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Thread: Don't even know the questions to ask....help

  1. #1

    Don't even know the questions to ask....help

    My son is a sixth grader (11 years old) and a new tuba player. I am not musically inclined in the least (sadly). My husband is a musician but of the guitar variety.

    So far I know that we have a tuba and that he makes sounds with it. He has a good grade in band so I guess he is doing decently. He really likes playing and I'd love him to continue so I want him to have every chance to do well.

    I've read and noticed that there is a lot of talk about mouth pieces. How do you know which one is right? He has the one that came with the tuba from the school. His band teacher said to see if we could find a Helleburg one as they are really good but I see they come in different sizes and I have NO idea what size is right. How does one determine such a thing? And what is a normal price to pay? Should I expect to spend over $100?

    Also, how do you know what size and type of tuba you have? Since we are renting it from the school and didn't buy it I have no clue. Does it even matter? I do know it isn't a full sized tuba....but that is ALL I know. I hate feeling so uninformed.

    Lastly, how do ya'll transport these huge tubas? My son rides the bus and has to walk a ways to and from the bus stop and thus carries a large (for him) tuba quite a long ways daily. Seems there must be an easier way. What say you pros?? Any help, tips or tricks??

    Thanks in advance for ANY help for this sadly uninformed tuba mom.

  2. I don't know much about tubas but I can make two suggestions...

    Perhaps you could post some photos of the instrument, especially if there is engraving and/or numbers on the bell. That would help in identifying it.

    As far as transporting, you might look into "gig bags". It is like a soft-sided case and many (all?) come with straps so that your son could carry his tuba like a back pack. I SO wish I had those for my bariphonium when I was in school. Altieri is a good brand but there are many others.

    Good luck!

  3. #3
    Ok, thanks!

    I'll take some pictures tonight of the tuba and whatever markings I can find. I can also measure the mouthpiece he is currently using and such. I'm trying to learn but find that it is hard when I don't even know where to start.

    Also, my husband has a little tuner thing that clips onto his guitar so he can tell if it is in tune or not. Is there such a thing for tubas? That way you could tell what note you are actually playing? Or no? Would that not even be practical? Was just a random thought I had...

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    West Palm Beach, FL
    Posts
    3,853
    I'm not a tuba player either, but I know that there are at least 3 different sized mouthpiece shanks. I'm pretty sure the band director should know -- especially since he suggested a 'Helleburg'. I hear that Helleburgs are good, but wouldn't know what size to suggest. If your son is serious about playing tuba it would be a good idea to find a teacher in the area to help him get started.

    As far as transporting, don't know what to suggest other than maybe find a cheap tuba for him to keep at home and use the school's horn at school. Transporting is definitely a problem. I have a friend who played in the Navy band years ago that often says as he's carrying it to rehearsal, "Sure wish I'd taken up the flute!".
    Rick Floyd
    Miraphone 5050 - Warburton BJ / RF mpc
    YEP-641S (recently sold)
    Doug Elliott - 102 rim; I-cup; I-9 shank


    "Always play with a good tone, never louder than lovely, never softer than supported." - author unknown.
    Symphonic Band of the Palm Beaches
    El Cumbanchero (Raphael Hernandez, arr. Naohiro Iwai)
    Chorale and Shaker Dance
    (John Zdechlik)

  5. #5
    A good mouthpiece for a good player would be the Kellyberg version of the Helleberg. It is a good medium-size version. You can buy it in plastic and save a bunch of money. That would be a smaller investment to see if the overall style and size is a good fit for him.

    Kellyberg Tuba Mouthpiece in Plastic
    Dave Werden (ASCAP)
    Euphonium Soloist, U.S. Coast Guard Band, retired
    Adams Artist (Adams E3)
    Alliance Mouthpiece (DC3)
    YouTube: dwerden
    Facebook: davewerden
    Twitter: davewerden
    Instagram: davewerdeneuphonium

  6. #6
    There are two ways to make transporting a tuba easier. One is a gig bag as suggested above. With good shoulder straps that many now have, it's not a bad task to walk with it. Here are several choices:

    http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_no...tuba+gig%2Caps

    The contrasting considering is protection. If he is not able to keep it from being banged around on the bus, then a hard case is a better idea. It's tough to get them on & off the bus, though, and naturally they are hard to carry. However, you can find some with wide-spaced dolly wheels at one end, which can make life better if he has a decent paved walk to use.

