Opinions Needed

[Tubaryan12]

Hi everybody, I need some advice.

I am looking to purchase a new or used horn in the next week. I have several options in front of me and i would like some input on which way to go.

I am currently playing on a small bore (.670) 3 valve 3/4 horn.
I have realized (through this forum) i also have a pinched embouchure. (working on it)
The mouthpiece i am playing on is a a Kellyberg.
I consider my level of play as good high school student.

Question 1: will buying a larger diameter mouthpiece help with the pinched embouchure by giving me more room to open the gap between my lips (i am thick lipped) and

Question 2: Should my next horn be much larger in bore size? Is there really much difference between .700 and .800?

Thank you in advance for your sage wisdom

[Leland]

Three of the bigger-sounding horns I've played for any length of time also happen to have had some of the smallest bore sizes -- so that number isn't a factor to really consider by itself.

Too large of a mouthpiece on a 3/4 horn will make it do weird things, really. I wouldn't mess with it, at least not yet.

I've been using a Kellyberg full-time since February and get good results (I'm kinda thick-lipped myself, especially my lower lip). Feel free to stick with it.

If you haven't begun already, you should be taking lessons, or at least get some advice from a good teacher who can see what you're doing and hear your sound firsthand. Since you've already noticed your pinched embouchure, you're well on your way to improvement.

Trust me when I say that it's easy to blame the horn for anything. Nearly any tuba is capable of creating a pleasing sound. Work your tail off to sound good on the little horn, and you can justify a new tuba -- buy it to complement your skills, not to compensate for a lack of them.

[Tubaryan12]

Thanks Leland for the useful advice.

The sole purpose for the new horn is to add the 4th valve.
The mouthpiece question was to find out whether mouthpiece size could be a limitation.

[Rick Denney]

Thanks Leland for the useful advice.

The sole purpose for the new horn is to add the 4th valve.
The mouthpiece question was to find out whether mouthpiece size could be a limitation.

Unlikely. Lots of high-end players have used the Conn Helleberg from which the Kellyberg is, um, "derived".

There are bigger mouthpieces that may make it easier to make bigger sounds, but they require more embouchure strength to keep those sounds from losing focus and spreading.

The tubing bore is just one of many factors influencing how an instrument plays, and it's not even in the top five of most important. The King 2341 is a solid 4/4 instrument that plays big, but has a bore about the same as your 3/4 instrument. My B&S F tuba has a smaller bore (in the first valve) than does my Yamaha F tuba, but the instrument will project in a large ensemble much better. The bore on most 6/4 Yorkophones is only .75", which is the same or smaller than most 4/4 rotary tubas, some of which play big and some of which don't. Your first tuba should be a 4/4 with the greatest versatility you can find. Save the specialty instruments for later.

And I agree about the lessons. I'm still fighting bad habits that no teacher would have tolerated had I had lessons in school 30 years ago.

Rick "thinking a Helleberg is a going mouthpiece to learn the correct embouchure" Denney