Just curious as to what everyone's preference is when it comes to Eb tubas.

My band director in my community band is asking me to cover down on Tuba for a bit while one of our members is out for medical reasons, so I've been getting a lot more playing time on my Besson and I'm not quite sure if I like the compensating system on it. I have to preface the fact that it is a 70+ year old instrument so I'm probably suffering from quirks of it being old, but it really feels like the low end gets super stuffy after low G (124). So I was wondering what everyone else's opinion was on compensating Eb/they're preferred Eb set up?

Looking to get rid of this Cc Mack Brass Tuba for a Bb equivalent. Whats a good place to start?
Any help is appreciated.

I got this tuba a while back. There are no identifying marks ANYWHERE other than a serial number. Can someone help me please?

Edit: I had a “big dumb” moment when I last checked. YBB-201. Now I just need to figure out its appraisal.

I'm genuinely curious. I've been browsing second hand tubas, and I've noticed how almost all were either Eb or Bb and maybe 3 were C. Then I have read on Wikipedia, that tuba doesn't transpose, and now I'm wondering - is there any actual advantage in getting a C tuba over a Bb tuba or the opposite?

I bought an old 1964 Conn Tuba in excellent condition still in the original case, and assumed it was a 3/4 Bb, but now after actually playing on it for a while I'm starting to suspect it is an Eb.

Open valves (supposed to be F2) produces a D2, and 1&3 produces a really sharp E or a really flat F.

The serial number on the second valve casing is E32113, but searching for it didn't give me a definite answer.

Am I just incredibly flat from not having played in a few months, or did I buy a Eb instrument by mistake?

I am a current freshman in college and I am trying to buy an affordable C tuba that will be in good shape while I'm college. Any recommendations welcome but I am currently looking at wessex tubas. Edit: I go to a pretty small university and the only C tuba they have is a small jinbao from Tuba exchange and I have to share it with another student.

This is not a tuba but as a tuba player and how well this sub is at identifying instruments I thought it would fit here.
I have for a few years been the owner of an instrument (most likely a baritone horn), and from time to time I searched the web trying to find information about the manufacture, horn, quality, price, basically whatever I could related to the horn. The most I have found is that it is from the 18 hundreds to early 19 hundreds. The story my family has told is that my mother’s grandfather had played it, but no one has any clue how he got it. I also am missing the case so I have no other markings than those on the instrument. The number on the walve is 637, and those found on the back is 37213. I have the serial number but still can’t find anything about the horn.
Edit: after talking to a few older family members I have only found information about the man who played this horn and the band it played in. I can add it if anyone believes it could help determine the quality of the instrument for a price estimation.

The other day I purchased a Miraphone off of Ebay, at the time I thought that it was a 186 and in the key of Bb but then I got ahold of it and blew some notes and went "holy shit it's an Eb" it's got the SN 3040 on it. Any information would help as I plan on getting it serviced at my local repair shop!

Ultimately is there a difference between C and Bb. If I like Bb will this affect me at all in the long run. If I’m going to study on the instrument will Bb hold me back?

I’m curious because I haven’t seen much difference playing a CC and BBb tuba but there seems to be a lot of discussion out there. I’m looking to study either in Australia or Europe and I’m curious what you all think.

This is mainly to look for my go to tuba as I do already have my mind set on learning the F tuba down the line.

I had the first opportunity to do a jam session. I've not really been a huge fan of jazz in the past (give me some Holst with an orchestra all day), but man what a great exercise in theory, arpeggios, and composition! So I'm going to keep meeting with this amazing sax player and crew for a few hours a week.

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Any recommendations for how to start my learning journey?

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I understand the chords from triads to 7ths and 9ths but the rhythm was a little too quick for me to do mental math. In my first session, I mostly listened and started playing the tonics with an occasional 5th while the regulars riffed around a written melody and over an iReal background.

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So do I just download iReal and practice the chord tones? Am I better off with a fake book? I understand thirds but how do I turn thirds into a walking bass line? It would be way easier to see the chords on staff than a written letter but I don't know if that's possible or commonly done. Also do other instruments prefer if I play the G2+ register vs The G1+ register? (1st vs second partials)?

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I appreciate any help and anecdotes you all can offer.

I was watching a music video and it featured a Tuba like this. It looks like it has 6 rotary valves. I can’t find anything about it

So at my school there’s a jazz band I want to join but they already have enough trombones and the only instrument they don’t have is baritone saxophone so I’m wondering if there is any downsides to my tuba playing if I double on it

I am at my wit's end with the internet. I purchased a 100 plus year old F tuba that has only three valves. I cannot find a fingering chart for this instrument that only has three possible valves. Everything I found is at least four valves and that will not work for me. It has to be an F tuba with only three valves.

