TubaForum.net

We have B.A.T. and B.A.R.T...any others...??

anyway...

What about "C tuba for college"...??

Is it just going to be CTFC, or does someone have something more clever (via different words, moving the words around, or whatever...) ?


Speaking of which, here are a couple of 17-year-olds:

https://www.facebook.com/reel/528014382286075

Rudi Meinl 6/4 BBb = B.F.T.

I'll let the forum suss that one out.

C tuba for college = WOFA

Waste of financial aid

:-)

matt g wrote: Mon Feb 13, 2023 11:38 am C tuba for college = WOFA Waste of financial aid
:-)

Cute. in 1983 I made my one and only purchase of a brand new tuba. A Mirafone 184. BBflat no less. AND I paid for it in total after receiving my first financial aid student loan. My teacher said it was the perfect horn for me. He was right, it was 3100 bucks, and after getting a Glen C- made black leather gig bag I played that horn until the week before I got my B&M CC and sold the 184. For 3100 dollars.
I was out of school by the time I got my first CC tubas, oh well. I never managed to hold a candle to most practice room jocks. I was flattered to get a "C" in my applied lessons, in the late 80's early 90's there were a TON of great players in the colleges in California, for MY teacher to dub me "average" amongst all of them seemed a supreme complement.

So for the original post-er (probably Joe, right?) I want to say that my comment is dead nuts on for your thread.

For me, "C", on tuba, in college, the acronym is ...........................










wait for it..................................................












almost there..............................

















































dp

I had forgotten about how hyperinflationary that era was.

My teacher bought a 186 for $800 bucks in 1968, and I bought a 184 in 1976 for $1400... and by the mid-80s they were over double that.

Tuition (with the skyrocketing tuition racket not having clicked in yet at that time) in the seventies was about $150 bucks a semester.
Admittedly, I considered that to be negligible. My Dad discovered that I had paid it myself, and - in his dad voice - said, "Son, I'll pay for your schooling" and reimbursed me, but I don't recall him checking with me subsequent semesters and ever reimbursing me again.

He never bought any tubas or guitars for me either, and was always surprised to see you when one would arrive (and when he noticed). Imagine how much more grown-up-thinking/behaving young people would be today if it were still like that.

There are still tubas here in the three other lengths, and I could imagine building or buying another one in C...

...Why are all these children - who graduate from high school, who haven't considered many options regarding their future, know they love band, and thus enroll in band director degree programs (possibly - many of them - so they can continue to march in a marching band)... are most all of them encouraged to buy c-length tubas? Probably, very few of their teachers tell them that they absolutely must get a tuba like that, but it's not hard to imply what one wishes their student to purchase. I suspect that the same thing happened to their teachers at the same age. There are finally more than one or two models of instruments in this length that work pretty well, but it's taken decades. What a disadvantage, though, to be shopping for something that someone can't yet use or even test with any experience.

... but I wasn't pushing this issue and am not trying to change the world, I was just asking about a humorous acronym.

I can only speak for myself. (Others could learn from that statement)

I was never encouraged to buy a CC tuba, but even in high school I had a preference for the feel of them and for the sound of the few models I did play. I got a CC tuba as a HS graduation present and it arrived in October, and I've never owned a BBb tuba. I've never viewed BBb or CC fingerings as easier, just different, but I always felt CC was a bit more responsive even in comparable models (like a 186). Easier to play is what comes to mind for me.

I personally never once heard a teacher say "get a CC for college", but I'm sure it has been said, just as I'm sure certain high-profile professors steered their studios towards certain brands of instruments for any number of reasons (which may or may not involve compensation). Everyone has opinions and preferences, and some people have more influence than others. If Arnold Jacobs rose from the dead, gave a masterclass and said "everyone needs to play on a DDb tuba" manufacturers everywhere would be scrambling to make one and there would be a waiting list for them at every store to buy one. I figure at some point someone tried a CC tuba in an orchestra and found it easier, for some reason, or we wouldn't have them around.

