Re: Tuba for a Bass Trombonist


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Posted by Eric Bamberg on March 07, 2004 at 17:00:51:

In Reply to: Tuba for a Bass Trombonist posted by David on March 07, 2004 at 09:59:53:

What you want is a tuba that plays easily, in tune, is versatile, and is forgiving in terms of clean attacks. Eb horns are easy to play cleanly, but if you get one in CC or BBb try to pick a forgiving horn. Usually the forgiving tubas are large and have a fluffy sound. Avoid small BBb and CC tubas if you are a doubler. For me it was much easier to learn Bb tuba fingerings, but you also play Eb and F (bass) trombone so I dont know which is better.

If I could only own one tuba for everything a tuba can ever be expected to play, a large 4 valve compensating Eb would be my choice. It can play the entire range of the tuba from treble clef to pedal tones and is agile enough for solos while also having a reasonably large sound for concert band. 4 valve compensating means that when when you push the 4th valve, the tuba is then in the key of BBb. Besson and Willson make great ones, though they are expensive.

If I had to pick one tuba to get just the right sound in as many different kinds of gigs as possible while also being easy and forgiving to play, it would be an old King BBb tuba with both the upright and forward bells. With the upright bell you can use it in any classical setting such as concert band, quintet, tuba ensemble, brass ensemble, etc. With the forward bell it is perfect in other kinds of music like big band, dixieland, new orleans brass band, marching, etc.

-Eric


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