Re: Bass Trombone doubling


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Posted by Tom Mason on June 03, 2003 at 09:10:53:

In Reply to: Bass Trombone doubling posted by SHS Tubamaster on June 02, 2003 at 18:48:08:

I like the comments about watching out for the largest mouthpiece on the market as a doubler.

I am looking at this as a bass bone player who doubles on tuba. A person uses a firmer embouchure on bass bone, even though you are playing low range notes. By doing this, you keep pitch and tone control, as opposed to having a spread and unfocused sound.

By using a mouthpiece smaller than the schilke 60 or bach 1G, you get help in the focus area. You might want to consider some of the conical shape as opposed to bowl shaped mouthpieces, such as a Wick.

When you get used to a firmer lip set, you will probably feel like moving to a larger mouthpiece. Don't let the larger mouthpiece give you the feeling of needing to relax the embouchure.

As you go back and forth from tuba to bass bone, use some time to warm up using the different mind sets for your embouchure. In the beginning, you will notice some tenseness in tuba playing, and the need to tighten up in bass bone playing. Be sure to make the change and listen to your sound.

If this becomes a college/professional decision, then you will want to address mouthpieces that will help focus air in bass bone playing while keeping your embouchure close to the tuba range. I do this by using a Doug Elliott setup with a rim slightly larger than a schilke 60, a 60 size cup, and a shank with a slightly smaller apeture than the 60.

Good luck.

Tom Mason


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