Posted by Rick Denney on August 29, 2003 at 15:05:35:
In Reply to: CC and BBb posted by jmk on August 29, 2003 at 00:35:47:
Anybody who is going to play tuba professionally will require the skills needed to play any music on any tuba. It doesn't follow that they must do so routinely.
Some people don't play CC's because they are too lazy to learn the fingerings or the skills needed to transpose at sight. They often claim the superiority of their instrument as a reason for not learning something new, but it seems to me that it is just an excuse. Such excuses are not compatible with the rigors of professional musicianship, it seems to me.
I believe this principle applies equally students who (unusually) start on CC. They should be required to learn BBb during their studies. After all, lots of paying positions require it.
And pros should be able to play the music that's put in front of them, even if it was transposed to Bb by a church organist who didn't know better, and even if the instrument they brought was an F. (This happened to me recently, but fortunately I had the time to write the part out in a readable key; I don't have these skills, but then I'm not a pro.)
On the other hand, for those with no professional aspirations who play just for their own enjoyment and edification, learning all four instruments and transposition skills seems to me unnecessary. Thus, I advise adult amateurs like myself to stay with BBb if that is what they are comfortable using. The instruments sound just as good in the hands of amateurs and they are lots cheaper than their CC counterparts.
If you don't have the experience needed to sound great on a BBb tuba, then you won't sound any better on a CC tuba.
If that is what you were saying, then I agree. Unfortunately, I couldn't really tell what you were saying.
Rick "who hates trying to plow through chat-room shorthand, and who hopes 'jmk' will stop using it" Denney