Posted by Gerald J. on May 22, 2001 at 10:29:00:
In Reply to: Role of EEb posted by Rob Suttie on May 21, 2001 at 23:07:39:
I suspect the ORIGINAL function of the EEb tuba was easy conversion of excess trumpet and cornet players. They need not learn to read bass clef, but just make a key sign change and read the bass clef part as treble clef Bb trumpet fingerings and play.
There are differences in capabilities in different EEb tubas. While In the army I played in a church orchestra and occasionally band. There the Eb tuba borrowed from a junior HS played more like a baritone than tuba, because of small size and small bore. At one performance when the baritone had to go play another gig, I slipped in the baritone licks on the tuba and the conductor was confused because it sounded like a baritone but there wasn't one in the group.
Since then I've bought a 1908 vintage Holton EEb that is as large as many CC tubas, large bore too. It has the same playing range as the last BBb (Conn 20J) that I played in college. Because of poor valve alignment, the intonation is loose everywhere and its upper octave isn't easier. The little Eb from the jr HS played easier in the upper octave.
Gerald J.