Re: Kings new BBb Contra


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Posted by Peter G. on August 29, 2003 at 14:12:43:

In Reply to: Kings new BBb Contra posted by Peter G. on August 28, 2003 at 18:29:29:

Ah, well, let the rant wars begin! Jeez if I knew I had unleashed that storm I wouldn't have asked. But anyways, I guess I have input as well. (sigh) Personally this whole debate about sousas over contras. (get some coffee, this will take a while) I personally prefer the contra over the sousa, for one simple fact.

The sousaphone is an outdated tacky design. OMG they suck, I played a 36K my sophomeore year and they sucked. Thing was they were brand new instruments. The sound quality was horrible, I couldn't hold anything above a tuning b-flat without the tone spreading when I played more than mezzo-forte. Granted I had only been playing tuba for a year, (trumpet convert) My Junior year I upgraded to a King. Even the King had some wierd tonal qualities. Especially the lower register. The sucker was so incredibally sharp I couldn't believe it. I pulled the slide out about 4 ot 5 inches before I was in tune. But once that was accomplished I managed to project something recognizable out there. My senior year my new Director bought a set of new Conn 20K's (the biggest in the biz I hear) That was about the best I had as far as a sousa. It played well, but still had a stuffy tone in the low register. And a thin tinny sound in the upper. By this point I doubt it was me. I was playing in off time for an orchestra, and in state Solo and Ensemble I got third in Individual Tuba. I still don't like the damn thing but hey, people instantly recognize the hellaciously awkward SoB. I don't know how many parades I marched to the cry of a kid yelling "look mommy! a big trumpet!"

Now, a contra I will take any day, I think due to the fact that it's design is closer to the shape of a concert horn that it can better replicate it. The K-90 I marched with in 2001 was a wonderful horn for having only two valves. I loved that sucker, the projection it had was great compared to any sousa I played. (the bell actually faces the audience, lol) I will admit that it was an air pig. (I had a third lung surgically implanted in my chest cavity) Tone quality was well centered and held together at all volumes. I really dig the trick that my instructor taught us. When he marched with the Crossmen (82-84 I believe) They would drop the main slide back all the way and play a pedal note. Oh man that was great, when done right it added a hell of a low rumble in the end of a ballad. We used it 01' in the ending minor chords. I dropped an octave under the rest of the line to give it more body, I don't know if it came out but it was alot of fun. The simple fact is though that I have a biased opinion and so therefor, band people need not reply I know your grievances. I was once among you and know your side. If it wasn't for band I wouldn't be in Drum Corps so that isn't my argument at all.

So off I go to practice (yes, I still practice)

Peter G.



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