Potentially playing Sousaphone... Advice?

[sirendude2015]

This is a situation I thought I would never encounter, so I'm a bit unprepared.

First, a backstory:
Pep Band season started last night. For our first game, we had a great ensemble attendance... but only one sousaphone player showed up, and she wasn't fond of playing solo. The director told me to play trombone parts on some songs and tuba parts on others with my bass trombone. She mentioned that she didn't care if I doubled on sousaphone the nights that we didn't have a good tuba-to-band ratio, because while a bass trombone can cover the part, it doesn't blend with a sousaphone... or the rest of the band, for that matter.

I figure that I could take up Sousaphone so I can properly cover those parts when I'm called to. The only problem is, I've never meaningfully played a tuba before. There's a part of me that is ecstatic to play tuba, so I am motivated and ready to learn. I taught myself all of the fingerings, I'm just not prepared in the embouchure and air management department. I will mention that I am already a "tripler" on tenor trombone (both valve and slide), bass trombone, and euphonium. I've browsed around forums for a while and have already learned that sousaphones don't play quite as well as concert tubas and their intonation leaves something to be desired.

By the way, the sousaphone I would be playing is a King 2250.

Is there anything I should know?
Any help and advice is greatly appreciated! Even the basic fundamentals would be helpful.

[jimpjorps]

I'm a casual euph/tuba doubler. I picked up tuba this year to replace a player in my brass ensemble who had to quit due to work conflicts.

The principles for sousaphone are the same as the principles for trombone and euph -- you just have more air to move, more lip to buzz and more metal in the valves. If you have access to the sousaphone outside of rehearsal time, I'd work on the typical endurance exercises like long tones and lip slurs to get used to the mouthpiece and build up your muscle memory of what each partial feels like. If you can't borrow it, at least try to acquire a mouthpiece and buzz on it regularly.

As far as intonation compared to a concert tuba goes, I honestly wouldn't worry, since this is pep band and you're going to be playing in some of the most acoustically adverse places possible. The sousaphone is there in the ensemble to lay down a blanket of bass, rather than to try to sound sweet or blend subtly into the ensemble.

[ghmerrill]

There's a way to meaningfully play a tuba?

Ecstatic to play tuba? Then you should play tuba. But oh, wait, you're actually talking about playing Sousaphone.

Just play it. Geez, it's a pep band. The last pep band I played in, I played flute. This was great because (a) all the other flute players were female, and (b) the pep band sat behind one of the goals during hockey games (I should perhaps point out that the Sousaphone players sat in the back row and caught a lot of pucks in their bells; the flute players sat in the front row, right behind the goal, and were protected from flying pucks).

I'd offer only one bit of mostly ignorant advice: Don't use a mouthpiece that's excessively large. Getting a good mouthpiece (FOR YOU, never mind what anyone else says) will make a huge difference in your experience.

[ghmerrill]

As far as intonation compared to a concert tuba goes, I honestly wouldn't worry, since this is pep band and you're going to be playing in some of the most acoustically adverse places possible. The sousaphone is there in the ensemble to lay down a blanket of bass, rather than to try to sound sweet or blend subtly into the ensemble.

This is well put. While as musicians we should strive for excellent tone and intonation, what pep bands produce (and what it is their charter to produce) is only somewhat related to "music".

[davewerden]

I'd say just go for it! You're already mixing air and mouthpiece requirements in your current doubles. In any case, tuba or Sousaphone are good doubles for euphonium players. You will increase the muscle mass of your chops and your air will improve.

[sirendude2015]

Thanks for the advice and the laughs- I'll see what I can do about practicing and I'll have a lot of fun in Pep Band this year!

[DaveBj]

I don't have anything constructive to contribute, but go to my YouTube page ("David Bjornstad") and look up "The Sousaphone" for a bit of sousa-fun I'd post a link, but this forum I can't post links

[opus37]

As a tuba player, I will say that the tuba sound for a pep band is much better than a bass trombone. Any sousaphone will work. The brass ones generally have a better tone than the fiberglass/plastic horns. All are just fine. If you've already learned the fingerings, great! Get out there and play the horn, dance a bit, dress up the bell and have a good time. You might even get a girlfriend out of it (sousaphones attract attention.)

[iiipopes]

I switched from trumpet to sousaphone, a fiberglass King, as a 14-year old freshman in high school (mumble) decades ago. I think the horn was larger than I was! Anyway - in addition to all the same brass playing fundamentals you are already learning and all the usual exercises, etudes, studies, etc., that you are doing, concerning the air - think more volume and a little bit less velocity; some say "big easy air." Think a little bit more "OH," and relax the jaw a little bit. A common transition issue is that a player can get a little bit nervous and try too hard, tense up everything including the jaw, and go sharp in the lower register. But keep the velocity constant in order to keep the embouchure buzzing consistently, and really work on your abdominals and intercostals to expand the bottom of the lungs to as efficient a vital capacity as possible.

