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Thread: Tuba Student

  1. Tuba Student

    Hey guys! First of all I'm a new member here so I'm hoping I'm posting in the correct sub-forum. I'm a freshman Music Ed and Music Performance major and I have recently been hired as a low brass instructor in my local town. and I have one student and he is a tuba player. He's a middle school tuba player but has a real problem playing down in the low register (even normal low B flat is hard for him to get out). I've told him to put more air through the horn and it helped out a little bit. What other suggestions do you guys have? Thanks for the help!

    Daniel

  2. #2
    Hi,

    I would watch his posture to make sure he isn't creating problems (i.e. sitting up straight and not at awkward angle, etc.) Also, is he getting a full breath? I would highly recommend lots of long tones and etudes such as Bordogni where the focus is more on sound and musicality and less on technique. Have him work on the syllables of "doh" instead of "tah" on both his attacks and intake of air and have him start thinking about producing a beautiful sound. When you say he is a middle school player that tells me he is new to the instrument. (Most of the schools in our area begin in Middle School). One problem I've noticed with beginning players is that they aren't spending enough time on the horn and definitely don't spend enough time playing long tones. (I have one son in Middle School Band and one who is a freshman in high school) I've noticed with my son's Euphonium playing that the more time he spends on "sound" vs "Technique" that I can really hear a difference in his playing. There certainly needs to be a balance of both. I wish you well. David

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    Central North Carolina
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    2,362
    I presume that you've already checked the horn to determine that IT isn't a problem.

    Then just two recommendations:

    1. Long tones -- working on descending to lower ones. But work on them slowly to the point that a given note can be produced immediately with correct embouchure.
    2. Mouthpiece. What's he using? Very frequently beginning tuba students are given mouthpieces that are simply too large for them. (In fact, often tuba players use mouthpieces that are too large for them, believing that "bigger is better" or "bigger is easier".) If I had a beginning student in a similar situation, I'd start him on a Bach 25 mouthpiece. If he's using a Bach 18 or something larger (like a Conn 120S), go to the Bach 25. You can get a Kelly 25 for around $30. If he's using the dreaded 24AW, toss it so no one else can find it and use it. Once he feels comfortable with good long tones in the middle register and down around the F at the bottom of the staff, then he should easily be able to go lower with easy practice.
    Gary Merrill
    Wessex EEb Bass tuba (DW 3XL or 2XL)
    Mack Brass Compensating Euph (DE N106, Euph J, J9 euph)
    Amati Oval Euph (DE 104, Euph J, J6 euph)
    1924 Buescher 3-valve Eb tuba (with std US receiver), Kelly 25
    Schiller American Heritage 7B clone bass trombone (DE LB K/K10/112/14 Lexan, Brass Ark MV50R)
    1947 Olds "Standard" trombone (Olds #3)

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    Central North Carolina
    Posts
    2,362
    Here's a quote from Lee Stofer in an old Tubenet thread where the Bach 25 is also recommended. Stofer recommends an even smaller mouthpiece for middle schoolers to start on.

    My understanding is that this is concerning a good mouthpiece for a beginner. Maybe the beginners are larger kids where many of you are! I personally play on huge mouthpieces, but the 6th graders I start out here are small-enough that I wouldn't think of initially putting them on a 67, Helleberg or 18. Most of my beginning tuba students are able to do better much sooner, playing on a 32E. The local middle school band director has been quite pleased with the development of the low brass players there over the last two years.
    As they develop, I try to move them towards the appropriate size and shape mouthpiece for that point in their development.
    However, if you're dealing with a 7-9th grade kid (or, from my perspective, almost any beginning tuba student), I'd go with the Bach 25.
    Gary Merrill
    Wessex EEb Bass tuba (DW 3XL or 2XL)
    Mack Brass Compensating Euph (DE N106, Euph J, J9 euph)
    Amati Oval Euph (DE 104, Euph J, J6 euph)
    1924 Buescher 3-valve Eb tuba (with std US receiver), Kelly 25
    Schiller American Heritage 7B clone bass trombone (DE LB K/K10/112/14 Lexan, Brass Ark MV50R)
    1947 Olds "Standard" trombone (Olds #3)

  5. Thanks for the great tips guys. I took a look at his mouthpiece and there is not any markings on it but the student said it was a Helleberg of some sort. His tuba is a Schiller, a German made instrument. He had his lesson yesterday and his low register is getting better because of more air support. However, I'll use your tips whenever I'm teaching him in his next lesson. Thanks again for the help

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    Central North Carolina
    Posts
    2,362
    "Helleberg" covers a huge area -- from quite small mouthpieces to very large ones. It is more descriptive of shape (funnel vs. bowl) than size. The more important measurement for a quick assessment (since it sounds like you're not a tuba player yourself) is the diameter at the rim. That is, the inside diameter. If this is 1.24" (or preferably smaller) with a moderately deep mouthpiece, he's probably okay. If it's 1.26", maybe okay. If 1.28" or larger it is probably too big for him. Remember, you want him to be playing above the staff as well .

    Conn makes (currently) two Helleberg mouthpieces. The 120S is probably the more common and is the larger (1.28"). The Kelleyberg is a clone of this. I find that it sucks the air out of me and I can't use it. The Conn 7b is a smaller Helleberg (1.24") mouthpiece and might work for him. I've played with several people (adults) who used one and much preferred it over the 120S. In comparison, the Bach 25 has a 1.205" diameter and is bowl-shaped, which aids articulation.

    If he got the mouthpiece with the instrument, my bet would be it's a 120S clone. In that case, I would seriously recommending a smaller mouthpiece even if he is now improving.
    Gary Merrill
    Wessex EEb Bass tuba (DW 3XL or 2XL)
    Mack Brass Compensating Euph (DE N106, Euph J, J9 euph)
    Amati Oval Euph (DE 104, Euph J, J6 euph)
    1924 Buescher 3-valve Eb tuba (with std US receiver), Kelly 25
    Schiller American Heritage 7B clone bass trombone (DE LB K/K10/112/14 Lexan, Brass Ark MV50R)
    1947 Olds "Standard" trombone (Olds #3)

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