    Here are two sizes of the hard case with wheels design:

    http://www.amazon.com/SKB-Large-Univ...dp/B001LNO9PC/

    http://www.amazon.com/SKB-Mid-Sized-...dp/B001LNO9P2/
    Dave Werden (ASCAP)
    Euphonium Soloist, U.S. Coast Guard Band, retired
    Adams Artist (Adams E3)
    Alliance Mouthpiece (DC3)
    YouTube: dwerden
    Facebook: davewerden
    Twitter: davewerden
    Instagram: davewerdeneuphonium

  7. #7
    Thank you guys SO MUCH!!

    WOW!! Those cases are pricey. I think I could buy a used tuba for the price of the case...possibly, maybe. Definitely something to look into and think about for sure though. I think the safety of the hard case with an eleven year old on a bus full of kids would be necessary. The case he has now has some very small wheels that are not in working order. I was thinking of trying to strap it to some sort of rolling device for now to see how that would work until I can figure out a better way to transport; or buy a tuba for the home.

    So, I guess I need to know the size of the shank of the tuba before ordering a mouthpiece? Are the plastic ones ok? I'm guessing so, otherwise you wouldn't have recommended one. I don't mind spending the money if it is something that is needed. I just don't know is the only problem.

    I really can't thank ya'll enough.

  8. #8
    Instruments can get damaged on a school bus very easily. While you don't give your location, it's probably going to be easier to get a horn for home. If you could post the make and model of the tuba your son is currently using, I'm sure somebody here could recommend a similar make and model to buy for home use. I've got a local instrument tech that is a tuba player, and he does work on some older horns. So identifying it shouldn't be a problem.

    Most of the time, I hear a lot of discussions about the Mack Brass, or Wessex Chinese clone tubas.

    http://www.wessex-tubas.com/bbb-front-piston/ <===an example.

  9. #9
    I'd say that unless the mouthpiece that came with it is giving him problems or is in horrible condition (the rim should be smooth, no dents or scratches) it's probably OK. Helleberg is a medium-sized general mouthpiece for contrabass tuba, but it's probably too big for a player in elementary school. Better to spend that money on a few private lessons. A qualified teacher can look at the existing mouthpiece and make a judgement as to whether it is a good match for the player and/or the instrument. We can't do that on the forum here.

    I also would not purchase any hard case without knowing exactly the make and model of the tuba in question. Tubas vary wildly in shape and size. It might be a poor fit, leading to instrument damage or using a case that is much larger than it needs to be. Or it might not fit at all.

    Bring the existing case to a luggage repair shop. Have them fix or replace the existing wheels.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    West Palm Beach, FL
    Posts
    3,853
    Your concern about transporting a tuba reminded me of the story I heard from pro tubist Patrick Sheridan. When he was in middle school, he played sousaphone (that's the tuba used for marching and wraps around the student and rests on the shoulder). The sousaphone was too large to fit in his mother's trunk, so they took the bell off and left it at school. Pat said he was probably the only person ever to play on a 'B natural' tuba. (Being shorter than normal makes it play sharp).

    I think it's great when parents get involved with their son or daughter's music activities.
    Last edited by RickF; 10-29-2014 at 03:24 PM.
    Rick Floyd
    Miraphone 5050 - Warburton BJ / RF mpc
    YEP-641S (recently sold)
    Doug Elliott - 102 rim; I-cup; I-9 shank


    "Always play with a good tone, never louder than lovely, never softer than supported." - author unknown.
    Symphonic Band of the Palm Beaches
    El Cumbanchero (Raphael Hernandez, arr. Naohiro Iwai)
    Chorale and Shaker Dance
    (John Zdechlik)

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