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I played Rocky Top at a senior center open mic yesterday. I was thinking of playing a movement from a cello or horn concerto, but two rounds of Rocky Top was a crowd pleaser. Last time I played there, it was Yakety Sax.

Like I said, the SINGLE best upgrade for any of those 21XX tubas. I'm so happy you finally had that done and have a killer instrument in your hands! It really made a world of difference with my horn, and it sounds like yours too.

I’m doing a variety show at the local high school. We played:

Vehicle
Make Me Smile
Kansas City
Blue Skies
Climb Higher
Moon River
Fly me to the moon
Up up and away
It’s only a paper moon
Defying gravity
Gonna fly now

Sense a trend? Played lots,of classics

I played the early 70's Fender Jazz bass (listed for sale) on a gig, last night (about a third of the time, with the other 2/3rds being the 3+1 recording bell compensating 1958 E-flat tuba).

The guy wanted me to play bass on some tunes on these gigs. The first week, he brought his own bass (a really expensive newer USA Fender)...It was "OK', but the neck made it a lot of work to play...so I gave in and brought mine, this time. (picture: I un-riveted the large raised metal letters "Fender" logo from the case, to discourage theft...It's in the case's storage compartment, along with the big metal "F" bridge cover.)

I have hardly played bass at all in the last thirty years, and (truth be told) hardly at all in the last FORTY years, but (as I described in a previous post) it's much like riding a bike. My LEFT hand (curiously) is fine. I could watch the peeps, rather than staring at my left hand. It's my RIGHT hand that is slightly rusty...stroking the strings, and with precise TIME. (Yeah, I believe I have a fairly good sense of time, and - when my fingers didn't quite hit the strings in perfect time - it was a distraction...and the drummer is COMPLETELY getting his time from ME, whereas (depending on the particular drummer) drummers and bass players sort of work on "corporate" time...and (when playing the tuba) my time was OK...When I play SOLO chorus (tuba) is when I REALLY must concentrate on time (as far as tuba is concerned. ...so how did this guy know that I play bass... (I suspect musicians can distinguish/recognize tuba players who double on bass by the types of BASS LINES that they play on tuba.)

The band leader brought his "youngish" (married with children, but considerably younger than the rest of us) daughter to sing, last night...and handed me some of her songs in her keys, buy - well - I didn't look at those charts.
1. If playing bass, all one needs to do is to move their hand to a different place on the neck and play the same relative chord changes.
2. E-flat tuba (which is not one that I read...therefore I never think of NAME pitches - only pitch RELATIONSHIPS) chord change reading is slightly confusing (ie. where the hell is "B-natural"...?? where the hell is "C-sharp...??" etc.) ...so I didn't use his lead sheets when playing the tuba, either.
(I've only ever been a C, F, and B-flat READER, but - ironically - I've probably made mo' money playing E-flat instruments...but maybe not so ironically, as the people who make the very most money playing music don't do it reading it off of pieces of paper, yes?)
3. "Chord change memory" is NOT about memorizing a bunch of NAMED chord changes. Rather (more like the most effective way to memorize any music) it's about remembering pitch/harmony relationships (which means that knowing chord changes to a song SHOULD mean that one automatically knows them in ANY key)...Moreover, it's just too damn much work to "memorize" actual chord-name chord changes, as that's TOTALLY the WRONG way to go about it.

This guy plays SHORT songs...about the time-length of old 45 RPM record "pop" songs - c. 2:45 ...UNLESS people are dancing, whereby we might do another chorus or two...so we played a BUNCH of songs. (Maybe?, they're longer than that, but they all SEEM to be very short.)

