TUBA time
- Thread starter tripledouble
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From the interwebs.
The sousaphone is basically a tuba, with the biggest difference being that the instrument will fit around the body of the musician. This makes it easier for someone in a marching band to carry the instrument and focus more on playing it rather than how to hold and balance it properly for a longer period of time. The fact that this particular instrument is most often seen in marching bands has earned it the name, "marching tuba". One might wonder why this instrument is called the sousaphone when it is basically a tuba. The instrument is named after John Sousa, who was a well-known composer and conductor.
The sousaphone is a fairly young instrument, only being created in the late 1900s. John Sousa wanted to replace the helicon with the tuba, but the tuba was too big and awkward to use; the sousaphone developed was the answer to his problem. It was an instrument that gave what he wanted out of the tuba, but also offered the convenience and the ease with its special design. This brass instrument has the same length of tubing as other tubas; the main difference is in its sap so that it easily fits around the musician and the bell is over the head so the sound carries better. Another convenience built into this instrument is the ability to remove the bell when the instrument is put into storage or transported somewhere.
People who are not familiar with their instruments will sometimes mistake the tuba and the sousaphone for being completely different instruments when they are, in fact, the same instrument, just designed differently. Someone who is familiar with playing the tuba or a brass instrument will have little difficulty getting used to the sousaphone. The instrument is not overly difficult for people to learn how to play, even if they are completely new to wind instruments
.
One will need to learn how to control their breathing and controlling the pitch through their lips, but many will enjoy the ease of playing the sousaphone that many will miss out on when playing the traditional tuba. This could very well be the reason why more people will consider the sousaphone over the tuba. It is quite easy to integrate the sousaphone as a result. The music will not differ from that of the tuba much, so having the opportunity to play this instrument in school bands is quite possible.
The sousaphone is basically a tuba, with the biggest difference being that the instrument will fit around the body of the musician. This makes it easier for someone in a marching band to carry the instrument and focus more on playing it rather than how to hold and balance it properly for a longer period of time. The fact that this particular instrument is most often seen in marching bands has earned it the name, "marching tuba". One might wonder why this instrument is called the sousaphone when it is basically a tuba. The instrument is named after John Sousa, who was a well-known composer and conductor.
The sousaphone is a fairly young instrument, only being created in the late 1900s. John Sousa wanted to replace the helicon with the tuba, but the tuba was too big and awkward to use; the sousaphone developed was the answer to his problem. It was an instrument that gave what he wanted out of the tuba, but also offered the convenience and the ease with its special design. This brass instrument has the same length of tubing as other tubas; the main difference is in its sap so that it easily fits around the musician and the bell is over the head so the sound carries better. Another convenience built into this instrument is the ability to remove the bell when the instrument is put into storage or transported somewhere.
People who are not familiar with their instruments will sometimes mistake the tuba and the sousaphone for being completely different instruments when they are, in fact, the same instrument, just designed differently. Someone who is familiar with playing the tuba or a brass instrument will have little difficulty getting used to the sousaphone. The instrument is not overly difficult for people to learn how to play, even if they are completely new to wind instruments
.
One will need to learn how to control their breathing and controlling the pitch through their lips, but many will enjoy the ease of playing the sousaphone that many will miss out on when playing the traditional tuba. This could very well be the reason why more people will consider the sousaphone over the tuba. It is quite easy to integrate the sousaphone as a result. The music will not differ from that of the tuba much, so having the opportunity to play this instrument in school bands is quite possible.
Okay, I stand corrected.
We always just called the wrap-around jobby a tuba.
I was thinking the sousaphone had to be the non-wrap-around type.
Now I know.
Thanks.
We always just called the wrap-around jobby a tuba.
I was thinking the sousaphone had to be the non-wrap-around type.
Now I know.
Thanks.
dan, that post got me hyped to find a tuba at the fleamarkets and learn how to play. bigger the better. the block better be ready
some of my NOLA brass band favorites (i could go on for dayz about funky sousaphone. tuba, not so much
)
New Orleans Nightcrawlers - Heavy Henry:
Stooges Brass Band - Where You From?
Dirty Dozen Brass Band - Dead Dog In The Street
dirty dozen has been credited by most for being the first to use the sousaphone in the role of the electric bass to create "funky" brass band music. started out in the early eighties in a music program led by trad jazz banjo legend Danny Barker.
those are all a little left field, though. these are a couple perennial crowd-pleasers. every single brass band in town plays these songs. guaranteed to be rocked at any second line:
Knock With Me - Rock With Me - Lil Rascals Brass Band
Cassanova - Rebirth Brass Band
GIMME A DIME "I ONLY GOT EIGHT"!!!!!!
New Orleans Nightcrawlers - Heavy Henry:
Stooges Brass Band - Where You From?
