Posted by Yup.. on November 11, 2003 at 15:42:20:
In Reply to: Bb Conversion posted by Debbie on November 11, 2003 at 15:23:54:
Everything you've said is true--a CC tuba with a whole-step worth of "clarinet tubing" will not play as well in BBb as it will in CC. After all, the horn was designed for CC, right?
Since you and your son seem committed to CC, it's probably best to bite the bullet and stick with learning CC without relapsing back to BBb. Switching back and forth probably won't groove the new fingerings into his mind as quickly as if he were to practice CC exclusively.
If he's kept up practice on scales and studies in all keys, the bulk of the fingering patterns are already there--a Bb scale on a CC is fingered just like an Ab scale on a BBb. Progress will be rapid.
On the other hand, if he hasn't done his homework, he'll be learning a bunch of new fingering patterns and will have to patient.