Posted by TubaDave on May 16, 2002 at 12:35:04:
In Reply to: like a string bass.... posted by dennis on May 16, 2002 at 08:35:23:
In my experience the tuba size or mouthpiece size doesn't seem to make much difference in sounding like a string bass. I would suggest that you use whatever combination sounds best to you. When there are fewer tubas, it is easier to hear what you are doing in a group.
I have trying to make a string bass sound in my Dixieland Combo for years now. Sometimes I succeed and sometimes I don't. I make this sound by putting a little accent on the start of each note and letting the sound fall off, like the sound of a string would decay or diminish after being plucked. The lead player in our group was telling me just the other evening to sound more like a string bass, so I must have been doing something different and I need to concentrate more on the sound I'm getting. As someone else in this bulletin string suggested, try listening to recordings of other tuba players AND string bass players and try to sound like them. Jazz recordings usually have better string bass plucking sounds. Don't try too hard or think too much about it, let let your unconscious brain do the work.
On a different note, while playing in a brass quintet years ago, the lead player suggested to me that instead of just sitting on a long note, that I make it cresendo or decresendo to give it a more expressive sound. Playing the right note is only part of being a good tuba player. Being expressive and musical completes the picture.