Guide to the tuba, June 2017 by Aaron Hynds

A Composer’s Guide to the Tuba (June 2017) Aaron Hynds hyndsa@gmail.com

Any further questions may be sent to the email address above.

Instrument Choice • Tubas come in two basic sizes: Bass and Contrabass o Contrabass tubas are the bigger of the two classifications. Within larger ensembles (wind ensembles, orchestras, etc…), they are the preferred instrument, although they can still be used as effective solo instruments. These tubas have a weightier and broader sound, and come in the keys of CC and BBb. In the United States, most college-aged and professional tubists prefer the CC tuba, although a limited use of the BBb tuba can be seen (especially within the last few years). The BBb tuba has a rather unfortunate reputation in this country of being the “beginner” or “band” instrument, while the CC tuba is more legitimate. This is only true insofar as a vast number of professionals prefer the CC over the BBb, but in actuality, the BBb tuba is just as capable as the CC tuba. o Bass tubas are smaller than contrabass tubas, and are used more for solo repertoire and ensemble works that require a lighter timbre. These instruments enable the tubist to more comfortably negotiate the higher range of the instrument, at the cost of an occasionally unstable lower range. Most importantly, bass tubas do not make the high range of the tuba easier, but rather places those higher notes at a lower, more secure position in the tuba’s harmonic series. Bass tubas come in the keys of Eb and F. The majority of the solo tuba repertoire is played on the bass tuba. It is pretty safe to say that the majority of bass tubists throughout the world prefer the F tuba, with a noticeable drop in the number of those that play the Eb tuba. This is similar to the separation of CC vs. BBb tubas—the Eb tuba is just as capable as the F

tuba, but for historical and cultural reasons, the F tuba has become the preferred instrument. § One variation to be aware of is the use of compensating Eb tubas. Compensating tubas have an extra set of tubing on the 1st through 3rd valves, which is only activated when the fourth valve is pressed down. The fourth valve lowers the instrument a perfect fourth, as in normal usage, but the extra tubing in the 1st-3rd valves allows for the pedal range of the instrument to play in tune chromatically down to the fundamental pitch. With a four valve non-compensating instrument, this is not possible (because of the slight differences that each valve adds to the tuning of the instrument, the low range of the tuba tends to become progressively sharper, as valves are added). Noncompensating instrument get around this by generally having 5 to 6 valves, allowing for more choice in regards to proper tuning. The compensating system is typically seen on the Bb euphonium (where it is standard), and the Eb tuba (where it is quite common, but not the clear standard). Thus, if you write a work that involves notating individual valves and you write for 5 valves, just know that you might exclude some Eb tuba players. o [I personally use BBb, CC, and Eb tubas, as well as a euphonium. I generally pick the CC or Eb tubas for solo works, and use the BBb for more experimental works. My Eb tuba is a 4 valve compensating instrument, as described above, while my CC tuba has 5 valves.]

Range • The tuba has an extremely wide range, with some players being able to play across 5 octaves. o The average advanced/professional tubist will usually have a usable 4 octave range. § The limiting factor will most likely be the tubist’s high range, with some players having a more secure, extensive high range than others. • This can be considered the widest range for many beginner/intermediate tubists:

• As noted above, an advanced-level tubist will generally have a much wider range. The following can be considered a good representative range for a professional tubist, with notes above and below also being possible (not counting “special effect” note likes high squeaks and low, pitchless pedal tones). When using the extreme ends of the range, some care must be taken to not overly-exert the tubist, unless that is the intended effect. Notes above and below these extreme ranges often start to sound strained or “airy”, and this can be used to great effect in a work.

• If you write an extensive passage above the A in the bass clef staff (just to pick a representative note), it is possible to tire out the tubist’s chops. This can be an interesting effect, but just be aware that a lot of tubists might be weary of playing your work if that’s the case!

Breathing • Playing the tuba requires one of the highest amounts of air among conventional woodwind and brass instruments. Because of this, tubists often require an ample number of opportunities to breathe when playing a piece of music. o Tubists learn in the course of their studies to breathe wherever necessary, and are accustomed to plotting out the breathing points in a work to maximize the use of air (in other words, we’re used to figuring out how not to hyperventilate while playing a piece of music!)

o Ample air is required for the entire range of the instrument, but most especially in the extremes of the range § Low range notes need a steady, thick stream of air in order to support the larger vibrations required to make a full sound, and high range notes rely on a fast and focused stream of air to keep the lips buzzing at a high speed. § Contrary to common belief, softer sounds often require just as much air as louder sounds—at softer dynamics, a steady stream of air is required to keep the buzz stable. § In many instances, the tubist must gradually increase the amount of air being expelled over time in order to keep the dynamic of a note or sound at the same level, especially when crescendoing. This is due in part to the way that the lungs deal with exhalation; as air is expelled, the brain slowly signals the lungs to decrease the amount of air being exhaled, in order to preserve the amount of air that the body can use. This instinct must be bypassed in order to keep the sound at a stable level. o It is possible for the tubist to circular breathe, but it is not a particularly common skill. That being said, it does appear to be more common than in the past (due in no small part to the general advancement in playing ability from generation to generation). Because of the high-volume air stream needed to play the tuba, circular breathes have to be taken more often than on smaller instruments. In addition, the large amount of air needed with each breathe makes circular breathing on the tuba a somewhat noisy affair.

