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unusual playing position

Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2005-09-24 15:36

Today I came across a brass band giving a free concert. I was quite surprised by their way to hold their tubas and euphoniums - they had them on their shoulders! (here's a pic: http://tinyurl.com/ao4rl)
Ever seen such a thing? (it sounded great, btw)

I know this is ever so slightly off-topic here, but many of you are playing in a band and may enlighten me a bit. And I didn't want to subscribe to yet another newsgroup just for that one info...

--
Ben

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Re: unusual playing position

Author: marcia
Date: 2005-09-24 16:15

I have seen this before but only in marching situations, not at sit down performances. Interesting!

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Re: unusual playing position

Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2005-09-24 16:28

Hmm. Marching bands aren't wildly popular here...
And those ensembles who actually do march use their traditional ensemble instruments, at least as far as I can remember.

--
Ben

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Re: unusual playing position

Author: dummer musiker
Date: 2005-09-24 16:47

Ive seen that position used all the time in Drum Corps.

"There are two means of refuge from the miseries of life: music and cats."

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Re: unusual playing position

Author: BobD
Date: 2005-09-24 16:51

Euphoniums....or "Mellophones" with bells pointing forward....No, I've never seen them that way but I guess it helps project the sound forward. In concert I guess they would point up. Tubas..Sousaphones look normal to me.

Bob Draznik

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Re: unusual playing position

Author: LarryBocaner ★2017
Date: 2005-09-25 00:36

'Marching brass" instruments like the ones in tictactux's picture are specifically made to be played w/bells forward, or over the shoulder in the case of tubas. They are not convertible to the upright position. They are made by King, Yamaha and a whole lot of other manufaturers.

Several years ago I played in several "Civil War" concerts, at least one led by Freddy Fennell. The brass, on loan from the Smithsonian's collection featured rear-facing bells. apparently to let the troops marching behind the band to better hear the music!

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Re: unusual playing position

Author: ClariBone
Date: 2005-09-25 16:57

I felt the need to reply to this topic, as I play several brass instruments in addition to clarinet and bassoon. In several situations, the tubas/euphoniums are asked to play with their bells facing forward. Marching band (high school through college and DCI) and outdoor stuff like the concert you witnessed. This is so the sound can go to the audience along with the trombones and trumpets (with no ceiling for the sound to "bounce off of" the sound would go unheard unless positioned above the tubas/euphoniums.). Hope this helped!!

Clayton

Edited for Spelling

Post Edited (2005-09-25 19:31)

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Re: unusual playing position

Author: sfalexi
Date: 2005-09-25 17:32

Not to mention, in a marching band configuration, it also looks a lot more "flashy". Kinda like when they take those cymbols and wiggle them endlessly to get the light reflecting off of them.

Alexi

US Army Japan Band

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Re: unusual playing position

Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2005-09-25 19:20

Clayton,

it certainly did help. Thank you all for your responses.

--
Ben

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Re: unusual playing position

Author: contragirl
Date: 2005-09-27 00:32

The tubas are called "convertables," in otherwords, you can use any concert tuba and "convert" it into an over the shoulder position with a different lead pipe. We used them in marching band, they play better, tune better, and project better than sousaphones.

Mellophones are still marching french horns. REAL mellophones are the piston french horns that point downward. What is really played today are called "mellophoniums," but they are referred to as mellophones. But they are different than euphoniums.

Real marching french horns look like mellophoniums but with a big round body of tubes. So it looks more like a french horn, that is played the same way as a trumpet with the bell facing forward and piston valves.

Those are just converted baritones (or euphoniums, if you will) and coverted tubas. Or I could all be wrong, and it could be drum and bugle corps style, and those are contrabasses and baritone bugles! (Today they have valves, but are still called bugles)

I played marching baritone in college, and I study interesting instruments.

--CG

Post Edited (2005-09-27 00:33)

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