Posted by Leland on September 25, 2000 at 16:56:21:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Re: Contra tubas? posted by Rob Perelli-Minetti on September 25, 2000 at 08:29:40:
I've had an easier time marching with MT's for the same reason you don't like them -- the mass of the horn is up higher. But, this needs some qualification....
For going down the street, or for marching back & forth drills without "sliding" (marching sideways), it barely matters at all, but I would give the edge to the sousaphone. But, when going any direction besides straight forwards or backwards, the sousie loses many points from me simply because most of its body is down low, leaning against my lower body (no, my hips don't support its weight -- my hips only keep it from rotating all the way down. There's a difference.). This greatly hampers the turning of the hips that's needed to properly march sideways. An MT leaves the entire lower body -- indeed, everything below the player's neck -- free to move as necessary. Even 50-year-olds run around with these things (I have proof).
For many situations, I'd use a sousaphone instead. But, for "modern" drill styles, I'd easily choose a good MT. Pretty much all of my thoughts are summarized in that thread I mentioned earlier.
Don't misunderstand me -- I'm not a blind advocate of contra-style tubas. I know their shortcomings. But, nobody else on here is saying anything from experience (as far as I know), so I'm taking it upon myself to give as much factual information as I can, rather than letting people live with hearsay and myths. Maybe that's the latent scientist/journalist in me.