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

[TubaMom14]

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.

[daniel76309]

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!

[TubaMom14]

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...

[RickF]

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!".

[davewerden]

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

[davewerden]

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/

[TubaMom14]

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.

[Markmc611]

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.

[bbocaner]

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.

[RickF]

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.

[TubaMom14]

I never thought about having the case fixed at a luggage repair shop. Thanks Bbocaner!!

I will gather more information and pictures this evening and we shall go from there.

RickF - I was a bit worried about trying to get the tuba and case in my Prius but it fits just fine. Now a bigger one....I'm not so sure. LOL

[Pat]

Always worth asking the school if they can provide a tuba for home and keep one at the school for practice. If they're short on tuba players, they may have some extra horns on hand.

[davewerden]

If you're going to look for a used tuba or try to borrow a second one, you need to know what key his current tuba is. When he plays a C in the 2nd space of the staff, what fingering does he use?

[tampaworth]

I think it's great he has caught the fire and you are encouraging and working with him early on! I've always been a believer that anything you learn early in life becomes more engrained in your brain and or muscle memory whether instrumental music, golf, skiing, etc. and thus more enjoyable later in life. I remember learning how to ski and going many times as a kid and now I can "just ski" without the negatives of overthinking it. For me, golf is the opposite. Never learned nor played until maybe 28 years old and it remains a torturous experience despite reading about technique, watching videos, etc. Just my opinion, but I would totally drop the idea of having a middle schooler (and or you) lug the school tuba back and forth. That will get old (or dented on the bus) real quick! Rather than paying to fix the wheels on the case if he seems to really be interested, which is outstanding, I'd be thinking of acquiring a tuba to keep at home. This ideally would be inexpensive, yet not so that it would hold him back in his development. TubeNet is a great source for finding such a Tuba once you have determined the make, model, and key of his school Tuba. Good on you -- this world would be a better place with more TubaMoms!

[davewerden]

Just my opinion, but I would totally drop the idea of having a middle schooler (and or you) lug the school tuba back and forth.

You know, the more I think about this the more that sounds like the best plan. I was remembering back to my son's high-school days playing trombone. We bought him a good trombone, but fortunately I also had my old King trombone that he could use at home. Even with the more petite size of the trombone it was a blessing to not haul it back and forth (especially given the weight of his backpack!). And there is a sort-of fringe benefit. For various logistical reasons he might need to leave the horn at school sometimes. But if he always has one at home too, he can still practice.