Re: Eb popularity


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Posted by Randy Mac Iver on March 01, 2000 at 11:34:00:

In Reply to: Eb popularity posted by DaveC on March 01, 2000 at 08:02:11:

I think that there are alot of factors that come into to play and not just the personal pitch and tone color preferances. Communication via PC's has opened so many doors of oppurtunity that the poor trash players and the rich treasure players can kind of meet at the same street corner and exchange ideas and war stories, ie.( BBS!). The only admission charge is to be polite, open mined and respectful to whom ever you talk with. I think that Eb players have been around along time and that young players talking to older players has rekindled the interest in other pitched horns. I started as a sax player in 2nd grade and by High School I was an okay player on C melody, Eb alto, Bb tenor, Eb bari and Bb bass sax. I was also in CYO drum corps and played G bugle so when my middle school Band director asked me to switch to Tuba I thought it was a great chance to explore the other side of the Saxhorn family. I learned alot about Tubas in High School and played on Besson BBb's and Eb's because they were available. I spent my 4 years in High School switching around on Bb tenor and Eb bari sax to Eb and BBb Tuba. Our Bb bass sax got squashed in a strange Marching Band incident but that is another story. If we had Three or more Tubas I would always use an Eb Tuba. After High School I went into the Military Band field and started learning about C and F Tubas but they weren't that popular as Organizational Gear so unless you could afford one you didn't see to many in field units. The C's and F's were popular with Pro's so I guess that the horn makers started the cycle of " Demand a Supply and then Supply a Demand". I stick with the Eb Tuba because it reminds me of th Eb Bari Sax but with a better range. I'm kind of like the Fred Sanford of Horns in that I collect alot of Junk and by the time I get rid of it playes pretty well and people seem to have been dumping Eb's alot but the circle is starting to come around again. I have had only two new horns in my life so far. A BBb Yamaha and a DEG Dynast II G Contra in the Marine Corps and a BBb Besson Silver Sousaphone in college. Every thing else has just been new to me! I think that certain horns fit in certain situations better than others so why limit yourself. Untill someone comes up with a Swiss Army Tuba we will be having this conversation in about 10 years only talking about ---( insert pitch ) horns. Eb Tuba sounds nice when said. F Tuba sounds like your gonna curse at your horn. HA HA.... C Tuba...play Tuba...OOO, OOO Tuba Goodd! Gorg like Tuba! Bb flat Tuba, roll over, Sit, now beg. That's a good Tuba. Good Boy!
Yeah, I'm a Goof Ball.
Randy Mac


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