Re: Re: Re: Thoughts on switching horns good/bad


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Posted by Doctor Ed on January 14, 2002 at 18:55:51:

In Reply to: Re: Re: Thoughts on switching horns good/bad posted by John Swensen on January 14, 2002 at 13:03:04:

Tuba music generally speaking is easier than music for other instruments. Now I don't mean in every case -- but GENERALLY, there is less ink in the tuba parts.

Besides that, if you are an orchestral tuba player, you will sit out half the pieces because there were no tuba parts written for them.

So if one assumes that the mental powers of tuba players is just as keen as that of other players, then certainly the tuba player will suffer some boredom at times. To alleviate this condition, the tuba player will resort to practicing fingering for instruments in other keys, like F, Eb, C and Bb. This occupies his mind while the trumpet players are working on their 32nd notes.

There are different angles for each instrument. Trumpets play hard music but the instruments are a lot cheaper than tubas. So generally one finds that trumpet players buy more up-scale instruments, and also have cornets and fluegelhorns. More likely than not, these horns will all be pitched in Bb, but as you say, there are other possibilities. It is very unlikely, though, that the trumpet player will buy a piccolo horn just to shake off waves of ennui.

Trombone players find it necessary to learn those unfamiliar clefs not to keep from drowsing, but rather because that is what they are handed at times... and those parts are written like that to keep the notes from sitting on tall ladders above the clef. And while there may be a C trombone somewhere, I have not seen one yet.

For now, I an sticking to my BBb tuba!

Doctor Ed


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