Re: German style F's vs American style F's


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Posted by Witha Gig on January 31, 2001 at 11:13:26:

In Reply to: German style F's vs American style F's posted by F buyer on January 31, 2001 at 10:09:07:

All tubas are, to me, amazingly deceptive. You never REALLY know how you sound. Mouthpiece-side, it feels ideal. Everything responds and you feel bottom, center and projection. Then a colleague listens in a hall and says it sounds small or confined. The Piggy craze really brought this to light. (This is one of many similar examples.)

I did an experiment recently where I had someone (musically educated) used to being in the audience listen, cheek-to-cheek with me as I played (and tried really hard to concentrate; she was nice). She was amazed to hear how a tuba sounds mouthpiece-side. When I listen to an accomplished player at a distance, in a hall, I realize this is equally necessary, along with playing with a section, for judging how a horn sounds. I think this is even more true of F tubas. I think it's necessary to audition an instrument in the environment where it'll be used. What WE hear up close isn't necesssarily what will be heard at a distance.


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