Re: Flute to Tuba Converts


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Posted by Chuck(G) on October 11, 2001 at 13:53:28:

In Reply to: Flute to Tuba Converts posted by tuba tutor on October 10, 2001 at 20:49:50:

Last week, I visited a local middle school with a couple of instruments (the school actually owns a few decent Yamaha BBb tubas) to do some tuba evangelism amongst the band knds (out of three bands, there are zero tuba players). I got a mixture of trombone and baritone, trumpet, sax, clarinet and flute players who said that they might be interested in learning how to play.

We used a Yamaha YBB-103 3/4 BBb with a Bach 25 mouthpiece for tryouts.

I found that the baritone and trombone kids could hit the low open Bb pretty much on the first try, the trumpet took some leading (he could play the F, so he just mimicked me as I played down the scale to the BBb), the reeds were hopeless, but the flute turned in a very respectable performance and she was among the most petite of the girls.

BTW, many young band students seem to be fuzzy on the role of the tuba in a band. If you have access to a piano, you can demonstrate the idea by playing a march and leaving out the bassline, then adding it back (play it in octaves for emphasis). Eyes seem to light up with comprehension that the tuba doesn't simply play the lowest notes...



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