New plan for a BBb. (purchased a 601 BBb)

[LeMark]

it looks better in person. Not sure why the photo looks odd

I have a lot of cleaning to do. I suck at soldering without burning a bunch of lacquer.

I had trouble soldering the guide tube to the back of the valves, had to do it several times, and hoo-boy....what a mess I made of the lacquer

[rodgeman]

I did something to the tuba that I told myself I would never do

I added strap rings to use with my neotec harness. I have a recital coming up in January, and I'm thinking of playing this horn on one song doing it while standing, and the other two on my York Eb. It's only 15 minutes, so I don't think I'll be tired, even with this beast

Also, what I've found on both the instrument and my York is the balance is off to the left, so using a harness (even while sitting) helps my left hand be relaxed and available to control the tuning stick without having to hold the instrument

[hrender]

I used the strap rings for a concert with my Martin where we would be asked to stand and change seats halfway through for a brass chorale. It felt a little odd at first, but it was a huge help when it came time to move.

[bloke]

Update..

So I have a big month coming up. Playing a series of children's concerts and we are playing something called the conductor spell book. it actually has some tricky tuba stuff in it. We are also doing Shostakovich 9 and the Arutiunian trumpet concerto

The following week have a short recital at a university that wants me to come in and do a master class, I might play The Big B flat on the Rachmaninoff vocalize, I haven't decided yet.

Struggling a little bit with the instrument, playing wise it's feeling better and the intonation is getting under control either through natural centering or with the use of the tuning stick. Still struggling to hold it a little bit because it's a little off balance but I might actually play it with a harness. The main issue is my music room here at the house has really poor Acoustics which get even worse when the bell is so tall and close to the ceiling. The instrument is too tall to lean over to the side to avoid that so playing at home is a rather unpleasant experience. Not sure what I can do about that. I might take the instrument up to the church once or twice this week and practice in a larger room

The children's church pastor asked me to play and talk to the first through fifth graders next week and she asked me to bring the largest instrument I have. That was a no-brainer this instrument is larger than a lot of those kids

[bloke]

I know where you're coming from.
I suspect (??) that my big B-flat beast might be slightly easier to negotiate, YET It took me WAY longer than I anticipated to "get a handle on it".

[LeMark]

Practiced for three hours just now

Typed out a long post and lost it because of a wifi outage at the house... Gaah

To make a long story short, right now any BBb tuba I play can't hold a candle to the range, comfort, cleanliness ect that I can get on my little cerveny. I mean it's not even close when the music gets hard. I know that's "probably" me and not the instruments, but I need to find out. In the next 6 weeks I'm going to go to both the army workshop and TMEA, so I have an opportunity to find out.

This kiddie concert I have coming up is crazy... Muted parts, crazy intervals, quick technique and plenty of low range (Low D's). I've been practicing it on both BBbs, and neither of them were cutting it, but as soon as I picked up the smaller 5 valve cerveny, the frustration went away. I ruled out the 601 CC because I didn't want to mess with trying to play those low Ds on an ill fitting mute on it.

No matter how much I try to get away from CC tuba, it keeps sucking me back in

[bloke]

There's no doubt it's easier, which is why I made sure that I got rid of those that were here.

[Dan Tuba]

I'm definitely not an expert, but I have mostly played/performed on BBb tubas for most of my 20+ year career in the military. I have also, thanks to the military, had the opportunity to play/perform on nearly all of the most popular/latest models of BBb tubas over the years. I have personally owned a Cerveny 601 BBb. All this to say, that's certainly not the easiest BBb tuba to play. There are definitely some BBb tubas available on the market that are not only easier to play, but I dare say produce much better results. I'm not saying that the Cerveny 601 BBb is a bad tuba. Absolutely not, it's definitely got some .

I personally love "good" BBb tubas, and I will gladly pick one up over the other keys if I have the right one available to use. I just love the sound over the others.

