Sousas,Contras,or Tubas?, Which is better?

[Bando]

Ok,In my opinion,tubas are the best for bothmarching and concert band.Contras have tuning issues,and sousas just wilt under the great ness of tubas.What do you guys think?

VOTE!

[bigbarisax]

i think sousas are best for marching because they are actually marching tubas, they just changed its shape so its easier to carry in marching band shows/parades

[Bando]

I disagree.And I found a really interesting quote from someone who has work with tubas since before any of us were even born.Read:


I've been playing for 26 years now (HS band, Drum Corps & professionally). Over the years I've played, or at least tried out a pretty big variety of 'bass' horns: crappy little Mienle-Weston convertibles; King & Conn 'phones (brass & 'glass); Olds valve/rotor contras; several different DEG/Dynasty 2 & 3 valve contras; King K-90 contras; Kanstul contras & 'contra grande'; Dynasty M875 & M880 marching tubas; Kanstul marching tuba; Yamaha YBB-202MWC marching tuba and various bell upright & bell forward concert & recording basses including Miraphone 186 4/U. I once even got to try an old helicon and an 1863 civil war era tuba.

Enough of a list for you? OK, quit with the kneeling at my feet. I'm not the tuba-god, I've just been playing longer than most of you guys have been alive.

First, you have to ask 'Which do you prefer' WHERE and what kind of group will be playing it? I mean, comparing concert horns with field horns is like comparing lemons & oranges. They're both more or less round, but there's a major difference when you bite into one.

For this discussion, lets stick with marching bands. So, concert tubas & recording basses win by default when played inside by an orchestra and/or concert band.

This brings it down to:
1. Convertible Tubas.
2. Sousaphones.
3. Marching Tubas/Contras. (same thing, different key)

-Convertible Tubas. These things are designed for 2 things: concert play & field play. To do that, makers had to compromise in both areas, meaning that they simply can't be the best at either. 'Nuff said.

-Sousaphones. Now here's a surprise for you, the Sousaphone was not designed as a marching horn! It was a concert horn. Here's a direct quote from Sousa from 1922, "...the Sousaphone received its name through a suggestion made by me to J.W. Pepper, the instrument manufacturer of Philadelphia, full 30 odd years ago. At that time, the United States Marine Band of Washington, D.C., of which I was conductor, used a BBb bass tuba of circular form known as a "Helicon". It was all right enough for street-parade work, but its tone was apt to shoot ahead too prominently and explosively to suite me for concert performances, so I spoke to Mr. Pepper relative to constructing a bass instrument in which the bell would turn upwards and be adjustable for concert purposes. He built one and, greatful to me for the suggestion, called it a Sousaphone. It was immediately taken up by other instrument makers, and is today manufactured in its greatest degree of perfection by the C.G. Conn Company..."

And, to quote from Wikipedia, "Contrary to popular belief, it was not initially developed as a marching instrument; the bellfront version did not debut until the mid-1920s. (The professional band Sousa started after leaving the Marines marched only once in its existence.)"

Last, from the Music Dictionary, under Sousaphone, "Sousa was happy enough with the sound of the helicon in a marching situation, but was looking for a mellower sound for his concert settings."

So there's the proof. The Sousaphone (upright bell) was designed and intended for use in a concert band. It had the sound that the greatest band leader of all time wanted for concert work. The 1920 bellfront version was simply a modification to change the direction of the sound, but did nothing to change the 'concert sound' itself.

Now, as concert horns don't have the range, projection, resonance or tone for good fieldwork or parades, and the sousaphone is a concert horn, it's outa here for marching band! Sorry guys. Keep your 'phones inside where they belong. Just as a side note, if you watch Disney's Fantasia, you'll see a sousaphone in their orchestra.

-Marching Tubas/Contras. True, non-convertible, marching tubas are the babies of the tuba family, age-wise if not size-wise. They are simply BBb versions of drum corps GG contras, which first came out in 1962 when Getzen built a few for Garfield and St. Ralphael's. Marching tubas were first built by CG Conn not too long after that. Now, since the marching tuba is just a BBb version of the contra, I'll just focus on the contra.

Drum corps bugles were never intended for anything other than to be clearly heard outside. They are designed for crisp, clear, high-volume projection, and the contra is no exception to that.

Over the years since the original valve/rotor Getzens, contras have grown enormously in size. Length, bell-size, bore... All have been increased over the old V/R's. The reasons for this are:

1. Deepen the tonal quality.
2. Increase the resonance.
3. Increase the projection.
4. Increase the max. volume before 'blasting'.

Contras can maintain their musical & tonal 'purity' at much higher volumes than any sousaphone, concert or recording bass. They can also project that sound over much longer distances due to a more tightly focused projection. That's what makes 'phones concert horns. Look at how much the bell flares (the difference between the over-all bell size, and where it mounts to the 'body' of the 'phone). That spreads the sound out at a much wider angle. You gain area coverage, but loose projection. (Think of a spray nozzle on a garden hose. On a 'fan/spray' setting, it flares out and covers alot of area, but lacks any 'oomph'. On a straight stream setting, it doesn't spread out much, put packs a punch where ever it's pointed.) That's the same as the contras. Off to the sides, you don't get a whole lot. But, stand in front of one, and it'll knock you on your butt! (Heck, on the field, we often have trouble hearing the contra player right next to us)

So, look at all this info on the horns. Contras & marching tubas have it hands down for marching band/drum corps. If you have any doubts at all, listen to The University of Wisconsin Marching Band with their 21 sousaphones UW Band , and then listen to Phantom Regiment (Brass 3, at bottom of page) Phantom with thier 12 contras.

[bigbarisax]

oh! gotcha!!