Posted by Greg Kling on January 07, 1999 at 02:35:34:
In Reply to: why tuba? posted by Dean Norman on January 06, 1999 at 15:56:56:
I chose the tuba in 7th grade because our tuba player quit and they needed someone else to play it. Also, I had just gotten braces, so the larger mouthpiece was easier on my face.
I continue to enjoy the tuba, because it's one of the easiest instruments to neglect. Most people don't really notice when they hear an outstanding tuba player, but they sure know a bad one when they hear it. I take pride in being pretty good at it because I refuse to have an ensemble worry about whether they are going to have a bassline, or tuba part, or whatever I happen to be filling in. It's kind of the whole "doing something good because it feels good, not because you get recognition for it" thing. Ask any high school band director who, in one year had all of his tuba players make all-state band, and then the next year have people who can't figure out which way the music goes. I bet they didn't realize how good they had it... :)