[arpthark]

I'm definitely not an expert, but I have mostly played/performed on BBb tubas for most of my 20+ year career in the military. I have also, thanks to the military, had the opportunity to play/perform on nearly all of the most popular/latest models of BBb tubas over the years. I have personally owned a Cerveny 601 BBb. All this to say, that's certainly not the easiest BBb tuba to play. There are definitely some BBb tubas available on the market that are not only easier to play, but I dare say produce much better results. I'm not saying that the Cerveny 601 BBb is a bad tuba. Absolutely not, it's definitely got some .

I personally love "good" BBb tubas, and I will gladly pick one up over the other keys if I have the right one available to use. I just love the sound over the others.

I think you actually ended up with my old 601. Hope you enjoyed it!

[Dan Tuba]

Absolutely. It was a good playing tuba. Almost decided to keep it, but let it go to someone who could actually use it. For some weird reason, I really love old American tubas and all of their "qualities."

[Mary Ann]

There are definitely some BBb tubas available on the market that are not only easier to play, but I dare say produce much better results.

I'd be really curious as to what BBb tubas you are referring to that are easier to play and to top it off get better results.

I feel MUCH better over not being able to handle the size of that Hagen, despite how good it is, if Mark at probably twice my size is having trouble with a BBb. He'd probably be fine with the Hagen though, although it may not have that BBb sound he is looking for. Bright for a BBb, to me sounds more like a CC sound-wise.

I also wanted a BBb for the sound, but I'm really close to giving up looking. It appears the NStar is as big as I can handle -- and the same relative results as Mark is getting with the 601 compared to his Cerveny. The NStar just plays and I don't have to struggle with it, except for my lack of air + expertise below the staff.

[Dan Tuba]

I would be more than happy to share a list of BBb tubas that I think are easier to play, and produce better results. However, I'm not sure that would be very helpful to anyone. What plays easier/produces better results for me could be considerably different than what might work well for others.

I only mentioned this to encourage Mark not to give up on BBb tubas. I think that there's definitely one out there that will work well for Mark.

[LeMark]

When I was a CC tuba snob, I always described the feeling of a BBb as "tubby" and when I let my high school students play on of my CC tubas, they would understand what I was talking about

One of the best BBb's I've ever played that felt as responsive as a CC is the hagen. (the 4/4, never played the 3/4)

Maybe I just need to spend a lot more time getting used to the BBb after only playing CC forever. It's fine for the easy stuff, but when the parts get hard, I always reach back for the CC or Eb

[LeMark]

Just had a very talented student come over for a lesson and he asked to play the big 601

Tone wise, he sounded amazing, but he did say he had to put so much more effort into the technique.


I told him "think of a horn like this as a tank". There are certain things that a tank can't do, but when you need the things it can do well, are the situations you really are glad you own a tank and not a Ferrari".

[tylerferris1213]

That's really strange. My 601 BBb plays like a dream. Just about everyone who tries it says it's the easiest playing 6/4 BBb ever. Have you ruled out rotor alignment and/or an air leak somewhere?

[LeMark]

The valves are in alignment. Not much compression in the 1st two valves, so that might be the issue

[tylerferris1213]

If that's the case, a heavier oil may be your friend. Are you going to MWRTEC by chance? I could bring my 601 with me and you could try them side by side. That might help?

[LeMark]

I'm not. I am going to the army workshop

I've never looked into what it would take to restore compression to rotors, it even replace them

I could see how it would be easier to just get a whole new valves set than mess with a restoration

[PlayTheTuba]

Sold my Cerveny 601 CC today. This horn has been a major part of my life for a long time, but it's going to a great home.

[LeMark]

Tonight is the night I premiere the big guy at an Orchestra rehearsal. I'm a little worried it's too big because we're playing a children's concert with a reduced chamber group. In the same trip we're also doing a concert Saturday night where we are doing Shostakovich 9 and the Arutiunian trumpet concerto. I'm taking the big guy because of those pieces

I'll have my E flat with me, so if it's a problem I can always switch to that, I would take my small B flat as well but room is limited in the car. I'll just try to play light and not overpower everybody, I do have a long extended Cadenza of playing by myself so I can cut loose a little bit there