I don't ask other tubists how I sound. (I used to a few months ago)Doc wrote:We have a variety of terms we use to describe the different attributes of the tuba sound (ex: dark, pillowy, core, vibrant, fundamental, buoyant, lots of presence, pointed, etc.). Some of these terms make sense to all of us, some are a bit ambiguous, but usually we tuba players know what other tuba players are trying to say.
I've always wondered how other people would describe the various nuances of tuba sound. If I hear any comments, they are usually "big," "strong," and "great." Well, I hope they aren't just saying "great" out of sympathy and courtesy.
So... Last night I was trying a mouthpiece (Miraphone TU43) I just received on loan to test on the Kaiser. After a bit of acclimation, I did an A/B test with it and my own Laskey 30Ge (it works the best out of what I own). After a few minutes, I asked my wife to come in and offer her pianist "NON-tubist" observations.
Her comments on the 30Ge:
- It sounds crisper
- The low notes don't seem to start very easy
- You'd probably want that sound to play a solo or something alone
- The tone is not that smooth
- The high notes seem to come out a little easier
TU43:
- It sounds fuller
- The sound is smoother
- The low notes sound good and they seem to start better
- Your notes seem better in tune
- It has a rounder sound, a lot of bottom
- It sounds like a sound that is correct for a band or group.
- It sounds more like you
(For the record, the TU43 is much deeper than the 30Ge, has a 9mm bore vs. 8.2mm, and the cup shape is different.)
I thought it was interesting how she described the sound, and for the most part, I think I understood what she meant. I didn't ask for clarification, except for the "It sounds like you." She said the Kaiser/TU43 combo sounds like me when I play my F tuba - same sound quality, but a lot bigger. She said the Kaiser sounds like a huge big brother to the F tuba with that mouthpiece.
Anyway, I think I'll continue this experiment with some other folks (and other mp's as they become available for trial).
Maybe I'm weird, maybe I'm just a tuba nerd, but I sometimes find it funny how we get so worked up about gear, nomenclature, design, and even how we describe our own sounds. Heck, I do, too! I love it. I thought it would be interesting to hear what the non-tubists might describe what we often fret and froth over to accurately describe to the smallest minutiae. I'd be interested in hearing your experiences with the comments of others.
I ask different people whose musical talent I respect to judge me.
What tubists think sound "good" enough to not comment on them, different people give often VERY HELPFUL comments that often makes us say "Wow, I really did do that?"
EDIT:
For example, one time someone said that I didn't sound like myself anymore.
This was a big deal, because I supply 100% of the sound to my band, and any rumblings in the foundation could bring the whole thing down.
I lugged over a King 2341, a relativley recent Mira 186, and a old Mira 186 whose sound made me wiggle of joy, but had really sucky valves.
King 2341
Sound too overblown
Big sound
Sounds aggressive
Tuning not right
Old Mira 186
Best sound
Valves to clunky
Tuning not right low
Mira 186
Very good sound
Valves are quite
Tuning good
That's how I switched from king 2341 toMira 186.
I believe this helped me win 1st chair 1st band in my new high school band. (In our district, you go physically to a high school at 10th grade, while other places you go physically in 9th. That's why it was a big deal)