Articulation • Like every other brass instrument, the tuba can utilize a large number of different types of articulations. • Rapid passages can be articulated with a mix of single, double and triple tonguing. o Double tonguing uses the syllable shapes “da-ga”, “dih-gih”, or “ta-ka.”

o Triple tonguing uses the syllables “di-gi-duh” or “di-di-guh”, based on the preference of the performer. • The diligent tubist will learn a wide variety of articulations, so it is possible to utilize more than just the standard types of articulation (staccato, legato, tenuto, etc…). • A type of “doodle tongue” effect can be used to provide a rapid articulated sound, especially on sustained notes. This effect requires the tubist to move the tongue back and forth rapidly, often without any sort of stable rhythmic structure.

Extended techniques • Multiphonics o Although the term mean something quite different to other instrumentalists, brass players understand the term “multiphonics” to denote the technique in which one note is buzzed and another note is sung (or more accurately, hummed) at the same time through the instrument. For the rest of this document, the term “multiphonics” will be used to refer to this specific technique. o There is another type of “multiphonics,” in which the embouchure is slackened and otherwise distorted to create a buzz at multiple frequencies. These are also referred to as “split tones”, and will be discussed in the next section. o Humming a note written below a played note is somewhat more difficult than humming above the buzzed note. § This does not mean that the hummed note cannot be written below the buzzed note, if that is really the desired effect. It just means that this type of multiphonic must generally be approached with care—if you want a lower sung multiphonic, it might work best to ask the tubist first to check out the two notes, and decide if it will be feasible within the context of the passage. o Multiphonics that span an octave or more between the buzzed and sung notes tend to sound clearer, while closer harmonics sound more turbulent and with a greater amount of difference tones. o Closely-voiced multiphonics create a wide range of difference tones and audible beating sounds, and can lead to a much more complex auditory result (a soundworld that can be exploited for a variety of interesting effects). o The performed volume of the hummed portion of multiphonics must be produced at a much higher volume than the buzzed tone in order to

achieve an equal external volume between the two sounds; the hummed notes are deadened by the embouchure structure on its way into the horn, which means that the tubist has to compensate with the hummed dynamics to achieve an equal volume level. o Multiphonics are often (but not exclusively) notated with solid note heads for buzzed notes and X-head (or hollow) notes for hummed parts. (Ex. 1) Other notations may be used, as long as the division between sung and buzzed notes is clear.

Ex. 1

• Split tones o Like all brass instruments, the tuba is capable of producing split tones. To produce this effect, the tubist manipulates the embouchure in order to cause the lips to buzz at multiple frequencies, creating what is colloquially called a “double buzz.” The secondary note that is buzzed is often the partial directly below the primary note being produced, unless a noisier, less stable split tone is being performed. o In the normal usage of split tones, the embouchure distortions result in the sounding of two adjacent partials (for example, a split tone on the open fingering of the 4th partial of the CC tuba would result in a C and G split tone). o Unless the tubist is well-practiced in the technique, it can take a very small bit of adjustment time to produce the desired split tone. o One common designation for split tones is to specify the harmonic series (fingering) and partials to be split—a 3:2 split on the first valve

of the CC tuba would thus result in a split tone between the F and Bb below the bass clef staff. This can be seen below:

o Performing split tones on the narrower partials of the tuba (particular the 7th-12th partials) tends to be a little less stable, but they are still completely achievable. o In traditional pedagogy, the production of split tones and other embouchure distortions is generally seen as a negative trait to be eliminated. As such, many (if not the vast majority of) tubists will not be practiced in such techniques. In some rare cases, it is even possible to run into a tubist that actively avoids such techniques, and either will not perform them or will do so only hesitantly. One can hope that this trend changes as the repertoire and culture around the instrument advances, but that is simply the way things are at the current time. • Embouchure distortions o The embouchure can be manipulated to create different sonic effects. o Although these techniques are fair game, a modicum of care has to be taken to not damage the tubist’s lips. Here are a few examples: § Overtightening of the embouchure can cause the sound to become “pinched” or “tight,” resulting in a diminishment of the lower harmonics of the buzzed note. • When done to the extreme, this technique can be considered akin to the technique of overpressure bowing on string instruments. Varying the air in this case is analogous to varying the bow movement speed and the lip pressure is similar to pressure on the string.

