The tuba is an important instrument that is often undervalued. If you are a tubist, you will not be touched by the exciting parts at a concert, you will tire yourself out moving the instrument from one place to another, and you could be the butt of jokes from the band. However, the tuba is essential to the sound of the symphony, providing the support and structure for the whole ensemble. Without a well-played bassline, the whole piece will disintegrate. If you have strong arms and big lungs, this is a great instrument for you.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Get the Right Gear
Step 1. Make sure the tuba adapts to your body
These instruments are quite expensive when you buy them new, but it is not very difficult to find a used one for $ 2,000 or less. If you're joining your school's band, you can usually rent them outright. Most concert tubas come in different tunings, which may be more appropriate for the particular style of music you want to perform. You can get tubas tuned in BBb, CC, Eb, and F.
- The Eb-tuned tuba is used in brass bands (almost exclusively) and sometimes for solos.
- The F tuba is used in passages that require higher notes and solos. They are also seen in small ensembles (brass quintet or quartet, etc.).
- Tubas tuned in BBb and CC are aimed at large groups (band, orchestra, etc.). These are more frequent in schools, universities and at an amateur level, since they have the same tuning as susaphones. However, professional tubasers in the United States use CC-tuned tubas. In Europe, the choice varies by country.
Step 2. Use a nozzle of the correct size
These come in different dimensions, so be sure to get one that is a good fit for you and your mouth size. A good mouthpiece, usually made of fiberglass or metal composite, is essential for your instrument to be well tuned and playable.
- If you buy or rent a used tuba, be sure to buy your own new mouthpiece. Having a good quality one is important to achieve proper chopping technique and respiratory support.
- Fiberglass mouthpieces are often used as an alternative because temperature doesn't affect their intonation as much as metal ones. Fiberglass can work and are less expensive, but you will lose a bit of quality in sound and overtones.
Step 3. Find a suitable chair
The tuba is generally not played standing up, unless you use a susaphon. To practice, you will need an appropriate chair in which you can maintain good posture and balance to develop the skills that will make your notes always pure.
Get a basic armless, hard-backed chair or a bench that you can sit on comfortably. Avoid practicing in an easy chair, recliner, or in conditions that don't keep you upright. This is because you will not be able to get the respiratory support necessary to play properly and you will create bad habits in your practice routine
Step 4. Get a method book
There is no point in knowing the mechanics of the tuba if you cannot read music or apply what you have learned. Although it is difficult to learn to play an instrument well from a book, it is a great way to understand the basics, discover how to get started making music with the tuba, and learn to hold and play it properly.
It is difficult to get a laptop into a lectern. It is good to start with the Internet, but the way to learn an instrument is to find a professional method book. Wait until the basics are clear before you move on to troubleshooting your specific problems online
Part 2 of 4: Holding the Tuba
Step 1. Sit on the edge of your seat and relax
Your back should be straight and your head comfortably raised so that you are facing the conductor, if there is one, or facing the front, if you are alone. Your back should not touch the back of the chair and your feet should be flat on the floor.
Step 2. Rest the tuba on your lap
Depending on your height, it might be appropriate to gently lean her on the chair, between your legs, or on your lap, on your thighs. If it's a large-sized tuba, you'd better get a stand to place it there.
It is important to position the tuba so that you do not have to bend over to reach the mouthpiece. Bring it to you, don't tilt it. When you fill it with air, you will notice a big difference
Step 3. Place your hands in the proper position
In the case of a right-handed tuba, you will need to tilt it slightly to the left, using your left hand to support the tilt. Place your right hand on the pistons, either on the wide end of the keys on a cylinder tube or with your fingertips on the center of the pistons on a piston tube.
- Most tubas have a small ring to insert the thumb. This forces your hand to stay steady and helps get some support from your right hand. Find the hoop, if your instrument has one, and place your hand, adapting it to it.
- In the case of a left-handed tuba, you will have to make it rest practically on your left leg, so a support is very important for a left-handed tubist. Your right hand should be touching the pistons, but it will also provide a lot of support. The left will keep the balance.
Step 4. Relax your shoulders
Let your lap hold the tuba, not your arms. Try to relax your shoulders and let your arms hold the instrument loosely. Treat him like your partner and not like your wrestling opponent. The more comfortable you move the instrument, the better you can play it.
Part 3 of 4: Developing Breathing Support and Embouchure
Step 1. Breathe with your diaphragm
Remember that this is a large instrument, so your air has to be vast and fast in order to get sounds out of it. Breathe deeply down with your diaphragm, not up with your throat. That air has a long way to go, so generate it in a place of power.
Unless you're playing the susaphon in a marching band, the goal is not to blow all your air reserves into the tuba at once, but to keep your diaphragm elevated. If someone punches you in the stomach, you should stand your ground and not collapse. Tense your abdominal muscles as you touch and blow
Step 2. Make your lips vibrate
When you blow, close them to the point where they vibrate at the mouthpiece. Keep blowing and vibrating your lips to bring out the sound of the tuba. Since it is a large brass instrument, try blowing a raspberry into the mouthpiece. This is the type of vibe you are looking for. Once you know how to do it, start your note by saying "ta" or "da" into the mouthpiece, depending on how you want to articulate the note.
- A good "embouchure" position is crucial for playing brass instruments. It's hard to vibrate your lips properly when you're just learning.
