How to best teach music through tuba

[tubanh84]

Maybe this is less of an issue than it seems because most kids come to tuba from other instruments, but I've had the experience enough that I think it warrants some discussion.

I have in the past had students who were musical novices and were learning the tuba. By novice I mean couldn't read music at all. They could learn what buttons to push in response to what they saw on the page, but they had no idea why they were doing it, what the notes were, or what the theory was behind them. The lesson books always had cursory explanations, but they never seemed to do the trick.

I did my best with it, trying to create my own music theory exercises for them, and discussing it during lessons. But it was only sort of helpful. More pointedly, it was not anywhere near as fluid as when I learned to read music when I started taking piano lessons. Nor is it as fluid as my daughter learning music while learning violin.

One issue is that the student's playing necessarily has to be behind their understanding of theory for the beginning. The first note they play is likely a Bb. So right off the bat, they're dealing with flats in the key signature and ledger lines. And we're off to the races. And explaining why Cb is a B without the student knowing the keyboard is equally tough. Visualizing a half step vs whole step without the visual aid of a keyboard is much harder. And while you can hear it, most students don't have that sort of ear yet.

One solution to this is having the student buy a theory book from a piano lesson book series and treating the student like a piano student in that way. Added bonus, they will learn the keyboard as well. Another is to start kids off on C tubas, so they can play in C and develop from there. But that won't help in band class, where the music is almost always in a flat key.

Has anyone run into a tuba method that adequately deals with theory? Or a band instrument method that has a theory exercise book connected to it?

[BopEuph]

I always felt the beginning band books were the best start for this. Books like Accent on Accent on Achievement, Standard of Excellence and Essential Elements do a decent job. They all do basic theory, of course; like key signatures, time signatures, and basic music terminology, but it's a good start for the first few months of learning tuba.

Incidentally, one or two of these methods start the learning on D. Apparently it's a good compromise between the different instruments in the band as a first note. But I think they all have inserts to start on low Bb.

Generally, once the student can play the whole B-flat major scale from the book, that's when I introduce my own daily routine, and start them with a few long tone exercises. Seems very successful.

If you're looking for a more theory-centric method for tuba, I don't think one exists. For my jazz bass students, where theory takes on a much higher role in performance, once their technique is at a certain place, I actually have them get a theory textbook (like Practice of Harmony).

[lost]

Music theory is in itself a whole different topic than performance. Yes they are related. As a teacher in the past, you give them just enough to help them succeed. If they are in it to win it they will ask about the theory and the why's. Too much and it turns some off.

I agree the lesson books give them enough of what they need. Remember the most successful musicians who make the most money probably can't tell you what intervals make up a major scale.

[Jperry1466]

Maybe this is less of an issue than it seems because most kids come to tuba from other instruments...

One issue is that the student's playing necessarily has to be behind their understanding of theory for the beginning. The first note they play is likely a Bb. So right off the bat, they're dealing with flats in the key signature and ledger lines...

Has anyone run into a tuba method that adequately deals with theory? Or a band instrument method that has a theory exercise book connected to it?

I had a great many students who were smart and talented kids but couldn't get a really good sound or have much range on their beginning instrument that converted successfully to tuba and euphonium. Many trumpet players who were obviously intelligent but had a poor sound or no upper range became some of my best and most beautiful sounding euphoniums. My own conversion from baritone to tuba was just a matter of finding the right fit.

Late in my 33 year band directing career, I got tired of constantly reminding low brass about A and E natural and 2nd valves, I wrote my own beginner low brass method (we had separate classes by instrument) and started with just ABCDEFG - no flats or sharps. Once they learned those and their fingerings on whole notes, I moved them to half notes and quarter notes, all while getting good sounds. Then I started introducing accidentals and then key signatures. As they moved through the middle and high school programs, the struggle with key signatures went away. Having been retired for 14 years now, I no longer have those lessons, and I'm sure my successor threw them away, but they worked for me.