Converting to Tuba- Questions

[Lew]

... should I start on the Bb or look for something else? I plan to play in a community band... some parades...and possibly some dixie playing or quintet playing in the future. ...

Either a Bb or Eb horn would work well for the groups you mentioned. If parades and dixie music are likely to be a good part of your playing then an Eb sousaphone or even a helicon would be a great choice, although the latter will be somewhat hard to find. An Eb tuba would work well for quintet and would even work for community band, although depending on which one may not have the breadth of sound to carry a band as the only tuba player.

There are lot's of 3 valve Eb tubas around that can be had for less than $1000 in playable condition. 3 valves will limit your range as a beginner especially, but should be able to cover most of the parts you will encounter. A 4 or 5 valve Eb will be more expensive, but would be a good all-around horn.

The nice thing about going with an Eb is that the fingerings are the same as what you are used to playing trumpet. The Eb in bass clef is where you are used to seeing a C in treble. Of course this really is a crutch, and the accidentals may be more accidental than you want, so I think you are better off really learning bass clef, but this is one way to pick up playing tuba relatively quickly.

[winston]

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[winston]

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[Dan Schultz]

I play a 60 pound BBb in a brass band and believe me, it isn't fun to march with.

What kind of tuba are you playing that weighs 60 pounds!

[winston]

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[Tom B.]

.........
The nice thing about going with an Eb is that the fingerings are the same as what you are used to playing trumpet. The Eb in bass clef is where you are used to seeing a C in treble. Of course this really is a crutch, and the accidentals may be more accidental than you want, so I think you are better off really learning bass clef, but this is one way to pick up playing tuba relatively quickly.

Here's another way to look at it. If you choose a CC tuba, many of the notes will have the same fingering as your trumpet (or in my case, French horn) did. I switched from French horn to tuba this spring, and managed to buy a 4/4 CC horn for $1500 from an offering on this site. The horn is working very nicely, and I am now playing in both the City Band and a brass quintet.

I knew bass clef from some piano lessons in my youth, so I didn't have to learn the note names. When I see a C, or and F, or a G etc., I simply finger it the same as I did a C, F, or G in the treble clef. There are a minority of notes that require a different fingering, but you can adjust to those fairly quickly. I do notice, however, that I do occassionally finger the note that was in the same position on the treble clef, so it's not completely foolproof.

Good luck.

[ken k]

If you get an Eb tuba your notes in bass clef will "look like' your notes in treble clef. In other words an Eb below the bass claf staff looks like a c below the treble clef staff and they are played with the same fingerings.

On the other hand a CC tuba will give you the same note fingerings as your trumpet and TC euph. you will just hve to learn to read the bass clef. one less step in the learning process. At least if someone askes you to play an Ab you will know how to do it.

ken k