Blokespecial 186 in Action - Final Product Added

[Doc]

This is a sing-along track for choir members to record their individual parts. Hopefully, the final cut with choir added, plus another organ/brass piece we did, will be made available online.

The 186 was huge in this space. No need to step on the gas. The other piece begged for a bigger tuba, otherwise I would have played F tuba on both. As always, I am highly critical of my playing here, but the point of posting is to hopefully demonstrate that this is a superb instrument with a great sound.

Lord, Speak to Me

[matt g]

Nice playing!

I had plenty of concerts in my youth playing a 186 BBb and in college playing a 188 where those horns sounded absolutely huge on tape. There seems to be a very solid (and inherently in tune) core to these horns that makes them microphone-friendly.

Keep on enjoying that horn!

[Three Valves]

Looking mighty bone fide there...

[Doc]

Looking mighty bone fide there...

Don't get used to it.

But in self-defense, suit or no suit, I still bathe once a week.

[Doc]

Nice playing!

I had plenty of concerts in my youth playing a 186 BBb and in college playing a 188 where those horns sounded absolutely huge on tape. There seems to be a very solid (and inherently in tune) core to these horns that makes them microphone-friendly.

Keep on enjoying that horn!

They seem to record very well. I have some recordings with my 188 (when I was a snot-nosed college freshman) - I'm not sure about the player, but the horn sounds great.

[bloke]

great player with a good tuba

[KingTuba1241X]

Oh no Bill you stepped into this new Denney style signature..
Bill "I still bathe once a week (with soap)" Holt

Horn sounds good in context, which mouthpiece was that?

[Doc]

Oh no Bill you stepped into this new Denney style signature..
Bill "I still bathe once a week" Holt

Horn sounds good in context, which mouthpiece was that?

Sellmansberger Imperial with gold-kote #2 Profundo rim.

Hey, I even use soap!

[Stryk]

Sounds great!!

[Doc]

Sounds great!!

Thanks!

[prairieboy1]

great player with a good tuba

Very well played, Bill! Your horn sounds terrific!

[Doc]

great player with a good tuba

Very well played, Bill! Your horn sounds terrific!

Thanks! I've only been able to play it out of the house 3-4 times since I got it, and each time I'm increasingly impressed by it. Very thankful to have it, and thankful to have had the ability to work my tail off to get it. The only thing lacking is my ability to play it as well as I would prefer. But (a la @bloke ), it IS one of those tubas that makes me sound better than I have earned.

[prairieboy1]

I will respectfully disagree with you. After learning of your musical history and how hard you have worked to improve, you have more than earned that tuba. Good for you and keep it up.

[Doc]

I will respectfully disagree with you. After learning of your musical history and how hard you have worked to improve, you have more than earned that tuba. Good for you and keep it up.

You're too kind. It ain't what it used to be, but in some ways, that's a very good thing.

[Dan Tuba]

Nice Job!

[bloke]

Bill's a very fine player, and I take no credit for how well the tuba plays, nor how well he plays it.
I chose to fix that particular (formerly distressed) tuba back up and modernize it BECAUSE it plays well. (I did NOT take something that featured mediocre playing characteristics and add any sort of "magic" to it.)
That having been said, a smart player will do just as do Bill and I: They will seek out instruments that are so easy to play, that the effortlessness of using those instruments even approaches overcoming one's own limitations.

That having been said (as I attempt to do), one might also attempt to be smart enough to not hang on to every single instrument encountered that achieves that set of criteria (as - though somewhat rare - such instruments can be found, and too many can easily end up being owned), particularly when their uses begin to overlap too much.

Collectors gather things - of various genre - of historical, oddball, or particularly-fine-example-of interest.
Blue collar musicians (such as myself) view instruments as equipment. It's good to have plenty of equipment, but it can become burdensome to own too much - particularly when "maintaining complete familiarity with the operating procedures of each piece of equipment" begins to take time away from "accomplishing the tasks at hand". I view Bill as being the same type of instrument owner as am I.

[bort2.0]

That having been said (as I attempt to do), one might also attempt to be smart enough to not hang on to every single instrument encountered that achieves that set of criteria (as - though somewhat rare - such instruments can be found, and too many can easily end up being owned), particularly when their uses begin to overlap too much.

Collectors gather things - of various genre - of historical, oddball, or particularly-fine-example-of interest.
Blue collar musicians (such as myself) view instruments as equipment. It's good to have plenty of equipment, but it can become burdensome to own too much - particularly when "maintaining complete familiarity with the operating procedures of each piece of equipment" begins to take time away from "accomplishing the tasks at hand". I view Bill as being the same type of instrument owner as am I.

I really don't like collecting things -- it's just too much for my brain to accumulate things to "just have them" or to rarely use them. The thought of collecting something as large as tubas -- even if money were no object -- seems undesirable to me.

[bloke]

That having been said (as I attempt to do), one might also attempt to be smart enough to not hang on to every single instrument encountered that achieves that set of criteria (as - though somewhat rare - such instruments can be found, and too many can easily end up being owned), particularly when their uses begin to overlap too much.

Collectors gather things - of various genre - of historical, oddball, or particularly-fine-example-of interest.
Blue collar musicians (such as myself) view instruments as equipment. It's good to have plenty of equipment, but it can become burdensome to own too much - particularly when "maintaining complete familiarity with the operating procedures of each piece of equipment" begins to take time away from "accomplishing the tasks at hand". I view Bill as being the same type of instrument owner as am I.

I really don't like collecting things -- it's just too much for my brain to accumulate things to "just have them" or to rarely use them. The thought of collecting something as large as tubas -- even if money were no object -- seems undesirable to me.

Even with mouthpieces...
The only ones that I keep (not of my own design/manufacture) are a handful of SUPER-standard old-school ones (pro'lly both sizes of Conn Helleberg plus someone's Helleberg II knock-off, and possibly (??) an old MiraFone or two).
potential customer: "Hey bloke", how does a Sellmansberger Stupo-doopo mouthpiece compare to a PT-109...??"
bloke: "...uhh...??"
(clarification: I’m really not familiar with the specs/nomenclature/playing characteristics of very many other makers‘ mouthpieces.)

[Pauvog1]

This is a sing-along track for choir members to record their individual parts. Hopefully, the final cut with choir added, plus another organ/brass piece we did, will be made available online.

The 186 was huge in this space. No need to step on the gas. The other piece begged for a bigger tuba, otherwise I would have played F tuba on both. As always, I am highly critical of my playing here, but the point of posting is to hopefully demonstrate that this is a superb instrument with a great sound.

Lord, Speak to Me

Sounds awesome! Thank you for sharing!

[Doc]

Sounds awesome! Thank you for sharing!

Thanks!