Posted by js on December 02, 2001 at 20:59:23:
As an apologist for and champion of the F tuba, I play quite a few things on the F tuba that some others might not. However, here is an example of a well-known piece that, only because of its beginning, MUST be played on a contrabass tuba.
So here - in this oft-played excerpt - is an example of a single note, a "Bb", determining which type of instrument is used on a gig. Further, a "4/4" contrabass won't do here. This note insists on a T--U--B--A.