Posted by tommo on June 11, 2000 at 20:53:21:
In Reply to: Fluency on different keyed tubas posted by Bill Burdick on June 11, 2000 at 18:41:23:
What we have to do as tuba players when switching between F, C, Eb etc. is the opposite of what orchestral horn and trumpet players have to do. Horn and trumpet players often get transposing parts in F, E, Eb, D etc. What they essentially learn to do after a few years of seeing these parts, is to learn a new set of fingerings for each transposition. They eventually (with a lot of experience) become fluent in possibly 6-8 of these transpositions.
Tubists are the opposite. 99% of parts are written in concert pitch BUT, we have the choice of playing it on a Bb, C, Eb, or F tuba. Taking from the experience of hornists, there should be no great difficulty at all in becoming fluent is tubas of all pitches, with time and practice. Nobody will become fluent in a different pitched tuba overnight.
From personal experience, I do almost all of my playing on C and F tubas. When I was in the army though, Marching with the band dictated that I used the Army's Eb. A little tricky to start off with but eventually, I didn't have to think "OK, I'm playing on an Eb tuba now, I gotta think about this...."
Tommo