I once lived in the woods in a bus big enough for me and my sousaphone. I lit the place with a Rayo kerosene lamp. They have a round wick and produce enough light to read by (when I was 25) and will take the chill off a room. It used a lot of kerosene. I bought jet fuel from the local airport which ...

Wow! I wonder how much current they draw -- like how many stand lights worth. A motorcycle one might just do the trick.

The previous conductor of the orchestra I play in had the orchestra play a scale in our instrument's home key after tuning at the start of rehearsal. First whole notes, then half notes, then quarters and so on. This produced some very interesting sounds. Conductor said, "listen to the harmonics ...

I think Bloke has a point here about octaves. I had not experienced the double buzz below bottom line G. That's where it starts. Open F below it is not a problem. As I said yesterday, the problem has cleared up some with a few days rest. And changing the bit angle also helped. So I think it's ...

Thank You Maryann. :clap:

I have wondered about the problems associated with playing the Mammoth on a stand. I believe you are correct. I believe I instinctively change the angle of the mouthpeice on the Eb horn as I play it on my lap or atop my leg. I can't do that with the Mammoth on the stand ...

Now that the last orchestra concert of the season is done I'm focusing on learning to play the Mammoth. Aside from learning where to sit behind it, I'm learning Bb fingering and most critical of all how to get a pleasing sound out of it. A major trouble is the dreaded double buzz when I get up into ...

Yes, jazz by its nature is not traditional. It evolves but people playing at less than an avant garde level are playing what came before. A famous example of that is Preservation Hall. They are stuck in a time and place. In contrast, Tuba Skinny has evolved and the idiom has evolved with them. So ...

I had a C trumpet with Amado water keys. I can't imagine why any trumpet player likes them. Particularly when cold, trumpets need blowing more often than a whale showing off for tourists, and sometimes you need to do it between phrases. My favorite water key is on an old Buescher with a trombone ...

@bloke et al, when I play bass behind a local rock band :tuba: , I listen to the vocalist and the lead guitar but it helps greatly if I have a chord chart for the changes. Sometimes I do and sometimes not. If not, I'm much more dependent on the vocalist.

This brings up an argument that came up in a ...

One of the many things I like about my present Martin Eb 4V is its weight at 14.bs.without mouthpeice. An extra 8-9 lbs for the Wilson is something to consider. I hope to play-test it in about 2 weeks if they haven't sold by then. That will tell if I feel up to hefting it repeatedly.

One of the many things I like about my Martin Eb 4V is its weight at 14.bs.without mouthpeice.
In contrast the Martin Mammoth 4V BBb weights about 32.5 with mouthpiece. That's with the recording bell.

The Mammoth is not something I will set upside down next to my chair when I have 32 bars out ...

There are times when buying an extra seat is worth the price. Besides, what's the freight upcharge for a tuba in a symphony case? My experience is the weight limit for baggage is 53 lbs, above which you pay $$. Delta (and others) charges you anyway if you admit to it being a bicycle. I once said ...

Now that is just more than a bit of alright!

I called that tune at a jam playing trumpet and the lead guitar vamped it in at about 140. I couldn't keep up especially the bridge. That's being played about that fast but maybe in a key that doesn't tie your finger in knots. I don't know what key Monk ...

Mighty Quinn has an Open Box Wilson 5V Eb in silver for sale. I can probably raise the money by the end of the month for that. It's tempting; their physical presence is near where I have to go anyway so I could play test it. Does anyone have playing experience with this horn?

In no particular order ...

I bought said horn with a recording bell. I want an upright bell for it. I sent an email to Wessex on their website but never heard back. I sent that based on information from this forum that their upright bell for their 6/4 horn would fit the Mammoth. Anyhow, I'd buy an upright bell new or used in ...

Thanks to Susawag and York-a-holic for your PMs. I would reply but I don't have enough posts yet to qualify. I'm interested in both your proposals/comments.

Tuba bass fell out of favor in swing bands after electronic recording became common about 1930 and they could mic a string bass. Stand-up basses do have a wonderful, resonant sound like a 6/4 (1.5) BBb and you can stand up on stage with one. Try that with a bell front BBb. I not only need a chair ...

To hold the pages down on the fold-up stand, I have used clothes pins mostly and if I need to spread more than three pages I use those carpenter's spring clamps with the orange ends taken off. They can extend the width on a Manhasset enough for one more page but I still have to use the clothes pins ...

Isn't the cheapest solution to the intonation problem to discard your tuner and purchase some earplugs?
:smilie8:
I tried that but the conductor has a limited sense of humor. I do have special custom earplugs for when I have to sit next to the Timpani. Got them from the VA medical center in ...

Regarding trad jazz, music styles come and go... I dropped into the trad jazz scene in the mid seventies, a time when some of the old timers had been playing when it was just jazz back in the 30s. Joe Venuti held court and played at a tavern near the University. We learned it from them but it was ...