulli]

In june I will meet a big sinfonic wind orchestra (about 80 musicians).
There are 6- 7 BBb tubas and me with my CC Miraclone 410.

Does this combination work fine? Are there any problems?
Do you have experience?

Ulli

[Ace]

IMHO, there should be no problems combining a CC tuba with BBb's, PROVIDED all the players are good musicians with good intonation. Last week, I was watching a TV showing of the All-Star Symphony Orchestra conducted by Gerard Schwartz and there was a Bb trumpet and a C trumpet playing very nicely together. Another program many years ago was the London Symphony Orchestra showing the principal trumpet playing a Bb trumpet (with a rubber band on the water key!) and the second playing an Eb trumpet. No problem in blend. I think if good trumpet players can do it, so can good tuba players.

Ace

[Dan Tuba]

It shouldn't be a problem as long as you and the BBb players have good intonation. I usually play BBb or Eb with CC players in my job and as long as we all know the tendencies and how to correct them we usually play in tune. Since I don't play CC, I took some time to learn the tendencies of the CC tuba so I would have an easier time with correcting notes that weren't matching. Good luck and I hope you have fun playing in the wind band.

[NCSUSousa]

Yes, it works.
I'm on a BBb, so I couldn't tell you if there are issues for the CC player, but they (we've had more than 1 over the past few years) never complain.
We had 4 BBbs and 1 CC at last week's rehearsal. That fullness generated compliments from the director and the other players. I can't imagine playing in a section of 8 tubas with a wind band of only 80 players total.

[Art Hovey]

I once played in a tuba section consisting of one BBb, one CC, one Eb, and one F tuba. We all got along.

[Heavy_Metal]

Our band has the following artillery:

2 Alexander 163 CCs
1 Alexander proto-163 BBb
1 German BBb where we don't know the make (Dave Fedderly thinks it's a pre-B&S Ziess whose bell was replaced at some point)
1 Schiller BBb that looks like a Miraphone 191 clone
and 1 Meinl-Weston 30 CC.

We did Alfred Reed's "Russian Christmas Music" in our winter concert- one of his masterpieces. If you're not familiar, this has several places where notes are sustained for something like 16 measures, anywhere from pp to fff, so the section has to stagger breathing. We just got the concert recording and our intonation was good enough that you can't hear where one of us breathes and comes back in.

So yes, it can be done. You just have to listen, and adjust when needed.

[Ulli]

Thank you for your answers.

Ulli

[TheGoyWonder]

With enough talent everything is perfect. On the first try too.
But these will be the first things to pop up, in event of momentary lapse:

BBb above CC on D below the staff (many players would be in tune using 3rd but still use 1-2. Most common sharp note for BBb tubas)
BBb above CC on B below the staff
BBb above CC on 1st line G (the sort of CC tuba with flat G's can be bad here)
BBb below CC on B and C in staff
BBb above CC on E and Eb in staff (theoretically the worst of these, sharp 6th vs flat 5th partial)

At least most CC sharp fingerings are not BBb flat notes. But their common tics might be a little tough to match on CC where there are contrary tendencies.

[bearphonium]

I don't function in nearly such august company. I do know that playing my BBb that has some funky partials (in the staff D-B) and sitting next to a CC tuba really exposed the need for alternate fingerings on my part. The sound blends well.

[tclements]

In my Community Band I have an Alex 173 CC, Mirafone 186 CC, a Mirafone Bruckner CC, a Gronitz PCM CC, A Yamaha 4/4 BBb and a St Pete BBb. I like the combined sound of the different horns and keys. With a large section, each player can play in his/her comfort range and play with a nice big sound, without pushing. It has a wonderful color ....

[bort]

I think I've played in 1 band that's had more than 3 tuba players, and most of them weren't strong players.

With 7 tubas... I'd think that the key of your tuba isn't going to be the cause of any problems!

I also think that with 7 tubas, it'd probably sound best if a few of those were Eb or F tubas. As others have said though, it's not going to matter, and everything will work just fine. In fact, take your CC and play show off some pedal B naturals. WAY easier for you than for them!

[nobody]

In the group I play in, I play a BBb while the other player uses an EEb. We blend just fine and when we have a split part, I let him take the high road while I take the low road.

[ronr]

I play in a community band with two other players; one quiet playing BBb and one overly loud, overly aggressive CC. Kid right out of college who wants to prove to everyone around that he can be loudest and strongest. You got it kid. You can have it. I try to talk to him; tell him there are three good players here; he doesn't have to put out so much. Sounds much better at lower volume. All he hears are crickets, and himself. Yeesh.

So this is totally off topic and has nothing really to do with the OP. Sorry about that, but I've wanted to say something about it forever.

[tubeast]

Moin Ulli,

im sinf. BO Vorarlberg war ich auch mal einziger CC-Tubist. (3xF, 1xEEb, 2xBBb, 1xCC, also alles beieinander)
Hat mit geringen Problemen funktioniert, mit 2x EEb und 3x BBb war´s dann später aber leichter unter einen Hut zu bringen.

Gruß Hans