Then work on those same muscles to contract slowly and progressively to provide a consistent airstream. It works better on tuba, of course, (of course it is hard to lay on your back wearing a sousaphone!) but to exercise the muscles and not rely on gravity - try playing a tuba while laying on your back playing long tones. Then try it, while laying on your back, and raising your heels one inch off the ground with your legs straight. That will definitely help with learning how to control the air. Of course, the heels one inch off the ground was to develop stamina in the lower back for marching, but it is an interesting exercise nonetheless.

Be careful - since more air is required, even compared to bass bone, you might get light headed. Stop for a few minutes if you do, until you get your orientation back.

Don't worry about the "souzy-to-band" ratio that your director mentioned. Play with good tone, intonation, articulation and dynamics and watch your conductor for timing and balance. You are under and behind the bell. You have no idea what it sounds like 20 feet out in front. So rely on your director. Also, if you carry over playing souzy or tuba into a concert band setting, you will be at the back of the band, instead of in the middle, so the sound of the other instruments will cause a perception of a delay of the beat - another reason to be even more attentive to the director's beat, because there will be times when you feel like you are ahead of the beat, when in fact you are right on it due to time it takes for the echo of the rest of the band to make it back to you. So also play with courage and fortitude, knowing you are supporting the foundation of the band with the director and the bass drum.

Oh - and to what Opus37 posted - yes, they do draw attention. That's why I volunteered as a freshmen: on trumpet, I would have been just another black speck on the field. With the souzy, they all saw me!

Most of all: have fun! This fall marked - OK, I'll say it - 40 years since I first picked up a souzy. I still have fun playing one. Go for it!

[LargoBone]

I don't know if there's much else to add. Just go for it. The only thing you should know for pep band is learn how to play loud, fast, and big (read "air").

I do disagree with your statement about questionable tone and intonation on sousaphones, I've actually found that some of the best sounding horns I've played are sousaphones. It's all about finding the right one, I use an Olds O95 (full brass).

[iiipopes]

I don't know if there's much else to add. Just go for it. The only thing you should know for pep band is learn how to play loud, fast, and big (read "air").

I do disagree with your statement about questionable tone and intonation on sousaphones, I've actually found that some of the best sounding horns I've played are sousaphones. It's all about finding the right one, I use an Olds O95 (full brass).

Indeed. A good sousaphone is as in-tune as any tuba. Yes, since it has 3-valves, as with any 3-valve tuba, you do have to pull and set the 3rd valve slide between 2+3 being a little flat and 1+3 being a hair sharp to lip down.

What I have done with the souzys I have owned over the years, and with permission of the owner, those I have borrowed, and especially on Conn 14K's, 20K's 22K's and real 36K's (modern 36K's are rebranded Kings), as they are most amenable: I convert the upper loop of the 1st valve circuit to a movable side that I ride with my left hand, just like the moveable 1st valve slide for intonation on a concert tuba. The first time I played a low C and low F 1+3 with the 1st slide pulled to tune in the shop, everybody in the shop commented on the tone and better intonation.

[LargoBone]

The Olds I use actually played very well in tune naturally, even the low F (the E...not so much), I pulled the 2nd slide about half an inch, and the third slide maybe a cm or two sometimes. The main slide was out a ways though because I only liked to use one bit. If it's well enough in tune for the big band I play in, it's definitely good enough for marching/pep band.

The Olds has a lot of pullable slides: 1st, 2nd, and two for 3rd so no conversion needed (or would have been used for that matter; it's marching band). I never had to pull slides but I imagine I could have if I didn't have to hold the neck up.

[sirendude2015]

I've been practicing the past couple days and it's going very smoothly. Except for my left shoulder, which is killing me right now, because I didn't think of bringing a towel as a cushion. I can get almost the full range out, with the exception of low Gb, F, and E. That's only because I haven't figured out yet what embouchure adjustment to make to get them to speak properly. Otherwise I'm pretty flexible on the instrument and I can play through all of the pep band music without a problem!

The King 2250 I've been using (an older one that doesn't come apart for easy cleaning) plays pretty well, has a good sound, and very good intonation. I really enjoy playing it, actually. It kind of makes me want to buy a tuba of my own, if only the farm fields surrounding my house yielded money plants.

[davewerden]

Two phrases for you:
Protect your shoulder
Technology is your friend

https://www.amazon.com/Neotech-51012.../dp/B007CXB3FE

[LargoBone]

Ah, the shoulder pain. It was a rough couple of weeks at first when I was asked to march sousa in marching band this summer, but we had a pretty rough and tumble group so pads were a no no, especially when you're section leader and have to set a good example. My two cents: play through the pain, it builds character. Besides, that thing will kill your overtones faster than you'll kill the flute player in front of you for playing too loud.