Posted by Pat on January 30, 2003 at 11:08:27:
I am a long time experienced musician, but not on tuba. I have been working on the tuba for a year or so and play along with the hymns in church. Church hymns don't go particularly low because of human voice limitations. Now I have gotten brave and have hooked up with a newly organized community orchestra and have to get down there a lot further than I have needed to in the past. The low notes have been a problem for me since the 'get go', but I can no longer avoid them. I have a Conn 20J (3 valve) with a UMI Helburg(sp?) mouthpiece. The F an octave below the space that's just below the bass clef fingered 13 is the worst. Maybe it will speak for me, and maybe not. I can get the privileged/false notes below that better and easier than I can the F. Pedal Bflat below the false notes on down to 123 I can get. Bflat below the staff is fine, but from there on down to F gets a little worse each note until it just goes 'south for the winter' on me. I'm lucky to get it, let alone attack it. Help! Is there something I haven't figured out yet? Are my lips to thin? Do I need to stop at the hardware store and but a funnel to use as a mouthpiece? If I relax anymore on it I think I'll fall asleep. I have worked and worked on this and it's just not coming for me.