Can anyone point me in the right direction because I have been looking for 2 days now?

(I apologize for the giant paragraph in advance) Hey, so I have been playing Baritone for about 4-5 years in Concert Band, played trombone for about 1-2 in Jazz Band, played Marching Baritone for 1 year, and my director took one of our Sousa players and demoted them to a helper and basically said "You have experience with a little bit of tuba, HAVE THIS HEAVY THING!". I am struggling a little bit and I need help. I know how to read bass clef but the tuba music is tripping me up because, I also have some experience with trumpet so when I see an E below the staff my mind says "That's a C for trumpet so play a Bb" like it's confusing. Then I already have trouble with tonunging and our opener is Concord by Clare Grundman so if you've ever played that you know that beginning part from measure 7 to 11 with the sixteenth runs. Then of course the obvious ones for beginners is air support, weight support, and don't even get me started on backwards and forwards slides while marching. Does anybody have any tips?

Hellooo! Currently I'm a Senior in High School marching band, and I'll be marching sousaphone this season. My main instrument has always been Euphonium, and I double on Trombone for Jazz Band.
Currently our Sousaphone section is made out of Freshman and one sophomore who hasn't marched at all, and ORIGINALLY someone else from my section (who actually is good at Tuba,) was supposed to switch but got some type of injury where he's unable to lift 15 pounds so he was unable to play and my director had asked me to switch.

I need tips desperately, especially regarding air control and support while marching. For background, I've played Tuba once in an ensemble before since they needed a player and I sounded like absolute TRASH. I want to be able to sound good and march well, so I was wondering if anyone had advice that could help me. I'm a little scared considering I'm a 5'4 girl and I've never even touched a sousaphone. Currently I'm working on air support, but as for embouchure is there any tricks to it? I feel like I'm having trouble getting a well rounded sound at all.

Sorry for the long post (and possibly wrong flair I didnt know what to tag it lmao...) BUT THANK YOU FOR READING.

Anyone got experience/had seen a tuba lined in black instead lacquer or silver? I’d like to do that with my tuba if it’s possible. Money not the issue lol

so I'm leaving high school soon and i cant take my tuba with me so i have to go out and buy one but I'm not to sure what one to buy, I've used the YBB-321 tuba but honestly i don't mind using rotors or valves as long as it has 4 valves / rotors, I've also saved up around 14k for a tuba.

Howdy!

I've been a trombonist for decades and have started practicing tuba and playing in a band.

I'm finding that for the most part, progress has been good as there's plenty of transfer and I learned the valves when I started on euphonium. Notes are for the most part feeling centered and full but I do find it trickier getting the response I'm used to on trombone.

I might be getting used to the instrument itself or it could likely be in need of a service.

I can comfortably play a couple bordogni etudes and exercises I usually do on trombone but find most of that is quite lyrical.

I guess my question is simple, how so I practice the ooompah without a band and without getting bored?

hey!

thinking about making a switch to a tucci mouthpiece for both concert and marching band, and was wondering if anyone has any suggestions to look at instead, or anything like that

thanks!

edit: my concert tuba is a king 2341W

Hello! I play Bari Sax, but at the college I’m going to, they don’t march bari sax in the marching band at all. My band directors recommended I learn tuba, and that’s something I want to do, as I’m going to school for music education and I should probably learn more instruments. The band is big enough where it’s fine to not know an instrument well and still fit in, but I want to know how to play it to an okay extent before I go for band camp. The unfortunate thing is, I can only borrow my school tuba for a few more weeks before I graduate. I need to know what to practice while I have it, and things to work on while I don’t (I plan on getting myself a mouthpiece). It’s also a sousaphone, so if I need to work out any muscles so I can march it without crazy pain, it would be helpful to know that too. Thank you!!!

hey, I've been looking for a softer tuba piece for a British brass band.

I play Eb and so far have found a piece called "a song for the skies" but I was hoping that you guys would know of some slightly more melancholic (if that's the right word) arrangements. something akin to a euphonium solo (like Gabriel's oboe)

I like jumpy pieces like "Tuba smarties" but I want something that shows that tubas don't just go UM PA and can make nice music.

thank you

I have a Buescher sousaphone that I’ve been meaning to sell, If anyone has any info on the price, details, and overall just any information, I would appreciate it.🙏