(I thought this board was dead until today)

The Tuba was made not so long ago and we have a seat in the orchestra and symphonic/concert bands but why does it seem like, when your in school, that the tubas are "oom-pah" instruments and not capable of holding their own.

Fact: The Tuba's rotary valves are, at least, as fast as trumpet valves.

Fact: The Tuba has a diatonic scale of over 4 octaves (Maybe just four octaves but w/e >.>)

Fact: The Tuba could only be made after the successes and failures of the other instruments, as hard as it is to imagine, the Tuba is a highly advanced instrument that is only continuing to evolve.

After listening to such artist like Oystein baadsvik, Roger Bobo, and others I have found out that the Tuba can be played well, in a very emotional musical manner, and that it does deserve its seat in the orchestra even though its only been a concept for some odd 300 years (Yeah, I rounded >.>)

I am 15 and I have just found out what the tuba can really do. I found out this info myself when I was down about playing tuba because I never felt like we got any cool licks, or that we were even needed. I don't want to become a band director, but I think that we should (as tuba or brass players) let everyone know the capabilities of each instrument and not get forced into playing something because they are big enough/ strong enough.

(Btw, I play Tuba, Bass and Tenor Trombone, and Viola)

~Serge

I agree that the Tuba is under-represented.

Often it seems like I'm the only Tuba player on here.

I've just come back from a black dyke concert and there was a Tuba Concerto in it (Vaughan Williams) - was pretty fab tbf

I love the tuba. It really annoys me how they play virtually nothing in an orchestra, especially nothing significant, that is if they have a part at all!

The tuba is an amazing instrument. I love playing an under-appreciated instrument (though it is amazing how many people haven't even heard of it - I once had someone say to me 'What's that big instrument that you blow through called again - is it called a trumpet?' What a moron.)

If you know any tuba players who are thinking about quitting, make them listen to this. http://www.baadsvik.com/?catalogID=77

It is common for Tuba parts, in SOME orchestral situations, to be boring or maybe even non-existant but that makes sense when you think about the fact that the Tuba was made in the 1830's where it quickly replaced the brass bass called "ophecliede" The tuba is really an extraordinary instrument because in only about 200 years it has gotten a die hard fanbase (tuba christmas and other tub frestivals) and is starting to get realized because of soloist like Oystein Baadsvik, Roger Bobo, Les Neish and others.

There are some orchestral works with very important tuba parts, e.g. Wagner Prelude to Meistersinger, where it gets the main Meistersinger theme at the place where three tunes are going at once. A rather obvious reason that many orchestral pieces have no tuba part is that we still play a lot of music that was written before it was invented. Another is that during the 19th century many critics were very conservative, e.g. Brahms was criticised for using a triangle in his fourth symphony, so the tuba only gradually became a regular member of the orchestral brass. A third is that composers know that a work using the same instruments as a popular one from the Classical period has increased chances of getting performed.

If memory serves correctly, the tuba plays only 26 notes in the whole of Poulenc's Gloria. But then, the trumpets only play 68 notes in the whole of the Sibelius Violin concerto. They're good gigs if you're being paid.

and only 17 in the whole of Dvorak's "New World" Symphony.

and 8 notes in Mahler. XD

Well, whoop-di-doo. Do you lot have anything better to do than count notes in tuba parts?
Although only eight notes in Mahler is pretty impressive.

Oh yes, I've actually played the tuba part in that, as well as playing the 1st trumpet. As the two trumpets are in unison for that chorale bit in the slow movement, and no tuba player felt like coming along just to play 17 notes (it was an unpaid gig), I volunteered. See, being a trumpet player, I'm not very bright, and I do silly things like that.

Counting the notes passes the time, in any case, and really winds up the string players, if you're being paid. The best trumpet gig I ever did was something like £1 per note, though I can't remember what the piece was. Possibly Faure's Requiem, but I must have been dozing.

And I thought I did well for £120 for 45 mins at a New Year gig...

Back to tubas! As I remarked on another thread, listen to the New Orleans Brass Bands (eg The Dirty Dozen, The Rebirth or the younger generation of imitators, like the Youngblood Brass band). The darn funkiest tuba and sousaphone parts - search out VIP by the Youngbloods....funky as all get out!

First band I ever had was only horns - saxes, flute, trombone, trumpets and tuba, with drums... we weren't very good , but that's besides the point!

Be proud, tubists....wish I was one.

Nick

Sadly I didn't have as many as 120 notes.

Brian

im considering asking the parental units for lessons on the tuba-ma-phone instead of being a tromboner.

Im not sure though

Do whichever you like, or do both. I started with Tuba and I currently play Tuba and bass trombone and thats only in Jazz/concert bands

On the 'great tubists' front, check out Nat McIntosh, who used to play for Youngblood Brass Band. There's some stuff on Youtube.... Darn!

Nick

It is under represented which is a shame because I love the sound of the tuba! I know here the music service has brought/is buying a couple of 'mini-tubas' I think they're small Bb's but Im probably wrong, to get younger children started on them.

In my concert band we've done a few tuba features last year which have sounded amazing! I really hope the brass ensemble I play in get though to Music for Youth because one of the pieces relied heavily on the bass line by the tubas

Euphoniums? They are small tubas but they have so much more of a role than that.

If you play tuba and plan to play professionally like me you might want to look into movies and video games.

http://dailyheadlines.uark.edu/1190.htm

I noticed a trend lately (just from the music I listen to) that movies and video games bgm usually have some of the more daring ideas when it comes to music. Just something to look into .

(bit sleepy lol, I don't know why I always come to this site so late at night)

No, sorry should have make that clear, they're definably not euphs!

Its worth while listening to the Sotto Voce Tuba quartet - one of the Tubists is Nat Mcintosh ex Youngblood brass band who has already been mentioned on this thread.

Canadian Brass

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MK43VbP0-fs

Look at that thing go!