Posted by js on January 20, 2002 at 18:40:05:
In Reply to: Who makes a livin' on their small horn? posted by just wonderin' on January 20, 2002 at 17:48:30:
' haven't owned a CC for quite a while, but don't intend on being without one forever.
If I scaled down to a more modest abode and put all of my kids back in public schools, the money that I make each year off of playing my small (actually fairly large F and an EEb helicon) tubas would pay the bills - though our family lifestyle is modest.
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personal applications (per your inquiry):
- church orchestra gigs...A large tuba's decibel capabilities are not required when balancing with a church choir, and sometimes the "thick" sound of a large contrabass interferes with choir clarity even at mezzo volume levels.
- Christmas gigs (Nutcracker, etc.)...contrabass tuba rarely needed, often down in the pit anyway, and "Who cares?".
- "pops" concerts...Again, the top-end volume level between a well-played (and easy to play) F tuba and contrabass tuba is usually not an important issue to consider here. Often, an F or EEb tuba will blend a little better on pieces with a "rock" beat on low loud stuff.
- many symphony orchestra concerts...Even with low loud parts in some pieces, often a bass (EEb, F) tuba is preferred or certainly does just fine. (Stravinsky, R. Strauss, Berlioz, Saint-Saens, Brahms, most Wagner, Franck, Mendelsohn,...This list would be endless.)
- Broadway shows in the pit...smaller tubas physically fit better in crowded situations and make plenty of noise. (They are already having to individually mic the singers on stage, anyway.)
- brass quintet stuff...Almost always, a bass tuba will do.
- solos with bands...Bass tubas often offer more agility and clarity.
- jazz/ethnic..."Straight ahead" jazz is easier on a (often EEb) smaller tuba, as is "traditional" jazz...and polka stuff, though some players use contrabass tubas in these media.
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contrabass tubas:
- if one needs a really thick, rich, or very very loud round sound on pitches well below the staff
- if one's EEb or F tuba has some response problems which disqualify it from certain uses.
Joe "I'm really not thinking about trying to 'make [my] living' playing any tubas" S.