On Thursday, he emailed this tune list (which I did not look at until ten seconds AFTER right now - as I'm going to actually OPEN that email, copy, and paste...OK...here goes:

7 pm
Puttin' On the Ritz C min
On the Sunny Side of the Street C
Ain't Misbehaving in C
Bill Bailey C
St James Infirmary Blues Dm
LOVE in G, Ab, A
When It's Sleepy Time Down South Eb
Blue Skies Dmin
Bourbon St Parade Ab
Darktown Strutters Ball C

8pm
All of Me Bb
Basin Street Blues Bb
It Don't mean a thing if It ain't got that swing Emin
Back Home In Indiana C
Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans? C
The Way You look Tonight Bb
Jada F
Careless Love Ab
I Got Rhythm in G
Shake That Thing Eb
When the Saints Go Marching In F/G

9pm
Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy of Company B starts trpt solo in Ab goes immediately to C
When you're smiling Bb
Someone to Watch over Me in G
Honeysuckle Rose F
My Funny Valentine in G minor ( brushes/ballad version)
Fly Me to the Moon in C
Satin Doll in C
Moonlight in Vermont in Eb
Don't Get Around Much Anymore in C
Sweet GA Brown Ab/ Starts on F7 vamp

I didn't print off the list...but - before each tune - he said all this stuff out loud (keys/intros/key changes/tags)

...nothing really "hip/cool/esoteric"...just a "gig"...but lotsa songs.


"It don't mean a thing" required some concentration (E-minor with an E-flat tuba), particularly at the speed that he took it, playing in 4/4 on the choruses, and playing a chorus myself (a bunch of 2-4 - with 4th valve "over there", and 2-3 valve combination pitches)...We played it a second time later. I "cheated" and played it on bass, the second time.

The pay is "OK" for these jobs (again, about a hour from blokeplace, but EVERYWHERE is at least an hour from blokeplace - which is the way I like it), but it's at least $XXX, and we're picking up decent-enough tips. Last night (apparently) we picked up around $130, because (as seen) my share of the tips was as shown. (The tip money - hopefully - covers the fuel plus the FICA. )

Today I finally got to do the Broughton Concerto with a symphony orchestra.

First time.

I played it with piano a few times, but sort of "grew up" with it being a wind ensemble accompaniment. (It was written for the full wind, brass, and percussion sections of an orchestra, with a section of basses, but no other strings.) This is the first time I have even heard it with a complete string section.

Very nice. Very "Hollywoodish".

Sheesh, the contra player deserves secondary soloist pay and credit. There are short stretches where the contra is the *only* thing going on other than long notes in the strings. Major props to our fine 2nd bassoonist, who is also our contra player when needed. (We hire a 2nd when she plays contra.)

Tons of fun, baby. Tons of fun…

Tomorrow's performance is going to be very solid. The one caveat is that I am playing with a non-pay community orchestra with a few of my MSO colleagues rounding it out. They can't quite take the last movement up to tempo. (It is a very difficult accompaniment for two quickie rehearsals.) Oh well, that makes it a little less stressful for me. I had a good time today and am grateful for this opportunity.

bloke wrote: Sat Apr 26, 2025 8:44 am… I suspect musicians can distinguish/recognize tuba players who double on bass by the types of BASS LINES that they play on tuba…

That exact thing is what got me called for most of my upright work. Other players saw me doing a trad. jazz gig on tuba, heard "how I think" as I play, and assumed I played the bass.

Like @bloke I too had a electric bass jazz gig. Last night I played for the Tuscaloosa Ballroom Dance club. We play there once or twice a year. It takes place in a large gym, which is not ideal acoustically, but we've learned where and how to setup after various trials and errors. Last night sounded quite good. We could hear each other (which has been a massive challenge before) and from where I was sitting, it sounded great. We too played 3x 1hr sets. I have my set list in the car. Here are some pictures from the gig.



We've learned to setup a few feet off the "back" wall and aligned right of center (stage left). That seems to greatly effect our ability to hear across the group.




My traditional pre-gig selfie wearing our uniform. Drummer was eating peanut M&Ms. I was grateful he had them. My blood sugar dove after the first set. He gave me some M&Ms and I felt better.


