Posted by Jay Bertolet on July 05, 1999 at 14:51:09:
In Reply to: Re: Practice techniques posted by Sean Chisham on July 04, 1999 at 22:53:44:
That is some great advice Sean! Using the Dr. Beat is how I do it as well. I think the trick with the Dr. Beat is to first try to play things with the larger beat. After this is accomplished, then try and play with the subdivisions. It is fairly difficult to play, say a line of triplets, with the Dr. Beat tapping out triplets. So many things can go wrong like bad articulation or awkward fingerings, etc. The goal of course is to make whatever subdivisions you're doing even from note to note.
I would also practice a couple of things away from the tuba so you can isolate your rhythmic skills without the distractions of playing. First, I would practice fingerings on your leg. No, this is not illegal in public! The idea here is that part of good rhythm is making the fingering changes rhythmical as well. If your valve presses are not rhythmical, your playing probably won't be either. So practice fingering passages and be especially aware of the rhythm your fingers make, much like drumming on a table. The rhythm you make fingering the patterns should be the same as the actual passage you're doing. Second, I would practice something that percussionists practice all the time. That is, being able to tap one beat with one hand while tapping another beat with the other. A good example would be the opening of the piece La Fiesta Mexicana. This piece starts with a chime part that has one note in duple and one note in triple. I found that learning how to tap different rhythms at the same time in both hands taught me alot about subdivision.
Good luck in your quest for good rhythm!