Re: Re: Re: changing from BBb to a CC


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Posted by Konfused in Kokomo on December 30, 2002 at 17:11:01:

In Reply to: Re: Re: changing from BBb to a CC posted by Anthony on December 30, 2002 at 12:17:58:

Steve's boring bio:

Actually, I played BBb from Jr. High through High School, skipped band altogether whilst studying to be a enjunear [sic], and bought a re-furbished 186 BBb after graduation from Purdue [BSEE, 1980] in 1981. Fast forward about 15 years and you would have found me frustrated with the upper half octave below middle C with my quintet. So, I switched to Eb tuba after asking lots of questions on this and the other tuba list over yonder. Fast forward a few more years and I started playing in a quartet also. The Besson 983 had too broad of a sound for my ears as I was trying to cover a euph part, as written, as much as possible. So, about 2 years ago, thanks to Lee Stofer, I bought first one, then traded for a second small F tuba. While these were great for quartet, they weren't big enough for my quintet (YFB-621 now), who are always asking for a BIG tuba sound. So, I've now kept the F and have ADDED the Miraphone 186-4U CC, learning CC fingerings LAST, and only this past fall. Some day, when I'm rich and famous (or infamous) I'll probably go looking for a 5V CC, so I can have that cute, ornamental 5th valve like everybody else!

Now that I'm personally familiar with all four keys, I'm just as unqualified as anybody else to render opinions about which key is best! ;-) Maybe I'll start an advice column . . . .

But far more impressive is Sam Gnagey's account of playing the Nutcracker four times with the Ft. Wayne Phil, Christmas of 2001. Allegedly to make this annual gig more mentally challenging, Sam played a tuba pitched in a different key for each of the four performances -- BBb, CC, Eb and F. I don't know which order he chose . . . .

Steve "BBb/Eb/F/CC" Inman
Kokomo, IN



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