Posted by Jim Andrada on December 09, 2001 at 12:21:40:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Recreation and relaxation, which Tuba ? posted by ? on December 09, 2001 at 04:44:50:
I have an Alexander 163 BBb. Really like the sound, but as I said, it's taking me time to learn to "get around" on the horn. I create a lot of my own problems by switching back and forth to euphonium (Yamaha 642) which I play in two bands. And I'm not very good to begin with after not playing anything for 25 years or more!
My wife is a professional classical pianist and her assessment of the Alex sound is that it's really pretty, but too big and all-encompassing in close quarters. Of course,what she wants is to have me play cello parts with her because her cellist friend can only make it over about once a month! She and I both love the euph sound, but it lacks what we think of as the low-end resonance of the cello. And the Alex seems to her to have too much of a good thing in this department.
It's only my uneducated opinion but the way I look at it the euphonium is sort of like a tenor - beautiful solo voice, but always wants to sing out at the very front of the stage. The big contrabass tubas seem to paint the background. Maybe the smaller bass tubas would be happy in the middle blending with the rest of the "team".
Maybe someday I'll try a small to mid-sized F tuba, but for now I have my hands (mouth?) full learning to play what I have credibly.