§ Conversely, the embouchure can be relaxed beyond normal playing tension, causing the buzz to fragment and create variable split tones around an ambiguous pitch center. • A similar technique requires using an exaggerated over-orunder-bite to further distort the embouchure. This results in a strained, noisy sound in the higher range of the horn. § By varying the amount of tightening and loosening of the embouchure, it is possible to create a smooth transition between focused and noisy sounds. § The tubist (along with every other brass musician) can lip notes away from their natural position. On the tuba, it is often easier to lip notes down than to lip them up, especially in the lower range. In the lower partials of the instrument, one can often lip notes as far as a minor third. § As with all other brass instruments, the lips can be buzzed while inhaling (referred to as ingressive buzzing). On the tuba, it is difficult to perform ingressive buzzing in the lower range of the horn. However, this is a very effective technique for making a higher, raspy air sounds through the instrument, with just a hint of a buzzed note sound. • Speech effects o The tuba is an effective amplifier for the voice. § When singing or making vocal sounds through the instrument, a number of harmonic shadings can be given to the sound by manipulating the valves (opening and closing valves, either completely or partially). § Because of the acoustical qualities of the instrument, some notes will speak better than others when sung or hummed through the instrument. Unfortunately, this varies from instrument to instrument

(and even between different examples of the same model of tuba), so there isn’t a steadfast rule on what sung pitches work well. § Having the tubist speak while playing can create a fairly noisy and distorted hybrid of vocal and buzzed sounds; this is especially effective when the vocal and buzzed sounds are kept in the same general range. (Ex. 2) § Since tubists have to move large quantities of air while playing their instrument, most performers naturally have the ability to create a large number of wind and air sounds. • Examples of these types of sounds include a sharp air attack (commonly notated with a syllable, such as “sh” or “ch”), a consistent wind-blowing effect, breathing through the instrument, and sudden inhaled gasps. • The oral cavity may be used to create a number of sounds through and outside of the instrument, mainly by using different phonemes from the International Phonetic Alphabet (examples include the “sh”, guttural “ch”, “k” “t” and “(e)f” sounds.

Ex. 2

o Besides singing, the tuba is also an effective amplifier of other sounds created with the mouth, lungs, and lips, including the following: § An explosive clucking (inhaling while pressing tongue against the roof of the mouth, then releasing the tongue suddenly). § Pressing the tongue forward against the lips to disrupt the buzz. Physically altering the location of the buzz inside the mouthpiece. § Rapidly plugging the opening of the lips with the tongue (“tongue slap/ram”). This can be performed as both an exhaled and ingressive sound. § Varying the oral cavity shape to produce different harmonics with blown air or sung pitches (similar to how Tuvan throat singers vary pitch and harmonics). § Whistling sounds (because of the physics of whistling, this is incredibly difficult to perform when the lips are sealed against a mouthpiece). • Percussive sounds o The valves on a tuba can be used to make rhythmic or arrhythmic percussive

sounds. § Tubas use one of two different types of valves: pistons or rotors.

Pistons tend to have a dense and more defined attack, while rotors create a more complicated and mechanical sound when manipulated. o The different parts of the instrument can be struck to create a variety of

sounds § Striking the bell creates a hollow, louder sound, while striking the

upper or lower parts of the body of the instrument will sound considerably deadened in comparison. § If you have the tubist strike different parts of the instrument, care

must be taken to insure that they are able to keep a strong and secure hold of the instrument while doing so.

§ At the same time, it is possible to dent or damage a horn from hitting

it too hard, so the dynamics of the percussive part need to be considered. • Amplification o There are several different approaches to amplifying a tuba. § One amplification method is to hang a dynamic mic inside of the bell. The resulting sound is fairly harsh, but very effective, especially if the tuba sound is being distorted or modulated. • One consideration to keep in mind is that any microphone hanging inside the instrument will need to be wrapped in some sort of padding material, in order to avoid denting the instrument or damaging the microphone. § Clip on microphones work very well in amplifying the tuba, provided the clip is large enough to be attached to the bell rim. § A condenser or other stereo microphone works very well when attached to a stand and pointed at the bell, preferably from 1 or 2 feet away • As is sometimes the case with other high SPL instruments, pointing to the side of center in relation to the bell opening usually gets the best sound. § Contact microphones can be utilized by taping them to the body of the instrument. The only potential drawback (or positive feature) is the fact that the tuba creates a large amount of mechanical noise when being used, and this noise will be easily picked up by a contact mic. § When a cleaner sound is desired, it is preferable to use a microphone with a frequency response that reaches down to 20 Hz, in order to pick up the majority of the bass frequencies found in the tuba tone.

