Re: Q on pedal tones


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Posted by Joe Sellmansberger on July 14, 1999 at 22:28:37:

In Reply to: Q on pedal tones posted by Winton on July 14, 1999 at 04:35:41:

The C to D slur involves flexibility, precise timing, uninterrupted air, and a great tuba. The only problem is that if you THINK about all of this junk while you are trying to improve it, you will surely fail. (I spent some time curing a student of "Analysis Paralysis", and shortly thereafter he got a job.) Just continue to work...it will improve. The "cheater" way is to slur open C to fourth valve D, but don't let that become a habit. (You will end up like the fumble-fingers tuba players who consistantly use crazy valve combinations on badly out-of-tune tubas stumbling over quirky fingerings.)

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Almost everyone has an entirely different embouchure for the extreme low register, and many fine players don't even try to begin extremely low notes with an articulation -- they just begin blowing air. You should experiment on your own, but try to come up with something that you can transition into the embouchure that you use just above these notes in the regular low range without interruption.

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Many people who do those super-duper low notes (below the acoustical range of the tuba) are actually just banging their tongue against the inside of their lips while blowing air ("faking" it). The lowest note that I can make my lips actually vibrate (I'm sure that others can play much lower, but why even this low?) is G or maybe F below the lowest A on the piano. I NEVER spend ANY time practicing that stuff, and I never lose the ablility to play those notes. <(That is NOT a brag. Rather, it is a suggestion that perhaps honking a bunch of "pedal" tones might sort of be a waste of good practice time.)


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