The gear for this gig was...
Sterling by Music Man SB4 (few customizations)
G&L Tribute LB100 (with EMG pickup)
Trace Elliot Elf (my backup amp head that lives in my Jeep. First time gig testing it.)
Markbass 210 Cabinet (stupid light weight!)

.

Yesterday had a children's Children's Hospital Gig... We're are getting ready for the start of outdoor festival season with a street fair a brewery gig this coming weekend. So the set list was a little different from the usual..

Hot to Go
Red Solo Cup
Killing in the Name
War Pigs
Enter Sandman/Master of Puppets 2025
Bluey Music - Theme & Dance Mode

El Costo de la vida
Feel it Still
Ghostbusters
Word Up

I’m a Believer
Come on Eileen
Bang - Are You Gonna Go My Way

Thank You (Sly)
We Got Whatcha Wanna (Rebirth brass band)
Take it to the Street (Rebirth)

Also trying out some shallower & tighter mouthpieces with the 20J -...C4 and Giddings Jon Gross mouthpieces. Worked really well at home but I completely overblew them in the gig and they really backed up on me. Then my volume would plummet as I struggled to get sound it. I really liked the easy punch and aggressive bite to the sound... I guess I need to spend some more time relearning how to play Sousa and the 20J on this style of mouthpiece.

Today was the first day in weeks I was able to play without coughing at all. I did my "routine" warm up, played some scales, arpeggios, did some breathing exercises (without coughing!), some Bordogni and a little Snedecor. Then I took a break and did some chores. I came back later and worked on the LOTR symphony a bit because rehearsal is tomorrow night.

It was a decent day.

Yikes. Got the music for a band I may help out with a concert in a couple of weeks, and it's all ho-hum except Semper Fi. I had not played that on tuba before, just horn. So I'm a-sitting with the metronome trying to get all those running 8th notes up to speed. Have a way to go --- and I was gonna make a whack at the concert with the Hagen, but with this piece, ain't gonna happen, and it's back to the NStar. Could be I'll have to triple tongue it, based on how fast the conductor thinks the band can play it. This feels more like horn territory.

I started using https://www.thomann.se/intl/migma_pract ... r_tuba.htm again - hoping to stick with it.

I find myself running out of lip most rehearsals. I used to think it was simply due to being out of practice, but now that i've consistently played for a while I still seem to hit a wall some rehearsals. At times it feels seemingly random, or a specific piece can put my lip to shreds.

My next guess is too much pressure at times, no idea of this tool a gimmick, but it does make me very aware of pressure when playing. More of an experiment, if spending time with this device on passages lead to either better sound (to my ear), or better endurance in rehearsals.

This is not a 'new' thing for me, it's been the case ever since I returned playing as an adult. But now that i'm playing more consistent, for over a year or two now, it's a bit concerning I don't seem to build up endurance.

Anyone who thinks they have a pressure problem should just do what I do -- use a cup diameter that is so large that your lips are IN it and pressure only presses on your face bones, meaning your lips are not under any pressure no matter how much left biceps you apply. The perfect correction for pressure problems.

Went to rehearsal last night for the first time in 3 weeks. There are normally 4 tubas. I was the tuba last night. One of the guys plays in multiple community bands and was at a dress rehearsal. Another guy is a college kid who gave the conductor a list of rehearsal dates when he'd be present. Last night was not one of them. And one guy has decided to bail out due to health reasons. So, just me and my little 3/4 horn. We got a workout. It was both fun and terrifying at the same time.

No one poked with me a sharp pencil, even though I did play a plethora of wrong notes.

Also, our rehearsals have shifted from our normal space to the church where we'll be performing in a few weeks. It's a wonderful old Lutheran church with a tall, vaulted ceiling and a pipe organ and amazing acoustics.

Yesterday I did not play a dang thing.

Today is a rerun of that.

(I needed a break after the last 30+ days; I did not have a single day off for more than a month.)

Tomorrow I will not play anything, either. I will be in my shop monkeying around with the Holton and Kurath again, probably for the next week.

