Tuba&Euphonium BeginningTips

J.D.Salas,InstructorofTubaEuphoniumStudies StephenF.AustinStateUniversity FormingtheEmbouchure: 1. Lipstogetherasifsayingtheletterm 2. Firmcornersintoapuckeredsmile(watchfortension) 3. Blowasteady,centeredairstreamtocreateabuzz 4. Trytoplacemouthpieceascenteredaspossiblebutbeawareof studentsfacialfeatures(lips,jawstructure,etc.) 5. Reinforcebuzzpracticeinyourstudents CommonProblems&Solutions: a. smilingembouchure thisoftencreatesaquickfixtomanyrangeproblemsbut manyotherperformanceaspectswillsufferinthelongterm suchastone,endurance,andphysicaldamagetothe student. encouragethestudenttobringtheircornersdownwhich willinturnallowmorelipinthemouthpiececreatinga fullertone. b. airleaking thetubaeuphoniummouthpieceisquitelargefora beginning5thor6thgradestudentsopaycloseattentionthat afullsealiskeptonthemouthpieceatalltimes. beawarethatyourstudentsphysicalfeaturesarestill developingandissuessuchasoverbites,underbites,tooth problemswillhaveaneffectonthisissue.Youare

 Exercises

encouragedtoexperimentinfindingtheoptimalsolutionfor yourstudent. c. unfocusedairstream thisproblemisoftensignifiedbypuffedcheeks. agoodteachingconceptishavingthestudentfocusonthe aircomingoutthroughthebelloftheinstrumentinsteadof intothemouthpiece. Exercisessuchasspitdrills(seeexplanationofexercises below),mockberp,alongwithasteadyregimentof breathingexerciseswilldowondersforthisissue.

d. SpitDrills OpentheSpitValveonthemaintuningslideandholdit openusinga1binderclip.Youmightwanttouseapaper towelinbetweenthecliptoabsorbthecondensation.Work onlongtoneexercisesorotherdailyroutinematerials withtheclipinplace.Youwillexperiencethatafterafew momentsofplayingwiththeclipthatyourairflowand capacitywillexpandandonceyouremovetheclipachange willbenoticeableinthestudentstoneproduction. e. MockBerp Placeaflattoothpickinbetweentheshankofthe mouthpieceandthereceiver.Workonlongtoneexercisesor otherdailyroutinematerials.Thisisgenerallythesame conceptasthespitdrillbutwillamoredrasticeffect.

ImportantNotesforInstrumentPosition 1.Instrumentshouldalwayscometothestudent!!! 2.Watchfortensioninthestudentsbody tensioninholdingtheinstrument(thumbrest,hand,etc.) 3.Alwaysuseadditionalaidsforstudentsifnecessary Tripodsupportstandsfortuba Havethestudentsitonphonebooks

Considerstartingthestudentoneuphoniumandswitching totubaashe/shedevelops 4.Badinstrumentpositionwillleadtomanydifferentproblems Themostcommonproblemfrompoorinstrumentposition isanoffsetembouchure. PlayingBasics Startonacomfortablerangeforthestudent,whichisnormallyaround F2orBb2,andworkonexpandingtheirrangefromthere.Pleasebe awarethatmanybeginningbandmethodsstartondifferentnotes.Tryto findthebestoneforallofyourstudents. WorkingonaDailyRoutineof:BreathingExercises,LongTone,Lip Slurswillgreatlyimproveyourensemblestonequalityandmusicianship. Thisroutineneedonlybearound5to10minutesalternatingthefocal pointsdailytoavoidboringthestudents. Scalesareoneofthemostimportantcomponentsofmusic;andsadly, theyarealsooneofthemostavoided.Pleasetrytoencourageyour studentstotheirscalesandprovidesomepracticaluseinthebandclass. Also,donotlimityourscalepracticetothemostcommonbeginningband keyssuchasBb,F,andEb.Challengeyourstudentswithharderkeys.It hasbeenmyexperiencethatifyoudontinformyourstudentsthatB naturalorF#isahardkeythentheywillnotbeintimidatedbyit. Childrenarelikespongesatthatageandwillabsorbmorethanwegive themcredit. Toneproductionisoneofthemostfrustratingconceptstoexplainwhen dealingwithyoungmusicians;itmakesourdaysasteacherslongbutit drivesthestudentsparentscrazyaswerequireathomepractice.Oneoft hemostcommonissuesintoneproductionisthestudentnotopening uptocreateadarkermellowsound. AgoodteachingconceptisoneIcallFoggingtheMirror havethestudentblowwarmaironasectionoftheirtubaor euphonium.Thecondensationshouldcreateaslightfogon theinstrument(youmightalsoexplaintothemthatthisis thecondensationthatcollectsinthehornnotspit!) 3

havethestudentcreatethesameeffectthroughthemouthpiece. Thisaction,thoughnotnecessarywillconnecttheconceptof blowingwarmairtoblowingwithanopensound. oncethestudenthasworkedontheabovetwosteps,havethe studentplayanotewellinhis/hermostcomfortablerange withthiswarmairconcept.Ifallisdonecorrectly,there shouldbeamarkedimprovementinthestudentssound. Thenextchallengewillbegettingthestudentstosustainthis soundwithmoreair.

2007 - J.D. Salas