Posted by Kenneth Sloan on April 21, 2003 at 16:14:37:
In Reply to: Starting over again... posted by Jeff on April 21, 2003 at 14:37:00:
a) find a group to play with - preferably a mid-sized community band where you
will be one of 2-4 tubas
b) find a teacher and take a few lessons. You probably don't need *regular* lessons, but two or three to lay a foundation would be very useful. A good teacher will also be able to provide concrete suggestions on what to work on, and how.
c) don't be afraid to start at the bottom with method books. Arban is nice to have, but incomprehensible without an instructor. Get the complete set of Rubanks. Start at page one of the Elementary book and keep playing until you are not happy with your first
sight reading of a particular exercise. Stop there, and go into "pass off" mode - prepare subsequent material until it's perfect and move forward slowly but surely. At every practice session, play at least one exercise that you consider "done", some that you are "working on", and one or more "new".
d) Bordogni is good (but the excellent players who recommend it may not remember that relative beginners will have range issues - if range is a problem, put the Bordogni away until it isn't anymore). One of the reasons I like Rubank is that it presents range challenges gradually in a structured way.
e) find a warmup that you can do every day (a good instructor will have something to give you). This should include: long tones, lip slurs, finger exercises (esp. in the lower register), and, of course, scales and arpeggios.
f) play "tunes" by ear - whatever music you like. Anything you can hum or whistle because it's familiar to you. Incorporate some of your favorites into your daily practice routine. When you have something "in your fingers"...play it in another key.
g) sight read something (new!) every day.
Successful playing requires three (different!) skills: Play the instrument, Play the notes, Play the music. Make sure that you do some of each (and know which is which) in every practice session.