Posted by Steve Oberheu on December 12, 1999 at 08:00:33:
In Reply to: Advantage of CC tuba over anything else posted by T on December 12, 1999 at 00:40:13:
Advantages of CC over BBb:
-shorter length of tubing. It's easier to play through a shorter tube than a longer tube. Consequently, a good player can concentrate more on making good music and not sweating bullets trying to play the horn.
-fingering in lots of music made easier. In my opinion, this is the weakest reason to switch to CC, but it IS a reason nonetheless.
-The wrap in tubing makes the tube more conical than cylindrical (do I have that right?) at certain points on the horn. This brightens the sound considerably. Most people call it a more "open" sound.
-Most manufacturers work harder on making their CC tubas good as they are the choice of most professionals. So, overall workmanship is usually a lot better. Once again, more concentration on making music and NOT on working the horn.
Now, as for whether you like the sound of a BBb better...that's up to you. Not everyone prefers the CC. Music is NOT a democracy. If the world's greatest tuba sound in your mind is a BBb, then that's that.
I think tradition of where you're playing also makes some kind of difference. For most American players, CC is the standard with F as the other horn. In England, an F tuba would sound out of place amongst all the Eb's. Germany is F and BBb, period. I agree that if you can play, you can play...but there are SOME places where the right sound is a certain type of instrument.