Posted by Volunteer on February 12, 2004 at 20:30:46:
In Reply to: Low register dynamics posted by SHS Tubamaster on February 12, 2004 at 18:34:14:
A little story--it may or may not be relevant.
Back in October, I started with a 7th grade tuba student giving informal instruction (about 45 minutes once a week). We worked on singing and tempo mostly to start with--very little work on his YBB-104 3/4 Yamaha. As a little Christmas present, I bought him a copy of the Lowell Little "Embouchre Builders" book and he took to it like a duck to water. From being barely able to hit Bb below the staff, he went to hitting good solid pedals.
Yesterday, he emailed me asking if I had a rotary valve BBb that he could try, since he's always been curious about rotary instruments. Well, the only such beast I own is an Alex 163. I brought it in anyway with doubts that he could handle a largish bore BBb after having played only a small bore 3/4.
Much to my surprise, he got the 163 in his lap and belted out the EB No. 7 "lip slur waltz" without so much as batting an eyelash. I was impressed. We've still got to work some on a steady pitch, but he's coming right along.
I'd recommend that little book to anyone working to improve volume and control. I'm sure there are others that are just as good, but the important issue here is that there's no substitute for practice.