Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Advantage of CC tuba over anything else


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Posted by Rick on December 14, 1999 at 11:14:45:

In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Advantage of CC tuba over anything else posted by HS on December 13, 1999 at 18:00:47:

I couldn't agree more with this insight. I've never had pretensions of professional play, but such a gig came my way a few years ago at a theme park. Our local tuba ensemble earned a steady gig playing polka and polka-parody music on the streets of the park. Now, this sort of a gig doesn't interest the serious symphony tubist, but how may applications are there for those symphony spots? The competition even for amateur orchestras is fierce in most locations.

But anyone can put together an ensemble, and small groups are a lot easier to market. I played for money in a tuba quartet, a brass quintet, and a 12-piece Civil War period band. And I did it all with a 3/4 Yamaha F-tuba. It provided the perfect sound to match the small ensemble (especially when coupled with an appropriate--non-F-tuba--m.p.), and it opened repertoire that would normally require a player with more talent and time to practice.

I love playing the big horn (a BBb in my case), but outside the sumphony hall or the military, and for the semi-professional player, the paying gigs seem to favor the brighter sound and extended range of an F or EEb.


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