I'm seriously wondering about getting the electric bass out and running scales.
It looks like this guy that's been hiring me to play with his jazz trio/quartet is calling me more more often.
I really didn't think I'd ever play electric bass again.
By the time I finished the third job so far with him, I think my technique is up to about half ass, which is more than zero ass.

bloke wrote: Tue Apr 29, 2025 4:19 pm I'm seriously wondering about getting the electric bass out and running scales.
It looks like this guy that's been hiring me to play with his jazz trio/quartet is calling me more more often.
I really didn't think I'd ever play electric bass again.
By the time I finished the third job so far with him, I think my technique is up to about half ass, which is more than zero ass.

Funny story. I played bass from 6th grade - 12th grade in various school ensembles and only sparsely in college. I was a tuba major. After college I didn't play bass at all for about 13 years. Then one day out of the blue, one of my local tuba buddies said "hey, how would you like a bass gig?" It's now 11 years and 25 basses later and that is now my only ensemble. (See pictures above)

I feel like my technique is sub par. But then I realize most bass players are using the 1-2-4 technique across 3 frets. It's not as efficient as the "1 finger per fret," but 1-2-4 works for a reason. I've also seen pros like Leland Sklar's left hand technique and realize that mine isn't so bad after all.

I started with piano and a pressed board ukulele when I was about five (frets were wrong, and my 13 years older brother tore the frets off and glued on some toothpicks in the right places for me), and -when I think when I was seven or eight - I got a $10 guitar. ... I have been playing my mother's arts top F hole guitar, I think my Dad decided that I should have my own.

I've posted way too much about figuring out that playing nylon string stuff at grownups' cocktail parties paid a lot better than getting paid zero in garage bands playing electric guitar, or even strumming and finger picking a steel string acoustic and singing folk songs to impress girls (also for $0).

The bass thing happened in the 11th grade.
Everyone expected me to play bass in the school jazz band. I didn't own one (my mother and I found a brand new Japanese one for $35 in a pawn shop on Beale Street) but I figured that - as I could play Bach lute suite transcriptions on six strings, I could probably play one note at a time - and rarely more than 150 or 160 per minute - on four big fat strings... By the way, my guitar teacher hated the fact that I was playing bass. I think it's sort of like when French horn teachers find out that their students are playing mellophones.

I've done something to my left Achilles tendon, couldn't walk yesterday, and called in sick. So I played for a few hours. In honor of DP's retirement announcement I dug out the old "Master Solos" book I've owned since high school and played a few of those. I swear, I could actually play them 30 years ago.

Mostly, though, I worked on de Meij's Symphony No 1.

Since the wife-type was also working at home yesterday, I played entirely with the Schlipf mute. It's amazing how much that thing reduces my range. The terminology escapes me, but there's an effective range that I can play all the time, no problems. And then there's a more extreme range. I can hit these notes, both low and high, when I'm really concentrating and pushing myself a bit, but there's no way I'd consistently hit them in a performance situation. The mute basically narrows it down to the effective range, which says more about me than the mute...

This morning was spent with the Yamaha Silent Brass and the King 2341 tuba preparing for our second last rehearsal prior to a concert on Friday, May 9th. The concert will be a joint effort between my band, the Bridge City Brass, and the Saskatoon Brass Band. We will be playing in the theatre at St.Joseph's High School here in Saskatoon. It is a beautiful space, however I am really glad that there is an elevator from the main level to the stage at the bottom of the steps. There is absolutely NO WAY that I would manage on those steps! Here's what I worked on for one and a half hours this morning:
La Rejouissance ("Rejoicings") Handel's Music for the Royal Fireworks.
"A Sweet Shepherdess" -Goff Richards.
Suite-"Four Little Maids"-John Carr.
'Meeting of the Waters" -Richard Rock.
"The Elephant" -J.Ord. Hume
"The Piper In The Meadow" -Adapted by Bob Barratt&Edrich Siebert