Still speaking only for myself, BBb vs CC "wars" are stupid. If someone is on time, in tune, and sounds good I could not care less what buttons they mash to get that effect. The band I play with has a 6/4 CC (me), a 5/4 BBb, and a 4/4 Eb. Makes for some darn active listening and adjustments. Something as simple as an F at the bottom of the staff can be an adventure in tendencies :-)

All that being said, I still haven't come up with a humorous acronym even though I spent the last 10 minutes trying to come up with one.

I do have an amusing acronym story. Quite a while back during zoom times I was taking a workshop on zoom, and on the wall behind me there was that picture of me with my NStar, which looks like a BAT next to me. I told the class instructor, who commented on the picture, that that tuba was known as a BAT. He then asked what a BAT was and I told him, and he said, "Mary Ann, you set me up." Yup.

kingrob76 wrote: Tue Feb 14, 2023 9:21 am I can only speak for myself. (Others could learn from that statement)

I was never encouraged to by a CC tuba, but even in high school I had a preference for the feel of them and for the sound of the few models I did play. I got a CC tuba as a HS graduation present and it arrived in October, and I've never owned a BBb tuba. I've never viewed BBb or CC fingerings as easier, just different, but I always felt CC was a bit more responsive even in comparable models (like a 186). Easier to play is what comes to mind for me.

I personally never once heard a teacher say "get a CC for college", but I'm sure it has been said, just as I'm sure certain high-profile professors steered their studios towards certain brands of instruments for any number of reasons (which may or may not involve compensation). Everyone has opinions and preferences, and some people have more influence than others. If Arnold Jacobs rose from the dead, gave a masterclass and said "everyone needs to play on a DDb tuba" manufacturers everywhere would be scrambling to make one and there would be a waiting list for them at every store to buy one. I figure at some point someone tried a CC tuba in an orchestra and found it easier, for some reason, or we wouldn't have them around.

Still speaking only for myself, BBb vs CC "wars" are stupid. If someone is on time, in tune, and sounds good I could not care less what buttons they mash to get that effect. The band I play with has a 6/4 CC (me), a 5/4 BBb, and a 4/4 Eb. Makes for some darn active listening and adjustments. Something as simple as an F at the bottom of the staff can be an adventure in tendencies :-)

All that being said, I still haven't come up with a humorous acronym even though I spent the last 10 minutes trying to come up with one.

I went to school with a big name tuba prof. He never once told me I needed a CC. The teacher I had in high school only played CC and BBb. Once I started to look for a horn, CC just felt right. I had no preconceived notion on what to get. I tested a bunch of horns and ended up with a CC that checked all of the boxes for a kid with a very limited budget. That was my main, personal horn for many years. I had other horns at my disposal with my military gig, but that CC stayed with me for years. So now that I have hijacked the thread enough, I have no clue what to call it. Play what you like that gets the job done. It doesn't matter if it has 3 or seven valves with 4 slide kickers. I you like it, you can play it in time and in tune, then who cares? My two cents.

My favorite is the incoming freshman that is actually told by their teacher that they need a 6/4 CC.

We just finished our tour of the Eb sanctuary. If it wasn't for that facility Eb tubas would have gone extinct! Now who can tell me what the next area we are going to explore is called? Noooo, nope, still not correct.

It is called the "C Land!"

And their motto is

"Be free, play C!"

Roger Bobo is on our minds for obvious reasons.
I believe it was he who introduced MANY of us (in the west) to F tubas, F tuba resonance/range and F tuba possibilities.
Many of us were told that the make that Mr. Bobo played wasn't any good, but "a maker in Mainz" was the gold standard of F tubas.
Those of us who played both - though - realized those "gold standard" ones were equally problematic, and that Mr. Bobo - via his performances/recordings proved that the model that he played (at that time) COULD be played WELL and IN-TUNE (at least, by someone).
He himself moved on to other makes/models of F tubas - later in his life.
I still believe that many American tuba players (who own playable F tubas) UNDER-USE them when performing orchestral repertoire and choosing an instrument to play individual works...IN PARTICULAR, THIS: "Well, I need the big C to play blah-blah, and I really don't want to drag two tubas, so I'll just use the C for both pieces".

