Posted by Jay Bertolet on January 08, 2000 at 09:23:40:
In Reply to: 3/4 Blues... posted by Joe Baker on January 08, 2000 at 00:41:23:
My first suggestion, predictably enough, would be to go get a lesson with a good player/teacher. Based solely on what you've said, I could make a couple of observations.
The 103 may not be a good match for you. If you sound better on a tuba with a bigger bore, you may be moving amounts of air that the 103 can't handle. Maybe applying the old adage of trying and finding what works for you is valid in your case.
My experience with 3/4 horns is that you have to choose your mouthpiece very wisely. It is usually inadvisable to use the same big mouthpiece on a 3/4 instrument that you would use on 4/4 or 5/4 horns. You may want to experiment with some smaller mouthpieces and try to focus on really centered sound. It is a common mistake to try to sound the same on a small tuba as you do on a big one. In my mind, the goal is to make the tuba you're holding sound as good as it can, whatever that sound may be.
Good luck!