I’m such a big band nerd I’m studying it in college.
In high school I started off playing trumpet, then switched to trombone and euphonium. I played lead trombone in the top HS Jazz Band, played in orchestra and pit orchestra for the musical, and principal trombone with the Harrisburg Youth Symphony. For euph, I played in three town bands, HS band, and also made 1st chair in County, District, Region, and All-State bands in Pennsylvania, 2006.
I was also in marching band for 4 years.
And now, I’m studying music at the collegiate leve at Univ. of North Texas, which has an awesome euphonium studio (which is why I moved halfway across the country to go there).
I think I might be band nerd to the extreme.
My bio page for the UNT euph studio. Check out the “goals” section.
I have a working Conn Eb alto sax for sale. It was made in the 70’s, and is a student model, but of much better quality than the student models being put out these days. Comes with mouthpiece, a few reeds, moisture swab, and cork grease. I think I even have a basic book to learn from I could throw in!
$300?
Free Shipping!
To anyone interested, I’m also selling:
King 602 Cornet (excellent condition) - $125
CB by Getzen Large Bore (.547) tenor trombone (low-end professional level horn) - $350
That’s awesome! my high school band played in carnegie hall and the kennedy center. it was incredible. keep up the good work. good brass players are needed.
I was a Tenor/Bari sax player in HS and college… I was even drum major in marching band in HS one year.
My son rides, and he is a drummer… Hasn’t figured out how to combine them yet tho.
At a school in Reno there was a guy who played sousaphone (marching tuba) while riding a muni in their show this year. He also rode while playing sousaphone in a parade. They had him sometimes ride a giraffe during football games while playing…
IMHO, tube is pretty easy to play. Just as hard to master as any other brass isntrument, but learning to play tuba is pretty dang easy. There is hardly any variance in embouchure (how lips form on mouthpiece) placement due to the sheer size of the mouthpiece. Tubers are very hard to tune though, since the intonation problems of valved instruments are amplified due to the size of the tuba. Additionally, tubas require very little muscle to play, only the development of fine control of existing muscle. Trumpets and horns require fine control AND a lot more technique and sheer muscle in the lips. Having played both trumpet and tuba proficiently for some time, I can attest to this.
Fortunately for me, I chose a happy medium and stuck with euphonium. Plus, I just love the sweet, dark sound of a euphonium. It’s like dark chocolate.
If you’d like to hear some AMAZING euphonium playing, here is a link to Jamie Lipton, a DMA student at UNT, who I also happen to live with. She’s amazing, and won all three major euph competitions in the states in one fell swoop one summer. She also recently placed third in a major Japanese competition.
Take violin lessons here and there to make sure you’re using correct technique, fingering, etc. You can teach yourself a LOT, but to become proficient, almost everyone needs at least some guidance from a competant teacher on their instrument, even if they’re not regular lessons.
Well, I was never into school bands. I did play a little in middle school and high school and wasn’t into it. I am able to play drums, guitar and bass. I’m medicore at all of them at best…
I like Baritones and Euphoniums too. But I’ll stick with trumpet for now.