====================================================================

For some reason, though, "C tubas" (though mostly wretched oem cut-downs of B-flat models) were already a "thing" in the USA.

As much as people pine and opine over the unicorn 4/4 C (short/19-inch bell) York C tubas, the playing of them (sure) offers a beautiful type of sound, but fairly challenging intonation (as I've evidenced in-person, and as some of us have evidenced by listening to a several-decades-ago produced tuba solo l.p.)

I don't believe I'm stepping on too many toes by stating (what seems obvious, that) the same is true of the rare early King C instruments and even the reference B.B./M-W German version.

Vintage Alex C tubas are known for their tuning characteristics, and the first thing that someone might say about an anomaly is that "this is a good one!".
Those that played fairly well in-tune were (again) often considered to be anomalies, and - even today - those whereby 5th partial pitches ask for 6th partial valve combinations tend to be in the minority...with "vintage" ones additionally asking for 3rd partial pitches to be played with 4th partial valve combinations.

Some old Miraphone 86C instruments seemed semi-magical (regarding intonation - I've stumbled across a couple of "magical" ones in the last decade), whereby some others...not so much (including one that bought new in 1974, which - to me - offered dreadful tuning characteristics)...

Most every vintage 84 model (C or B-flat) asks for 5th partial alternates.

...and then, there are some other C instruments whereby everything from the 6th partial up through the 8th is wildly sharp.

Beginning in the 80's "Rolls Royce" began marketing C tubas to the USA...but (again) wild tuning characteristics. Some refer to some of those issues as "response", but (in reality) those "response" problems have to do with where those odd-"responding" pitches actually center.

...so though the 80's/90's/etc., a whole bunch of new models of C tubas were cranked out - with varying levels of success. The similar-to-86 model 88 was one of the most successful, with many others - though "exciting/new" - continuing on with the "alternate fingering mazes" of the past.
Arguably - just in the last couple of decades, more C instruments have been manufactured which are "workable" (without the epic "work")...

...but (all this time - and through the decades where many wretched/and not-inexpensive C tuba models were manufactured - and again: at prices higher than easier-to-play B-flat models) college students have been strongly advised/coaxed/hinted/eyebrows-context-clued (including the majority - who were following band-directing degree programs) to purchase C-length tubas.

OK...
I typed a bunch of stuff here, and surely some of it will bother/trigger some people.
Yes, I sold two great-playing C instruments (and currently don't own any), but I might (??) own one again in the future...
heck: I own/use multiples of the other three lengths of "tubas".

OK, so no acronyms yet? I’m disappointed in this group! So I’ll get the ball rolling…

How about BUTTER? Big University Tuba Teacher’s “Expert” Recommendation.

Of course that would make a Big University Tuba Teacher a BUTT!

Or UPSET? University Professor’s Super Exceptional Tuba.

Or CRAP? “C” Recommended by Artists and Professors.

CUSPIDOR:

CC Universally Supported by Professors In Dominant Organizational Retinue

BACTERIA

Big Ass C Tuba Expertly Recommended In Academia.

MIBTY: Mine is bigger than yours. (Not usually said by females, who would say "Mine ARE bigger than yours.")

Mary Ann wrote: Wed Feb 15, 2023 11:07 am MIBTY: Mine is bigger than yours. (Not usually said by females, who would say "Mine ARE bigger than yours.")

Well, C tubas are shorter than Bb, so maybe MISTY (mine is shorter than yours) works here.

Just happy to be hanging out with my small cheerful C tubas

jtm wrote: Wed Feb 15, 2023 11:54 am Just happy to be hanging out with my small cheerful C tubas

JHTBHOWMSCCT rolls right off the tongue.