Re: Bb vs BBb, compensating, brands...


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Posted by tubagoo on January 26, 1999 at 19:10:54:

In Reply to: Bb vs BBb, compensating, brands... posted by Tom McLaughlin on January 26, 1999 at 16:34:38:


Here's a little info, hope it helps.
1. usually tubas in the Bb and C are more acurately called "contrabass tubas" and tubas in the key of F and Eb are "bass tubas" and a euphonium in Bb (and also C) is a tenor tuba.
This has to do with where the instrument is in relation to the rest of the tuba family.
If you are familiar with the saxaphone family, they too use this same type of nomenclature
(from high to low) soprano sax, alto sax, tenor sax, baritone sax, bass sax, contra bass sax same for clarinets too.

as far as Bb vs BBb that has to do with an old system of identifying pitches

middle Bb on a piano is b flat
down one octave is B flat
down another octave BB flat or ---- BBb
on a tuba, that is the note name of the fundamental (lowest pitch with no valves)
Same for C tuba which is CC

Your tubas in F and Eb are in the next group of notes there fore are spelled F or Eb

If you are asking some one about a tuba forsale, you can just call it a Bb tuba or a C tuba and everyone knows what you mean

2. Compensating. a system of extra tubing on a tuba (or more commonly on a euphonium)
that is added in certain valve combination to bring pitches in the lower range of the instrument more in tune. This is most common in tubas made in the united kingdon especially the Eb tubas by besson.
This is not something that you would expect on a student horn and most professional tuba players in the U.S. don't use it. instead they use horns with 5 valves.

3. There was a time that I would say "no" to certain brands of horns. but most manufactures have made improvements. My advice is to try different horns in your price range and compare the workman ship. and the tone and the intonation. Compare the horn to a professional line horn by the same manufacturer. There should be more similarities than differences.

A private lesson teacher can also be a big help in horn selection and also get the student tubist started out in the right direction playingwise.

alot depends on you budget. You can search for a good used tuba with three valves, a few dents, but mechanically sound. Even a sousaphone is fine if the kid has a good concert horn at school.(the rest of the tuba community might dissagree)
If your budget allows buy a 4 valve horn from king, conn, yamaha, miraphone, etc...(Im not ready to recommend the St. Petersburg yet, waiting to play a couple more good ones).
If you do buy a new horn, get a 4 valve instrument. Prepare to spend over $3000 dollars It will have better resale if your student goes on the college and wants to upgrade or decides to move on to something else in a few years. (try selling a car in florida without air conditioning)

good luck , happy tubing


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