Brass Clinic

Developing Melodic Tubists

By Jason Bouchard

M iddle and high school tuba

players rarely understand
melody and phrasing as well as
other students. This is in part because
book on their first instrument. At that
point instruction usually involves giv-
ing the student a tuba, fingering chart,
and music and letting him teach him-
the tuba player starts from the begin-
ning. Other band members play new
music that teaches time, rhythm, keys,
melody, and form, but the tuba plays
most tuba players switch to tuba after self. The other students continue to the same general outline of root third,
completing at least one class method progress through the lesson book while and fifth common in bass patterns. This
is the nature of some styles, but if tuba
players only have these kinds of parts, it
is akin to a method book repeating the
same lesson numerous times.
The first time most tuba students
play a melodic piece is at ensemble
auditions. These performances may
have the right notes or rhythms, but
lack phrasing. This is not always
because the instrument is cumbersome
or the student did not practice enough,
but because tuba parts offer little prac-
tice for melodic phrasing, form, and
development. Changes to warmups
and programming can remedy this.
The first thing to focus on is playing
and writing scales, especially ones
beyond &>. It will be difficult at first,
but the benefits include an expanded
range and better reading. I like to teach
my high school groups through five
flats and five sharps in major and minor
keys. I write the scale on the board in
each instruments' key and ask the stu-
dents to write it down on a piece of
staff paper to keep in their folder. As
we play, they should only breathe every
four bars. This helps the tubas learn to
play phrases in one breath.
Too often tubas are relegated to
whole and half notes, so I like to use
varied rhythms for warm-ups with dif-
ferent scales, and frequently take both
from the music the band is rehearsing.
The whole note is part of the instru-
ment's repertoire, but heavily rhyth-
mic warmups will teach tuba students
to play eighth-note passages quickly.
In common time, play one whole
note, two half notes, four quarter
notes, eight eighth notes, twelve
eighth-note triplets, and sixteen six-
teenth notes. This can help rhythmic
accuracy and subdivision, something
tuba players rarely get an opportunity
to practice.
30 THE INSTRUMENTALIST /JUNE 2011
 Many directors use chorales in
-ry f\\7' Europe's fastest warmups, but it would be beneficial to
M\\J JL growing line of check the tuba parts. If the music is
written with only whole notes and half
instruments now notes with an occasional quarter note
or two, students will not learn much.
Look for chorales that give the tuba
section melodies or countermelodies.
Many of Bach's chorales have interest-
ing and varied bass lines, and James
Swearingen's chorales also give the
tubas some melodies.
Repertoire should have as much
variety as the warmup. I look for music
that develops and teaches all musi-
cians in the band, but this is some-
,,
times difficult to find for tuba players.
Once I have picked a program, I look
at all of the tuba parts to see if there is
enough variety. My college would
A V A I L A B L E E X C L U S I V E L Y FROM bring in a composers to conduct our
winter concert, and we would play
IWMCtCOM through 15 or 20 of their pieces before
deciding on a program, as the second
half of each concert would consist
entirely of pieces written and conduct-
Comments, Questions, Ideas ed by the guest composer.
During one of these reading sessions
We would love to hear from you. I found that the same rhythm and
notes appeared in the tuba parts for six
Email: editor@theinstrumentalist.com out of the 15 pieces. Even if a program
has different composers, the tuba parts
often look similar because there are
only so many variations of root, third,
and fifth. There are plenty of good
band works with interesting tuba parts,
and most schools are likely to have
some gems buried in their libraries. I
Exclusive China Music Tour have found some great pieces and
arrangements by composers, including
"You provided us some who are not well known.
a tour unmatched There are many good warmup and
in every aspect." etude books that can help tuba players.
The Rubank books are good for young
or new students. They provide not
only the scales, but 32 to 48-measure
Call now! 630-848-1910 etudes with melodies in different keys,
www.it;i-us.org • iiifo("'ii;a us.org
/£/«>/ Oiutlily C"'/>V\ \tiinc (iminun time signatures, and registers. The
Blazhevich and Marco Bordogni
etudes are great for high school or
advanced students. Blazhevich uses
These band geeks various types of articulations and
use ChopSuver, extreme ranges, and Bordogni contains
legato etudes that require great flexi-
shouldn't vou? bility, range, and air control.
The main problem tuba students
will have with these etudes is turning
the notes on the page into melodic
phrases and connecting these to cre-
ate a unified piece of music. The best
place to start is to have them identi-
fy the key signature, time signature,
and the highest and lowest notes in
the piece. Next the student should
read the first 16 measures. In this
reading they usually do not put the
 Band Works with Interesting Tuba Parts
Composer Title Grade
Holsinger, David Prairie Dances 3
Hoist, Gustav First Suite 4
Jager, Robert Third Suite 4
Jager, Robert Bold Venture 3
Jager, Robert Uncommon Valor 3
Jager, Robert Prelude on an Old Southern Hymn 4
McBeth, W. Francis Cacda 4
McBeth, W. Francis Cavata 3
McBeth, W. Francis Chant and ]ubilo 3
McBeth, W. Francis Estampie 3
McBeth, W. Francis Kaddish 4
McBeth, W. Francis Of Sailors and Whales 5
McBeth, W. Francis Reflections Past 3
Reed, Alfred Rushmore 3
Nelhybel, Vaclav Russian Chant and Dance 3
Smith, Robert The Swarm 2
Vaughan Williams, Ralph Sea Songs 3

rhythms and notes together into a simple formula. They generally play the
melodic idea. same pitches and rhythms even if the
After the first read students should melody changes. That type of music
identify the first four-measure phrase prevents them from seeing long phrases,
and the next four measure phrase and so when they play an etude or melody
how they relate. Then ask how those they view it as a series of notes with no
two phrases connect as an eight-meas- connection. Teaching them how to rec-
ure phrase and how that relates to the ognize phrases and form will help them
next eight-measure phrase. This helps see where the music starts and how to
the student see melodic relationships connect the beginning to the end.
that are less common in many band I show how the first note and the last
parts. Most of their music goes from note of the phrase is either the root,
whole note to whole note, quarter note third, or fifth of the scale to relate the
to quarter-note rest, or uses another melody to the harmony they frequently
play. Most players also miss the funda-
mental idea that the highest note in the
phrase is what the musical line builds to
and resolves from. They get side-
tracked by note intervals, rhythms, or
extreme ranges. Once they understand
these concepts they can play the 16-
measure phrase more musically.
Throughout this process, play along
with the student regularly. A low brass
instrument would be best because a
tuba, euphonium, or trombone would
also demonstrate a good sound. The
Jason Bouchard teaches instrumental next best thing is playing the parts on
music for the Enfield Public Schools. He a piano in the same octave as the tuba.
is the principal tuba player for the This gives students a better idea of the
Manchester Symphony Orchestra, a sound than playing the part on a high-
member of The Capital Winds, a er instrument.
CMEA low brass judge, and is a private With a collection of good tuba
tuba and euphonium instructor. Jason music, tuba sections should become
received his bachelor's in music education more interested, focused, and atten-
from Keene State College, a master's in tive. The music may seem too difficult
education in creative arts from Lesley at first, but over time the tubas will
University in Cambridge, Massachusets, learn parts more quickly, practice
and a sixth-year degree in educational more, and listen. They will see that
leadership from Central Connecticut you value their contribution and will
State University. work harder. D
JUNE 2011 / THE INSTRUMENTALIST 33