What did you play today?

[Mary Ann]

I made it through an hour and a half rehearsal with the woodwind quintet on horn. For me, this is a victory over dystonia -- things are not perfect but at this level they are workable. Horn is my "heart instrument" and it means so much to be able to play it again.

[bloke]

I have finally played through all 120 of the Rochut/Bordogni vocalises. (I had skipped past some of them, and have now gone back and played all of them).

You know, when I'm on road trips and ghost fingering sort of complicated melodies In somewhat remote major and minor keys, that stuff pays off when reading music in those same keys.

[Mark]

I have finally played through all 120 of the Rochut/Bordogni vocalises. (I had skipped past some of them, and have now gone back and played all of them).

Last weekend I decided to play through all of the Bai Lin Lip Flexibilities. Yes, I did finally recover.

[tadawson]

Sometimes, my own brain amazes (and aomewhat shocks me). Playing a concert in a local park recently, and one of our "poppy" numbers was "Abba on Broadway" . . .

Well, at some point, when into "Mama Mia" my brain spontaneously offered the lyrics "Diarrhea . . . . gotta go again . . . "

It's hard to keep playing when cracking up . . . .

[the elephant]

Three hours of practicing quintet lit (some of it pretty hard) for my quintet debut with the YamaYork. Rehearsal tonight. Six gigs W, T, and F…

[bloke]

I messed around with the "new to me" Ampeg BA115 bass amp... ...only twenty minutes or so.
(Some owners reinterpret the numbers into letters and refer to these as "BALLS".

>>>> ARTICULATION !!!!!

I've been playing just enough tuba to "sound good" when some scheduled gigs start hitting again in August. (If I had to play a bunch of gigs in the summer and fix all these horns, I'd be sunk. The summer "tuba vacation" thing works out really well.)

I'm glad Wade has work... Particularly if (??) it is over and above his salary.

[prodigal]

Had a F tuba showdown in the basement during the heat of the day, the Piglet vs. the PT-15 on the York concerto, you can probably guess how that turned out...

[arpthark]

A few adult beverages in, I performed a patriotic medley of tunes for a very appreciative and slightly inebriated crowd watching fireworks in my brother-in-law’s driveway.

[Sousaswag]

Star Wars (in prep for a first rehearsal Monday!)

[PRO]

A few adult beverages in, I performed a patriotic medley of tunes for a very appreciative and slightly inebriated crowd watching fireworks in my brother-in-law’s driveway.

From this Viet Nam combat vet -- Thank you for your service!

[prodigal]

A few adult beverages in, I performed a patriotic medley of tunes for a very appreciative and slightly inebriated crowd watching fireworks in my brother-in-law’s driveway.

From this Viet Nam combat vet -- Thank you for your service!

Welcome home!

[Mary Ann]

Having the two 4th of July gigs out of the way (is it a gig if you don't get paid?) I am back on the "get good enough on the contrabass so you can play it instead of the NStar when the situation calls for it.) Although I have dramatically gotten better at getting notes well below the staff out of the NStar, it simply isn't as loud as a contrabass despite "being there." Because i do not have the air; I have the lips but not the air.

So -- the Hagen and the 186 are out again, making my living room look like a tuba menagerie. if I had had only another two weeks of Hagenism before having to do rehearsals, I could have done it, but it was too iffy. Now I'm back with the same conundrum: the 186 is easier to play, I can almost just walk in and do it, BUT -- it is a physical struggle to get it on my lap. Iffy there, not to the point of losing control of it but to the point where control is difficult. Rolling it over my thigh, it's rolling on the 5th valve tubing, which is not good, and I haven't found another way of getting it on the chair. My left bicep screams at me and that is worrisome. The Hagen with just a small box is easier to lift but a bit harder to play, plus there is the thing that the Hagen has, to date, not been anywhere and is in new condition still -- no dings, no scratches, etc. The 186 has been around a long time and I am not even slightly worried about adding a ding or two.

Aaargh. I honestly think that a four valve 186 would solve the lifting problem and be a fit since honestly I don't see anything below the F in the pedal range, and I do not need a 5th valve for that. Amateur groups do not demand the precision of the pro level.

[PRO]

Mary Ann,

Consider buying a Wenger Tuba Tamer (or some product with equivalent functionality). Then hire (or bribe) someone to do the driving, schlep, setup, and take down all that heavy stuff for you. Then you can focus on playing, while avoiding wear and tear on the sinews. I'm sure there is someone out there who would get pleasure from helping a young lady like yourself. Or possibly another musician from one of your groups.

