We were lucky to have a band. My problem was the music we played. My Junior year we got a new director who gave us good stuff that was not written for wind band. I got to play something other then ump pa.

CCC

Yep, us old guys have no idea what the kids are grooving to unless we also play the video games. I once lent a returning PTSD vet borrow a cello to learn on. All he wanted to play was the Mario Brothers' theme over and over again. Then they watch other people play the games on You Tube. The many ...

Ok, as a follow sax player, which one?

CCC

This is all way over my head!!!!

CCC

My arms are to short to reach the fourth valve.

CCC

You guys make me happy to not be good enough to be a pro. As a Classical guitarist I was used to playing all by myself. When I started playing with the other musical toys, I just continued to play them as if I was a soloist. Now that I get to play with others, we are just happy to play. I can and ...

I bought a tuba and hard case that grows green crud that holds the tuba to the cloth of the case. It looks like the same stuff found on copper pennies. I thought I had cleaned it out already but it's back. Comes off of the tuba easily but is imbedded into the fabric. Thus, it grows again. Ideas?

CCC

I do have other tubas, younger, upright, four valves in front, brass and silver, but this is my baby. The largest tuba at the Portland TC all these many years that I have owned her. 1934, 26-inch recording bell, 6/4 silver upright, 3 valves on top, 32 lbs. York. With her and my Elf costume, we get a ...

I would like to get a valve set rebuilt. Just a three-valve piston set off of a 6/4 York. We have our local Northwest gent in Seattle, But I have a problem with the wait time. I am an old fart. Would like to get it back before I am too weak to play it. Heck I might even die. I will give him a call ...

Mary Anne statement about mind set is very important. I come to music with a need. A need for what depends on where my head is at the time. It usually needs to unwind. I do not like having to prep music to play with others but like to jam with others. Prepping music is work. Like long tones it need ...

You could do the trick that ladies do when wearing their boyfriends big school ring. Wrap the problem area in yarn to fit and then apply several coats of fingernail polish.

The choice of colors is endless,

CCC

As to not being able to reach, I have had two moved.

I hate blasters, but it is not my place to say something. That is the director's. The Portland TC has both U of O AND OSU marching tubas attend. We give them both time up in front to play their fight song. That seems to satisfy the blasters. As to the flute players who play tuba for a day, some of ...

The follow up. Nice small group of less than fifty with a strong core of brass from the local adult wind band. Well ran. Beautiful theater, great acoustics. Great arrangements. Audience paid admission. I did just fine. I did not take away. And of course lots of pictures taken. Yes I will do it again.

Portland's TC usually plays one Hanika song, but as it was over with before this last performance, it was dropped to let the tuba studio from Oregon State to do a piece, led by Jatik Clark. Our local tuba hero. There are at least two pieces that I have never heard of in the music sent and those that ...

I have not played in a group where I needed to read new music since I started playing TC over twenty odd years ago. Now it is mostly memorized. I read charts or just adlib on the fly with the few small groups that I do play with. This Sunday, at the suggestion of my wife, I will join the "Salem Tuba ...

I am that old fat guy playing a 30 lb. BAT. I just played our TC here in Portland yesterday. I have a very active row at TC and need to put my BAT down and pick it up several times to help. My secret is a tuba stand. I never need to lift both my fat body and the Bat at the same time. I don't need to ...

just to bring this to the top.

CCC

Look up your local TubaChistmas. Get the book and the CD and learn the second tuba part. Fun way to get back in and to meet others.

CCC

So, if I am reading the response right, most of the tuba players also played string bass. Please clarify.

CCC

I guess I'm the right buyer then. As a short old fart who cannot reach the fourth valve on most piston front tubas I was overjoyed when I tried the Marzan solo. And i got it for a good price. I was really surprised to find myself playing "Stars and Stripes for Ever" when noodling at home. But the ...