Re: Uses for Eb/F tubas


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Posted by Rick Denney on November 18, 2002 at 10:37:59:

In Reply to: Uses for Eb/F tubas posted by AW on November 17, 2002 at 22:16:51:

I think you have hit it pretty close. I use my small F tuba for brass quintet, where I want to blend instead of bury, and for tuba quartet, where I wand a distinct voice between the contrabass and euphonium sounds. It is better in the second application, and a bigger F tuba would be fine in the first (as would a small contrabass).

But the contrabass is my primary instrument for most of my playing.

I don't do solos, so it is important that even a small F have lots of versatility and don't require vast flexibility from me. That's where the Yamaha 621 really shines--it is both small and plays with the same ease as a contrabass. I may give up some potential sound, but I don't have that sound anyway so it's no loss.

I suspect that the bigger bass tubas were primarily made for two applications: General playing in orchestras where such is the tradition, and solo and ensemble work where a bigger (or different) sound is wanted. The old American Eb Monster basses were made for full-time Eb players, though they often played beside full-time BBb players.

Rick "who thinks amateurs might get more use from two tubas than they think" Denney


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