Czardas Full Recording Using an Alliance DC4 Mouthpiece

[davewerden]

I haven't done an A/B yet, but so far I'm liking the DC4 over the DC3. The 3 has a bigger sound (duh!) but sometimes I want more focus, and this piece is definitely one of those times! See what you think. (BTW, this took me forever to work up! For some reason it requires different fingering patterns or something, compared to all the other stuff I've played. With another couple weeks I could have had it cleaner, but there are other things in our queue that were bottled up behind this.)

https://youtu.be/zDogewbtIsE

[John Morgan]

Nice job Dave. I see you are playing that in Bb minor then going to Bb Major if I am not mistaken. I have a tuba-quartet version and a band version (arranged by a friend of mine based on the quartet piece), and both of those are in C minor going to C Major. I remember taking a while to work up the fingerings in that piece. And the other three guys in the group thought it was great fun to speed up the piece like crazy when it changed to the Major key. That will give your double tonguing chops a real work out at light speed.

I also heard that played by a fellow on tuba in a small ensemble. He was clearly a good tuba player, but he played it so fast that you could not decipher the notes, it was just a blur of stuff. When the notes cannot be heard clearly, I think you are going too fast. BTW, you had a nice tempo on this piece, wish my tuba-quartet folks had heard this before their sinister plot to try to go faster than I could.

As for the mouthpiece, it sounded fine, but I could not tell too much about the mouthpiece by itself in your video. But the piece sounded clear and well played. The piece I have also has the opening part up an octave from where you played it. I might like your version better.

[RickF]

Excellent Dave! I really like the sound with the DC4 too.

[davewerden]

Excellent Dave! I really like the sound with the DC4 too.

Thanks, Rick! The DC4 measures a little narrower than a 4AL, but not by much. I found it really easy to get used to the new size/feel.

[davewerden]

Nice job Dave. I see you are playing that in Bb minor then going to Bb Major if I am not mistaken. I have a tuba-quartet version and a band version (arranged by a friend of mine based on the quartet piece), and both of those are in C minor going to C Major. I remember taking a while to work up the fingerings in that piece. And the other three guys in the group thought it was great fun to speed up the piece like crazy when it changed to the Major key. That will give your double tonguing chops a real work out at light speed.

You are correct about the key. Since I have never played it before, it did not bother me. Now that you mention it, though, I should go back to some old recordings and check that. I wonder by Mendez used, for example.

In my practice I did sometimes get to "light speed" at the very end, but my energy level was apparently low because I didn't drive us there for the recording. That would have made the final lip-slur-arpeggio to the high Bb (my own invention) a bit trickier!

The piece I have also has the opening part up an octave from where you played it. I might like your version better.

Yes, I have heard that higher intro more often, I think. But I liked the warmth in the low register. Either one works for me as a listener, but this one gives my chops a nice little "warm up" for what comes next.

[dsurkin]

Thoroughly enjoyable. I do hear the difference in tone between the DW 4AL and this new mouthpiece.

[aroberts781]

Looking forward to hearing an A/B between the two pieces at some point. I really enjoy your mouthpiece comparison videos.

And great playing in this recording! I think the tempo you chose was enjoyable for a listener, at least it was for me. I agree with John that when notes can't be clearly heard the tempo is probably too fast, and I think this version finds a good balance between speed and clarity.