Posted by Sean Chisham on March 10, 1999 at 12:02:48:
In Reply to: EEb tubas? posted by Joseph on March 10, 1999 at 11:45:27:
In the US military's premier bands, the vast majority of players play on CC. In Germany the vast majority of orchestral players play F and BBb when needed. In England the orchestral players play on Eb's and other pitched horns when needed.
BBb tuba's are usually cheaper for band programs, and also easier for players to learn on since their fingerings are basically the same as Bb trumpet, Bb euphonium, and in a sense Bb trombone. This is a good part of why band programs go after BBb tubas instead of CC's.
Eb tuba's are used in the US in much the same manner as the F tuba is, just as the BBb is played in many of the same types of situations the CC tubas are. Professional tubists in US orchestra's do use CC's and F's as their main pitched instruments, but I believe this to be more a matter of tradition than anything else.
There are 12 notes in each octave and several octaves to cover. BBb, CC, F, and Eb tubas all share the same basic valve patterns over the entire chromatic scale.
sean