I do not recommend a "tuba stand". These devices are prone to tipping over. (It's like putting a hinge at the base of the tuba.) You need something that will support the tuba even when you let go of the instrument.

Please notice that my emphasis is on the helper. Without the helper, the tuba tamer is just another boat anchor, like the tuba itself.

Paul.

[Mary Ann]

My experience with helpers is that unless they are tuba players, they do not know where the bell is, and I have to ride herd to prevent mishaps with doorways and other objects. Transport is no problem -- it's getting it on and off the lap. I've been offered Wengers before but they seem like such an amazing hassle to use. Plus, I have my pride.

[arpthark]

The day after I got back from the big trip, a band concert had been moved from the week I was gone to the week I was here, so I put the recording bell in the York Master and sight-read this gig on the lawn of a local library. I also had to get up in front of everyone and do a little Dixieland combo thing which was not on the program -- I would've brought the sousaphone in that case.

It went pretty well even though I'd not spent any time on the horn. It has a really nice low range. The only thing I'm not crazy about is the angle of the valve section. Might warrant an extender on the fourth valve button like @Rick Denney's:

[prodigal]

That's an interesting fix. I like it, functional.

I played etudes with my boys, the older on trombone, younger on baritone, and me on the PT-15, staying out of their way. It was successful.

Then I played some solos on the PT-15, and some Tyrell etudes during the thunderstorm on the 186CC. I then actually got the PT-1 out and ran Tyrell number 1, and wow!

I'm not a BBb person, but that PT-1 sure plays nicely! The leadipe is about the same height as my 186CC, which is a tremendously comfortable tuba for me at 6'. The sound is really kind of rich, it still has teeth, it just takes a little more poking to tick it off than a 186. I think I'm starting to believe bloke's resonance beliefs between CC and BBb in the same size category. Although to me, CCs slot notes more easily than BBbs. (I still love my 186CC though! It feels nearly as maneuverable as the PT-15.)


The new 186 BBbs just seem taller to the leadipe, and I have to angle them over a lot, so not as comfortable.

I'll have a 186 BBb vs. PT-1 Thunderdome match in late August or September.

[bloke]

After lunch, I had better play some bass guitar. I have a three set gig tonight.

Starts at 7, and an hour and a half away at some "winery". I guess I need to break away from the sousaphone repairs and start getting cleaned up by 4:30.

It's better when the gigs don't start back until mid-August, but that's okay.

I have that excellent (not nearly as old as my other ones) Ampeg BA115 to use, now.

[Mary Ann]

The Hagen got its baptism today. I was asked to come play tuba for the retirees band; I was actually sitting in on horn until I got into a disagreement with a knife while chopping vegetables, and it very neatly sliced the skin off the center knuckle of my left forefinger. That is healing, but with the bandage on it I cannot bend it, which eliminates horn and cello. Leaving tuba and oboe -- so I told the conductor my oops and he said come play tuba.
And I admit to a few Eb fingerings here and there, but he said pretty much immediately, "We have a lot more low brass than we're used to, so listen to the tubas."
This is the same guy who has conducted the brass band for the last year, who is unfortunately leaving to go do a master's degree in conducting in Missoula. We are sorry to lose him.

[tokuno]

20+ years ago, a friend & I boot-strapped a 12-person Independence Day band to support a friend's home-grown Ind. Day Observance.
I've been running it ever since, and word-of-mouth has grown that little 'pick-up-&-play' band to ~120 instrumentalists this year, including 7 local band directors and many younger (middle-school) musicians.
(10 tubas, 10 euphs this year - everyone's welcome. One year we had 23 trombones )

I covered euphonium, sitting right next to my son
He commissions USAF next year, and between flight school and ensuing 10 year minimum commitment (with his intent to serve full 20) and my increasing age, I don't expect to again play in-section with him after next year. These are the golden good ol' days, I s'spect. I'm treasuring every moment.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hUQUo4Zsdg

[arpthark]

Klezmer gig at a ceremony celebrating one of the first net-zero emission/solar-powered synagogues in Connecticut. It was a "Solar Sundae" party with music and an ice cream bar. So many kids dancing to these klezmer tunes, old folks waltzing, you name it. It was a hit and the folks were super nice and appreciative. It's always good to play music at gigs where you're appreciated/accoladed, get paid, and get fed (even in ice cream!).