Posted by Kevin Miller on June 02, 1999 at 22:33:58:
In Reply to: Low Range posted by Joe on June 01, 1999 at 21:36:47:
The Technical Studies by Herbert L. Clarke work well as low note studies. The bass cleff edition is edited by Claude Gordon and is available at Tulsa Band for $12.95. Email me or call me if you want a copy. They are written in the trombone range, so take it all down 1 octave from where it's written. Also, remember that these were originally written for cornet, which has only 3 valves, so feel free to take advantage of the 4 or 5 valves you have and extend them even lower than written. I like the first three studies especially. All the exercises are slurred. I recommend working on them tongued and slurred. The toughest thing about the low range for a tubist is to make the notes respond when YOU want them to, not when the horn wants them to. The next challenge is to get absolute clarity and focus from the very beginning of the note. Too often, directors and other teachers allow the tubist to play with and unfocused ,woofy tone in this range. Work the exercises note-to-note very slowly, making sure the articulation is crisp and clear and the note is as resonant as possible. Listen to make sure every note is consistantly responding as you want it to. I tell my students to think of a double bass player playng pizzicato. The second he plucks that string, the tone is there and clear as a bell. Work the exercises slurred also, making sure the focus and clarity stay consistent up and down the slur. Also work on the notes in varying lengths and volume. A tubist who can make the horn respond down low at pp is quite impressive.
On a strictly mechanical note- Make sure to keep the corners of you mouth firm and pulled down a bit. This will help in making consistent attacks and focus. It's easy to "let it all hang out" in this range. Remember- Firm corners outside the mouthpiece,relaxation inside the mouthpiece.