Dirty Dozen Brass Band - Dead Dog In The Street
dirty dozen has been credited by most for being the first to use the sousaphone in the role of the electric bass to create "funky" brass band music. started out in the early eighties in a music program led by trad jazz banjo legend Danny Barker.
those are all a little left field, though. these are a couple perennial crowd-pleasers. every single brass band in town plays these songs. guaranteed to be rocked at any second line:
Knock With Me - Rock With Me - Lil Rascals Brass Band
Cassanova - Rebirth Brass Band
GIMME A DIME "I ONLY GOT EIGHT"!!!!!!
I don't know about that as being accurate. I mean, I get how Dirty Dozen innovated but to say that they created "funky" brass band music within that process is all kinds of faulty. For instance, that Olympia record from '74 definitely has its funky moments. And I grew up during that same time period watching (Southern U., St. Aug, West Jeff, Ehret, McDonough 35, etc.) and later playing in school bands (Holy Cross) that would play extremely funky stuff, even just their cadences, that was carried by the combo of bass drum, snare drum, and tuba (I'm not about to start calling it a sousaphone. Sousaphone Fats? I think not.) Plus your theory if true would shoot to shit my own theory that the tuba bassline from Fess's Big Chief laid the groundwork for basslines to be later used by James Brown and the rest of the larger funk pantheon. In other words...which came first, the chicken or the egg?
I don't know about that as being accurate. I mean, I get how Dirty Dozen innovated but to say that they created "funky" brass band music within that process is all kinds of faulty. For instance, that Olympia record from '74 definitely has its funky moments. And I grew up during that same time period watching (Southern U., St. Aug, West Jeff, Ehret, McDonough 35, etc.) and later playing in school bands (Holy Cross) that would play extremely funky stuff, even just their cadences, that was carried by the combo of bass drum, snare drum, and tuba (I'm not about to start calling it a sousaphone. Sousaphone Fats? I think not.) Plus your theory if true would shoot to shit my own theory that the tuba bassline from Fess's Big Chief laid the groundwork for basslines to be later used by James Brown and the rest of the larger funk pantheon. In other words...which came first, the chicken or the egg?
ok, should've been more clear. it wasn't that Dirty Dozen was the first to include "funky" tuba lines - I've got that same Olympia record and cosine on what you said about it. Also true that school marchings bands were playing the funk starting in the early 70s (maybe even late 60s).
What I meant though was that Dirty Dozen was the first to popularize the modern brass band style that was picked up on by Rebirth, Hot 8, and millions of others. This was characterized by playing FUNK music, R&B, but with the tuba in the role of the e-bass & separate snare & bass drummers instead of a trap kit.
Olympia can be seen as sort of a proto-idea of this, imo, but they were still playing jazz tunes, albeit with a funkier bottom than their predecessors. I know that seems like it's getting a little too genre-nitpicking, but from what I've heard & read it seems like it really was an important distinction at the time when Dirty Dozen hit the scene and started playing POP tunes. They were recognized as doing something new.
I don't know about that as being accurate. I mean, I get how Dirty Dozen innovated but to say that they created "funky" brass band music within that process is all kinds of faulty. For instance, that Olympia record from '74 definitely has its funky moments. And I grew up during that same time period watching (Southern U., St. Aug, West Jeff, Ehret, McDonough 35, etc.) and later playing in school bands (Holy Cross) that would play extremely funky stuff, even just their cadences, that was carried by the combo of bass drum, snare drum, and tuba (I'm not about to start calling it a sousaphone. Sousaphone Fats? I think not.) Plus your theory if true would shoot to shit my own theory that the tuba bassline from Fess's Big Chief laid the groundwork for basslines to be later used by James Brown and the rest of the larger funk pantheon. In other words...which came first, the chicken or the egg?
ok, should've been more clear. it wasn't that Dirty Dozen was the first to include "funky" tuba lines - I've got that same Olympia record and cosine on what you said about it. Also true that school marchings bands were playing the funk starting in the early 70s (maybe even late 60s).
What I meant though was that Dirty Dozen was the first to popularize the modern brass band style that was picked up on by Rebirth, Hot 8, and millions of others. This was characterized by playing FUNK music, R&B, but with the tuba in the role of the e-bass & separate snare & bass drummers instead of a trap kit.
Olympia can be seen as sort of a proto-idea of this, imo, but they were still playing jazz tunes, albeit with a funkier bottom than their predecessors. I know that seems like it's getting a little too genre-nitpicking, but from what I've heard & read it seems like it really was an important distinction at the time when Dirty Dozen hit the scene and started playing POP tunes. They were recognized as doing something new.
Okay, yes...I can get with that completely. I know the Rebirth dudes look up to Dirty Dozen like gods. And whatever led to Do It Fluid becoming a brass band standard gets a big hearty cosign from me.
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