Re: F Tuba


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Posted by Lee Stofer on March 21, 2002 at 08:42:30:

In Reply to: F Tuba posted by Curious on March 20, 2002 at 23:19:00:

Is it possible? Yes, but I dare say not preferred. My opinion is that an F tuba should have its own sound and character, not be a CC -sounding tuba that happens to be in F. I believe the optimal F tuba should fill the niche between euphonium and contrabass tuba. With 5/4 and 6/4 F tubas, the high register is no easier to play, and the low register will probably not be as rich-sounding, so why not use a CC or BBb for the large, low parts, and use the F for what it was intended?
At one point in my career, I played a 5/4 Rudolf Meinl F tuba exclusively for about a year in an effort to make myself become a fluent F tubist. I will tell you now that is is a lot more work to play everything on an F than it is to play everything on a CC. If the reason for the question is a financial one, where one can only afford one instrument, I'd suggest going with the instrument in CC or BBb. In fact, one can buy a decent used CC or BBb, and an F too, for what some new tubas cost.
-Lee Stofer


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