KnoX Brass WorX Co

I was recently asked via Twitter the pros and cons of different keyed tubas.

Short answer: THE SOUND!

Long, rambling stream-of-consciousness answer: See below.

To begin, I should explain that there are two main types of tubas: 1)Contrabass tubas (BBb and CC) and 2)Bass tubas (F and Eb). In very general terms, contrabass tubas have a deep, broad sound and bass tubas have a lighter, tighter sound, though there can be some variation on those characterizations, depending on the size of the instrument, etc….. But for now, I will discuss the uses of the four main keys of tubas below.

I should point out that the BBb tuba is the most popular key of tuba in public schools in the United States. The BBb tuba rose to popularity in the last 100 years from the school band movement boom (!)  and the stars of that movement were manufactured in influential factories in places like Elkhorn, Elkhart, Cleveland and Grand Rapids. Millions of dollars have been spent on advertising for school instruments targeting public schools, the BIGGEST market for instrument manufacturers.   All beginning band texts published in the last 20 years include instructions for BBb contrabass tuba. (You will find older methods that include Eb tuba books) Who was responsible for deciding that BBb would be THE tuba that we teach in the US schools? I dunno. That is for someone else’s dissertation. But, when you think of a characteristic ‘band’ brass bass sound or “tubby the tuba” oom-pah music, you are probably hearing a BBb tuba or sousaphone in your head.

The BBb tuba is also the contrabass tuba of choice for professionals in Germany, Great Britain and many other parts of the world. The BBb tuba is less popular among professional musicians in the United States, though there are relatively few orchestra, commercial and band players who use a BBb as their main contrabass instrument.

Among many professionals around the world, however, the BBb tuba has gotten a bad rap. The BBb tuba can be characterized as a sluggish, “tubby” instrument with a broad sound and a slow response. With every rule, thought, there is an exception. Listen to some of the things Nat McIntosh has done with a BBb sousaphone with the Youngblood Brass Band and you’ll be too busy picking your jaw off the floor to care what key his tuba is in.

Ahem. In very general terms, the response of a BBb tuba is slower compared to that of a CC, F or Eb tuba, since there is more tubing to fill up with air. Some people like this sound better than those made by other instruments. In Germany, the F tuba is used for most everything and the BBb tuba is reserved for only the ‘biggest’ orchestral literature that requires a big, broad sound like a Bruckner or Mahler symphony. Also, since the “tuba explosion” of the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, the aspiring tuba player has been looking for equipment that will allow the easiest performance of the most challenging solo and chamber literature. Recordings by people like Roger Bobo, William Bell, Harvey Phillips and John Fletcher inspired us to push the accepted limits of the tuba and, coincidentally, none of these artists used a BBb tuba in their recordings.

The CC is the most popular key among professionals and college students in the United States. The response is quicker than that of the BBb tuba and is generally a more agile instrument. All tubas come in different sizes, from 3/4 size to 6/4 size. The size of the instrument generally dictates the amount of sound and projection and the breadth/quality of the sound. Many players use a 3/4 size instrument for chamber ensembles and 6/4 size instruments for large orchestras and bands.

The F tuba is the main orchestral horn for countless tubists in Europe. The sound of the F tuba is tight, compact, light and has a singing quality. Most F tubas are used for solos, chamber music and orchestral literature that requires a comparatively lighter sound. Though pitched a P5 higher than the BBb tuba, F tubas do not necessarily help a player play higher notes, but it is a more compact sound and an F tuba can provide agility that a contrabass tuba lacks. Also, some professional orchestral players like playing F tuba because to them,  it provides a better timbrel link between the trombones and the Double Basses than the contrabass tuba.

The sound of the Eb tuba is somewhere between an F tuba and a CC tuba. Eb were once quite popular in the US and are gaining popularity as a viable option for players seeking a great solo instrument with the depth and breadth of sound characteristic of a contrabass tuba.

Instrument technicians and other ‘mad scientists’ have made instruments in different keys like D & G, giving us choices much like the variety of keys available to trumpet players. They create these ‘alternative’ keyed horns because they say that different keyed tubas lend themselves to different keys or different composers’ music. I would tend to agree.