[Dixielandjazz] Sousaphone (and other low pitch musical instruments)

[david richoux]

I have a replica "Saxhorn" (Over the Shoulder) Eb tuba that as made for 
me by Robb Stewart. There are two obvious problems with the design - in 
a concert setting you have to play facing away from the audience and 
the horn is awkward and a bit more fragile than the later 
tuba/helicon/sousaphone shapes. Also, when marching the bell end of the 
horn is a dangerous weapon when making turns!  There are still a lot of 
these old horns around and there are many groups that have formed to 
play them in period brass bands.

I would use this horn in a Civil War Era Recreation band (if there was 
one in the San Jose area) but it is obsolete for very good reasons. I 
also have a replica Serpent and a real Ophicleide but the sounds I can 
make with those beasts are not quite right for jazz (except as a 
novelty act ;-)

I play a variety of helicons, sousaphones and tubas from my small 
collection - depending on the gig: indoor or outdoor, amplified or not, 
mobile or stationary, how long will I be holding the horn, any 
particular "image" needed - all of that helps me determine what  kind 
(and pitch) of tuba I bring to the gig.

If you are interested in all low musical things I recommend a visit to 
http://contrabass.com/
and the SmartGroup http://www.smartgroups.com/groups/TubaEuph
Robb Stewart's website is 
http://www.vintagecornets.com/html/robb_stewart.htm
and a very good Saxhorn Band (but not the only one) 
http://www.dodworth.org/index.html

Dave Richoux


On Monday, Nov 17, 2003, at 05:10 US/Pacific, John Farrell wrote:

> Brian Wood's comment :
>
> "a sousaphone is really a tuba adapted for marching"
>
> reminded me of the time I went to Kentucky to hear Mr. Jack Daniels' 
> Silver
> Cornet Band - what a marvellously accomplished outfit they are! Also 
> on the
> same bill was a sizeable military band which wore Civil War uniforms 
> and
> replicated the music and instrumentation of the period (it was so long 
> ago
> that I can remember only one of the tunes they played - "Eating Goober
> Peas"). The bells of many of the larger brass instruments pointed 
> backwards,
> when the conductor explained that this was to enable the troops 
> marching
> behind to hear the music I thought "What a sensible idea" and wondered 
> why
> the backward facing bell was discontinued.
>
> Does anybody know?
>
> John Farrell
> http://homepages.tesco.net/~stridepiano/midifiles.htm
>
>
>
>
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