Learning Tuba Quick

[trombinstharry]

Good evening all, I am a high school bass trombonist and I need to learn tuba for a performance at the end of June. Of course, every day of June we will be rehearsing our "Summer Fine Arts" performance, but I might need tuba for the audition on April 4th. I am auditioning for the trombone position, but that will also require doubling on euph and tuba. Does anyone have any specific exercises or things to do to get good on tuba relatively quick? I was going to do lots of buzzing arpegios on a mouthpiece, lots of long tones on the horn itself, and maybe some stuff 8vb out of an Arban's book. Any good tubists I could listen to? Thanks in advance

[trombinstharry]

**I will be performing in a pit ensemble for a play; the play is something with Mary Poppins

[paulyg]

Practice with a metronome and a tuner. Being a good doubler is not about being comfortable on the instrument (though that certainly helps), it is about coming in on time and in tune. Do your warm-ups with drones and a metronome.

[harrisonreed]

That awkward moment when you put Oystein Baadsvick's instrument realquick into that pidgeonhole...

Which is to say, check out his music!

[ghmerrill]

His horn is also great. I think he's still playing that prototype Miraphone what comes apart into pieces (bell, body, valve cluster) and goes into a small suitcase. But the primary thing about Oystein's horn is that the guy blowing into it is Oystein Baadsvik. Regarding mouthpieces, I heard him give the following advice at a master class (mostly to students who were trying to find the "perfect" mouthpiece and using mouthpieces that were too big): "A mouthpiece is like a wife. Find a good one and stick with it." Anna Baadsvik, by the way, is quite an excellent arranger.

Definitely go out and buy one of those 5-valve Miraphone Eb horns (I don't think they've ever got to marketing the break-down version he plays). You can probably get one used and in good condition for under US$10,000.

But I just can't listen to Fnugg any more. I've heard him do it on three occasions. The first time was interesting. The second time was less interesting. The third time was tedious. I'm over it. It is, as he says, the sort of thing you get with a Norwegian farm boy with long winters and all he has to do is experiment with a tuba.

[GabrielRice]

I started tuba for an audition for a professional theater production, with a fairly short time window to get ready.

You're on the right track. Do simple slow legato scales, alternating mouthpiece with playing the horn. Try to get a resonant, full sound on the mouthpiece without blowing the air too fast. You want a slower, wider airstream than what you use on bass trombone.

For starting etude material, I like the Robert King edition of Grigoriev 78 Studies for Tuba. They are organized by key signatures, starting with C Major/a minor, then adding one flat, one sharp, etc.

Start with a small tuba mouthpiece, like a Bach 25 or 24AW. Depending on the tuba you're using, you might then try one of the small Helleberg-style pieces, like a Conn 7B. For your purposes, a smaller tuba is almost certainly better, and I personally find, coming from bass trombone, that piston valves feel more friendly than rotary valves.

[ghmerrill]

Yes on the Bach 25. Absolutely NO on the 24AW. A Schilke 66 is also a good mouthpiece -- both as a starter and as a keeper. It's a Helleberg-style (unlike the 25 which is a bowl style), but a good size. It's my ultimate go-to always-works mouthpiece over 30 years of playing. A Kelly 25 would be good as well (and cheap and indestructable). I know from personal close-up observation that Charles Daellenbach is now playing on a Kelly (but I'm not sure which one). If you're looking to buy, a Kelly or a Faxx 25 are both good mouthpieces and inexpensive but accurate copies of the Bach.

I've used the 25 and the 66 on both BBb and Eb (both large compensating and small 3-valve) tubas. They'll work for you until (or if) you figure out you want something else.

[GabrielRice]

Some really excellent tuba players played the 24AW, including (assuming what I was told was accurate) John Fletcher and Warren Deck.

[BGuttman]

Some really excellent tuba players played the 24AW, including (assuming what I was told was accurate) John Fletcher and Warren Deck.

But neither of them were primarily trombone players.

I find the Schilke 66 or my Mirafone H2 (also a Helleberg style) are good for me on tuba.

I have problems playing CC or BBb tubas except for particularly small bore ones. I've standardized on Eb and F tubas. Better fit for a trombonist.

Note that with my Mirafone 5 valve F, I was able to play lower than some kids on BBb tubas, and louder than somebody on a 190-4U.

[ghmerrill]

Some really excellent tuba players played the 24AW, including (assuming what I was told was accurate) John Fletcher and Warren Deck.

There are several reasoned and detailed responses I could make to this, but I think I'll just observe that I've heard that Doug Yeo played on a Doug Yeo model bass trombone mouthpiece, but I wouldn't recommend that for many players -- especially ones just beginning with the instrument.