- Don't puff out your cheeks. Doing so is a waste of air that should go into the tuba, it looks silly and you will end up with this sore part of your face after a short time playing.
Step 3. Practice changing notes without pressing the keys
In any position or setting of a held open key, you can play multiple notes - usually three. Some beginners have a hard time getting to the note correctly at the beginning, but don't worry too much while you're starting. Practice feeling where the different records are.
- Pinch your cheeks and lips when you blow to control the amount of air that comes out of your "vibrate." You can raise or lower the pitch of the note in the same position, according to your needs.
- Try to associate the way the note will sound, its position on the staff, what it feels like to play it, and its fingering. Many beginners only associate the note on the staff with fingering, therefore they get confused when playing notes with the same finger position but different mouth position.
Step 4. Press the keys properly
Once you are familiar with the tuba register, start experimenting with fingering. Press the keys and practice doing it along with the notes you play. Whether you're studying with a book or taking lessons, start practicing by pressing the keys fully and playing clear notes with the pistons depressed.
- Most guidebooks come with fingering charts that correspond to the positions for each specific note on the scale that you want to play. This is an excellent way to learn to play.
- Press the piston through the center, not the edge. If you do, you could get stuck.
Part 4 of 4: Developing Your Sound
Step 1. Practice the scales
Start learning the fingerings and playing the scales to develop the basics to start making music. Learning the scales probably won't be the most interesting thing when you're first starting out, but before you know it, you'll be able to hit all the right notes to play the "Imperial March" from Star Wars (the "stairway to heaven" for the tuba) and take off from there.
Step 2. Practice your timing
The tuba is a rhythmic and melodic instrument, and provides the band's vast and robust bassline. To become the best tub player you could ever be, it is important to practice playing rhythmically, so that you not only hit the right notes, but also that you do it at the right time. The great tubists have the rhythm as precise as a drummer and have a melody as clear as that of a trumpeter.
- Practice with a metronome. Even when playing scales, do it at the right times. When you're playing your practice songs, do it at the correct times. Try to internalize this sense of time by tapping your foot against the ground and paying close attention to your rhythmic movement.
- Practice your counting. Sometimes the notes of the tuba are well spaced, which means that most of the time you will have to count empty bars in some pieces. Develop a good method for counting breaks to always be on time for your big notes.
Step 3. Join your school band or community orchestra
The tuba becomes a much better instrument when you play it with others. Sometimes the sheet music for a song for the tuba only has a few notes, which you can learn quickly and get bored just as quickly. But when you add trumpets, trombones, flutes, and clarinets to them, these few notes evolve. You are making music.
Also, consider taking private lessons. As with most instruments, learning to play the tuba properly often requires in-person instruction. Whether you receive it at school or in private classes, getting personal lessons is a good way to avoid bad habits and to progress in your music. Research good instructors available in your area and sign up for their classes
Step 4. Learn the double and triple chopping
These slightly more advanced techniques are useful for playing fast passages when necessary. Although you do not have to learn them when you are just beginning to know the tuba; Knowing how to chop quickly can help you develop the clarity, tone, and speed of your notes.
- When doing the double chop, think of "ta-ka-ta-ka" or "da-ga-da-ga." Try saying these letters first and when you try to do the double dive, think as if your tongue is moving in one of the two ways described.
- The triple chop has four approaches: “ta-ta-ka”, “ta-ka-ta”, “da-da-ga” or “da-ga-da”. Try them all, choose the one that works best for you and don't change it.
Step 5. Take care of your tuba properly
This instrument is not as delicate as a violin, but it still tends to get dented and scratched. Always transport it in a case and learn how to maintain it for the best possible sound.
- Frequently, empty the accumulated water in your instrument, pressing the drain cock and blowing air in, without vibrating your lips.
- Check each piston by pressing them one by one and blowing. If there is water in the tubes, the sound and feel will be apparent. You may have to remove them or twist the tuba to get the water out completely.
- Find some place where they repair tubas. An instrument repair professional may charge you a lot of money to fix your tuba, but he'll know what he's doing and it's better than ruining a huge investment trying to manipulate something you don't understand.
Advice
- If you play the trombone or baritone, you have to practice the pedal notes. If you play any of them and want to switch to tuba, the transition will be much easier.
- If you want to play the tuba in a marching band, play the susaphon better. This instrument is easier to transport and wraps around your body. A concert tuba can make your arms ache and you may drop it when marching. If you still want to wear one, find a special harness to put it on.
- Empty your pockets before playing, as it is very uncomfortable to do it with the keys on your leg.
- Tubas (and other musical instruments) devalue very slowly, so you can usually sell a used one for about the same amount that you paid. The average resale price for a professional orchestral tuba is about $ 5,000.
- Pistons are easier to care for yourself than cylinders, but many tubists choose to just use cylinders. If you can, do tests and decide which one is best for you
Warnings
- Always remove the pressure from your pistons or cylinders when you pull on the sliders, as the suction could warp the shell of the valves, and it will not be cheap to repair them.
- Always carry your instrument in a case, if you have one. Otherwise, buy it.
- Never drop your mouthpiece on the ground. You could easily break it.
- If you play a large tuba, be sure to place it on a stand between your legs while you play it. These are very heavy and if you put them on your lap, they could cut off circulation to your legs.