Posted by Tom on June 22, 1999 at 10:23:04:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: RANGE OF A TUBA (HELP)!!! posted by Sean Chisham on June 22, 1999 at 08:32:07:
My experience on this comes mostly from the brass quintet that I am in. We do a warmup (almost every day) that we call "Gorditas" (yes, like the taco bell food). We got this from the Spanish brass quintet "Lurs Mettals", who named their different warmups after different foods. I will explain, since this has helped me a lot, as well as it is a good quintet warmup. I will explain the tuba part, while the tbone and horn start one octave higher and trumpets 2 octaves. Mind you, I do this on F tuba.
For tuba: Quarter note = 60. Start on the Bb (second line) and play a descending Bb major arpeggio down two octaves (straight to pedal Bb) and back up, holding the last Bb for 4 beats. Go down 1/2 step (to A in the staff), and repeat. Continue this until you go down an entire octave. (note that after you get to pedal Gb (M7 below pedal f), you are basically "faking" the rest of the notes, but since it is only a warmup, don't fret too much on getting it perfect). With this pattern, you are faking from a double pedal f down to a double pedal Bb, which really don't exist. Of course, by this point, the quintet is making so many weird sounds (trumpets playing false tones), that noone will know the difference.
Rest a few.
Now, start on the low Bb below the staff, go down one octave arpeggio, and go up two (to Bb in the staff). Go up a 1/2 step (B below the staff) and repeat. Keep going until the rest of the group gives up (see if your trumpets can get up to a super f!).
There is also a new quintet piece out by Jim Self called "Three for 5" that ends with a 3 octave drop from G in the top of the staff to a pedal G (one note below the last on piano), and if Jim is reading, I can do it a lot better now :)
After doing this for a while, you will be amazed at your new found ability to easily play (especially on F) in ranges that used to be difficult.
Try the warmup on your own if you like. I've done it on CC also, where most of the notes actually exist, and it still isn't much easier.
"Boldly going lower ..."
Tom