• Microtonality o There are two general ways in which a tubist can play with microtones: lipping notes flat with the embouchure, or using alternate fingerings § Lipping notes down is relatively easy to do, and the middle and lower ranges can be lipped down one half to a whole step flat • The higher range is significantly harder to lip down, while the lower range can be lipped down even flatter § Alternatively, you can instruct the tubist to use alternate fingerings for the note that you want to play adjust microtonally • This can be easily accomplished by finding the same note in a higher location on a lower harmonic series • Other effects o If you instruct the tubist to remove certain tuning slides, a noisy, buzzing sound can be achieved when depressing the corresponding valves and buzzing through the instrument normally. o Tonal shadings can be created by using alternate fingerings. These fingerings are dependent on the key of tuba being used, so knowledge of the specific key of the intended instrument is necessary. (Ex. 3-this example was written for the F tuba). If you ask for a certain microtone, though, most tubists will be able to find a suitable alternate fingering, regardless of instrument key. o Notes can be played with the valves only a fraction open, creating a hollow, airy sound. Alternating between fully closed and fractionallyopen valves creates a slight tremolo effect. o Glissandos can be created by pressing all of the valves down, and slurring through the harmonic series. (Ex. 4)

Ex. 3

Ex. 4

The following resources were referenced while compiling this document, and I would like to thank the authors of these documents for their work and contributions to the tuba literature:

Dissertations/Research

Kiser, Brian. A lecture recital of ten pivotal works utilizing multi-phonics for unaccompanied tuba determined through survey and analysis. May 2006, Indiana University. Larson, Andrew. Investigating â&#x20AC;&#x153;Experimentalismâ&#x20AC;?: A Case Study of the Tuba and its Repertoire. May 2013, Louisiana State University, (available freely online). Piper, Jonathan, and Brian Griffeath-Loeb. Tuba Performance Catalog. Self-published, 2008. Randolph, David. New techniques in the avant-garde repertoire for solo tuba. 1977, University of Rochester, (available freely online).

Books

Bevan, Clifford. The Tuba Family. New York: Scribner, 1978. Buquet, Gérard. Le Tuba Contemporain: Nouvelles techniques de jeu appliquées au Tuba. Villiers-sur-Marne, France: Editions Ambrioso, 1992. Cummings, Barton. The Contemporary Tuba. Cimarron Press (Salem, CT: 1984). [Author’s note: this is, all things considered, a fairly outdated and insufficient resource!] Dempster, Stuart. The Modern Trombone: A Definition of Its Idioms. University of California Press (Berkeley, CA: 1979).

Representative Works Baker, Claude. Omaggi e Fantasie. Birtwistle, Harrison. The Cry of Anubis. Cage, John. Solo for Tuba in B-Flat (F). Feldman, Morton. Durations III. Harvey, Jonathan. Lightness and Weight. Harvey, Jonathan. Still. Kraft, William. Encounters II. Lachenmann, Helmut. Harmonica. Láng, István. Aria di Coloratura. Lang, David. Are You Experienced? Lippe, Cort. Music for Tuba and Computer. Lippe, Cort. Solo Tuba Music. Mahnkopf, Claus-Steffen. Hommage à Brian Ferneyhough. McLean, Priscilla. Beyond the Horizon III. Nono, Luigi. Post-Prae-Ludium ‘per Donau’. Penderecki, Krzysztof. Capriccio. Penn, William. Three Essays. Poore, Melvyn. Vox Superius. Powell, Morgan. Transitions. Reck, David. Five Studies for Tuba Alone. Schuller, Gunther. Tuba Concerto No. 2. Stevens, John. Salve Venere, Salve Marte. Szalonek, Witold. Piernikiana. Ustvolskaya, Galina. Composition No. 1, “Dona Nobis Pacem”. Witkin, Beatrice. Breath and Sounds. Xenakis, Iannis. Linaia-Agon.

New Works for Consideration Aguilar, Moses. The Restless Commemoration of Marble. Chin, Hong-Da. Berserker. Chorev, Yoav. Pag. Deyoe, Nicholas. 19 E. Main St., Alhambra, CA 91801. Fulton, Ruby. Breathe. Griffeath-Loeb, Brian. Crapiccio. Isaacson, Kurt. abscess. Johnson, Evan. Rückenfigur. Kourliandski, Dmitri. Tube space. McCausland, Doug. Alone on Repeat. Miyasaki, Ariane. Hindsight. Rice, Carter John. Code Fragments. Roy, Élise. Digestion of Memory. Schwartz, Laura. Left Out. Sdraulig, Charlie. category. Tucker, Colin. center unmoored in the presence of infinite fringes. Weber, Monte. Colossus.

[Author’s note: The score excerpts included in this document are used under the guidelines for Fair Use, as outlined in the Copyright Act of 1976. If the copyright holder(s) and/or composers of any of the compositions would like for their work to be removed from this document, please send an email to the address listed on the first page, and I will comply with that demand immediately.]