Assignment 2- Band Instrument Presentation Tuba

Assignment 2- Band instrument presentation Tuba

The tuba is one of the largest instruments that you are likely to have to deal with in a school ensemble. It is not guaranteed (or even common) to have a tuba player in a school ensemble, partly due to its size but also because schools will more often have a bass guitar fill the bass parts of an ensemble. In place of a standard tuba you may find students playing a Euphonium (smaller, higher pitched tuba) and the Sousaphone (large marching Tuba)

Tuba's range from 3-5 valves, your students will likely start with a 3 valve tuba and work their way up, I have included a PDF fingering chart for 3- 4 valve Tubas, Euphoniums and Sousaphones.

Technical aspects and Range

Tuba's have a range extending well below the bass clef from a D two octaves below the bass clef to an F in the treble clef.

This is the functional range of the instrument in an orchestra with experienced players using instruments built to achieve those notes easily. A student at a high school level is more likely to have an effective range of Bb below the bass clef two octaves above to Bb just above the bass clef.

Each student will be different, one student may find it easier to play higher whilst another finds it easier to play lower. One way that students can develop towards extending their range is through the manipulation of their embouchure. By changing the way a Tuba players lips sit in the mouthpiece they can more easily achieve higher and low notes.

This is link to an 8 minute video describing the different embouchures of a tuba player and how they work: www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9RAMDYyTVo As with any instrument in a school ensemble students must be able to take the proper care of their instruments. For a Tuba this involves the correct handling and assembly of the instrument as well as the upkeep and maintenance that all brass instruments require, including slide and valve oil.

I have linked a 9 minute video demonstration of the proper assembly and maintenance of low brass instruments: www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9RAMDYyTVo

Types of Music and Exercises

Students of all levels will benefit greatly from using breathing and buzzing exercises. The Tuba is such a very large instrument and students need to pump a tremendous amount of air through the instrument to achieve quality and length of sound. Most students will blow about 20% of the air required in their first time playing the instrument. Breathing exercises will build up that strength and familiarity with the amounts of breath required, you can find a list of some breathing exercises here: www.musicforbrass.com/articles/breathing-exercises

Buzzing exercises are any exercise where the students is buzzing their lips into the mouthpiece without it being placed in the Tuba. It is very highly recommended that students perform buzzing exercises every day whilst they are learning the Tuba even if they are not actually playing every day. Buzzing exercises build up familiarity with the instrument and will yield large benefits. Buzzing exercise can be simply producing a sound through the mouthpiece, doing a siren buzzing up or down or slurring in between specific notes as demonstrated in this video : www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxA2b-AIarA.

Tuba's are most likely to be found in a school concert band however as I discussed earlier, often their place is taken by a bass guitar player. Tuba players may also participate in smaller brass ensembles or in a marching band where the student would be playing a Sousaphone. In any of these ensembles the Tuba will be the lowest sounding instrument, filling the bass role of the ensemble. Generally in beginner classroom ensembles where the students have been learning their instrument for less than a year or two it is easiest and most efficient to use a band pack for beginner instrumentalists. The books that I see used a lot and that I would recommend are the "Standard of excellence" series of concert band books. These books provide the teacher with repertoire that suits a beginner ensemble and each students is provided with a book specific to their instrument, including the Tuba.

The Tuba is not often performed as a solo instrument however it is important, especially as students grow in expertise to challenge them with harder solo repertoire. There are a multitude of websites and other resources that provide Beginner and Intermediate Tuba players with solo repertoire. This website provides music that has been sorted into Beginner (year 6-9), Intermediate (Year 9-11) and Advanced (SACE stage 1 and 2) Tuba pieces including some arrangements for brass ensembles that feature the Tuba. Tubas are much harder to rent than other orchestral instruments in Adelaide and are not offered by the usual culprits (Allans/Billy Hyde, Size music, Winston Music). They are available to hire through Musicorp.com, this service will hire an instrument to a student through their school on a term by term basis starting at $645 for a Yamaha 3 valve Bb Tuba.

Reference and Resource list:

This is a list of the references I used to compile this resource as well as a few helpful websites offering information, exercises or tutorials for the Tuba.

http://www.norlanbewley.com/tuba.htm#tips

Fantastic resource including links to information on Fingering charts, Warm ups, Posture, Mouthpieces and Breathing.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCesuZZYlg-TKaFmfQh7dNlQ

This YouTube channel provides great tutorial videos for many orchestral brass and woodwind instruments.

http://www.etownschools.org/Page/7903

Has many different links to resources for the developing tuba player, including YouTube videos of Tuba arrangements with attached sheet music.

http://tuba.music.unt.edu/exercises

Large variety of excersises for Tuba players.

http://www.iteaonline.org/index.php

The International Tuba Euphonium association, information and Journal articles as well as resources and opportunities to connect with other Tuba/Euphonium players.

http://www.georgepalton.com/tuba-exercises.html

Large range of Tuba exercises including buzzing and breathing excersises.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxUkwz6PwDs

Video on maintenance and assembly

http://www.musicforbrass.com/articles/breathing-exercises.html

A few helpful breathing exercises

http://www.instrumentalsavings.com/Tuba-Play-Guide-s/4296.htm

Begginers guide to playing the tuba, including useful information on holding the Tuba and assembly

http://www.tuba4u.com

Free beginner, intermediate and advanced sheet music for Tuba players.

http://www.brasstutorials.com/tuba.html

Resource for music educators to assist with teaching students who play the Tuba including information and examples on Tuba embouchure. 1. Stay relaxed and BREATHE

2. Use LOTS of air Embouchure

3. Buzz your mouthpiece daily.

Open, airy and relaxed.

4. Two thirds upper lip, one third lower lip

5. Tongue laid flat so that we

don’t muffle our sound

6. DON’T puff out your cheeks!

7. Sit up straight and bring the instrument to your lips

(NOT the other way around) Posture 8. Don’t clench your jaw muscles, allow your jaw to

drop in order to push more air through.

9. Pivot your bottom lip so that you are blowing

‘Downstream’ and ‘Upstream’ to achieve higher and

Lower pitches

Low register – bottom lip goes down and out.

2nd line Bb – Bottom and top lip are even. High reg-

ister – Bottom lip goes in and up.

10. Sing your music first