Tuba size and testosterone


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Posted by Rick Denney on October 17, 2001 at 11:31:59:

I've added another picture to my tuba comparison gallery. Dale Phelps sent it to me. It's a side-by-side shot of his 6/4 Holton factory CC and his 5/4 Rusk-converted Boehm and Meinl. I put it right next to the shot of my York Master (also made by B&M) and the Dillon-converted Holton CC. Even in the thumbnails, it's easy to see the similarities and differences between the two B&M tubas.

In Dale's words, if I call my York Master a 4/4 tuba, then he has to call his PT-4P a 3/4 tuba. Given Dale's latent Stalinism that we have been reading about, I certainly don't want to offend him!

So, armed with the knowledge that my YM was really a 5/4 horn, I went to band rehearsal last night filled anew with fresh testosterone and boisterous swagger. I received 1.) a compliment from the conductor (a professional tuba player) that I was sounding great, and 2.) a request that I play more softly in the soft bits.

Sheesh. When my York was a 4/4 tuba, it was easy to play softly enough.

Once before, I complained that there were times in this group when I felt the only musically valid choice for me to make was to lay out, considering the volume being produced by the other players. Well, the shoe is now on the other foot: I'm the only player attending rehearsals at the moment. That put to rest any fantasies of actually needing a BAT.

Rick "who thinks rehearsal is a lot more fun with a 5/4 horn than with a 4/4 horn" Denney


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