What is it About the Tuba?


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Posted by From Parts Unknown on November 21, 2001 at 07:24:26:

There are people who post on this site from all over the world. Some are students, some are professionals, some are strictly "weekend warrior" recreational players, but the common link with all of us is tuba/euphonium playing. Why do we all find it so interesting? Why do so many of us keep watch for little tuba player figurines in antique malls and gift shops? What is it about the tuba that makes it SO special to us? I was sitting here trying to figure out how many TubaChristmas performances that I would be able to make it to this year when the thought popped into my head that maybe one would suffice, but with several within an easy 2-3 hours drive I quickly dismissed the thought of only going to one because we're talking tuba and tuba players and the fellowship involved in discussing some of the unique horns that surface at this time of year.

I guess that to me, the "thing" about the tuba is how cool it is that there are so many versions of tubas out there, and so many versions of personalities within the folks who play tuba. The tuba is an instant conversation piece, and is so versatile that it can go from a quintet gig to a symphony rehearsal to a TubaChristmas to a dixieland gig to a church orchestra to a "Hungry Five" German-style band in only a matter of days. Throw in a community band rehearsal for good measure and it becomes a very sociable instrument indeed. Add in the fact that the tuba is fun to play for most of us and that would just about answer the question about "what it is about the tuba"...only it doesn't for me. There really seems to be something else out there that I can't seem to put into words about this thing that we call a tuba. How about for you folks? What is it about the tuba?


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