TubaJoe

Visit to Miraphone

I have played on a Miraphone tuba exclusively since 1992.  I have based my career on it and make my living on it.  I still exclusively play the one horn I have ever bought.  It's seen so much action... been ridden hard and put away wet, and still has so much character, flexibility and soul.

On Gato Loco's recent trip to Europe a couple of weeks ago, it was my extreme pleasure to get to visit and tour the Miraphone factory in Waldkraiburg, Germany, about an hour train ride outside of Munich, right in the heart of Bavaria.

It's a magical place full of magical people and magical instruments!

 

 

Upon arrival, I met Josef Eisgruber, a technician, artisan, and euphoniumist from the company.  He was incredibly enthusiastic about his job at Miraphone, and explained how the company is actually employee-owned and every stage of their horn production happens right there.  

Josef gave me a tour of every corner of the factory...
(click on each photo for a larger version, sorry some are a bit blurry, they are phone pictures) 

 

Assembly bench with 4/4, 5/4, and 6/4 tubas in final stages of production.

 

The assembly room.

 

Raw brass, from Germany, used for valve tubing.

 

Raw brass, from Germany, used in the larger parts of the horn.

 

More raw brass storage.

 

Bow jig/mold for the 4/4 C and Bb tubas.

 

Josef with the press that uses the molds.  A tenor horn mold is in there at the moment.

 

Bells of raw brass in an early stage of fabrication.

 

A worker hand fires and joins the edges of the raw brass to make a flugelhorn bell.

 

The bell is now made round by hand with a hammer and anvil.

 

This is used to further shape the bell (a mold, of sorts - this one is for a 3/4 tuba)

 

A worker further shapes a tuba bell.

 

A worker makes valves on this hi-precision lathe.

 

Miraphone makes all their valves in-house.  These are rotary valves for a tuba.

 

Rotary valve paddles.

 

Valve clusters for the popular 'Norwegian Star' Eb/F tuba.

 

Tubas ready for lacquer then assembly.

 

Giant dryer to dry the parts before lacquering begins.

 

More finish work.

 

Part of a horn is finished.

 

Complete horns awaiting assembly.

 

Horn assembly bench.  This guy (and a few others) were rocking some serious blaßmusik in the background while they worked! 

 

A beautiful new 188 (or "88" as they call it now) is almost complete.

 

Josef and the 88.  All that's left to be added is valve linkage.

 

Josef and I with the 88.

 

A bunch of horns, almost completed.

 

Finishing each detail.

 

Even more detail work.  I loved how this worker suspended the horn from the ceiling. 

 

Stockroom with horns awaiting shipment.

 

Naturally, I had to have them give my horn a tweak!  They replaced some parts of my valve linkage and tightened it all up -- I am guessing it is better now than it was when it was brand new!!!

 

Artisans working on my horn.

 

Amazing work!!  Many many thanks!!!!!

 

While there, I also spent a lot of time playing horns... I was SO giddy, like a kid in a candy shop, that I forgot to take pictures of the showroom -- I even forgot my mouthpiece when I was done!!  Wow, was I excited...!

I got a chance to meet and spend some time with their development manager Christian Niedermaier and I got a chance to play about a zillion different tubas.  I played every single CC they had in the showroom, as well as a couple of prototypes, including the new 6/4 York-style horn which is still in development.  (it was great, York-like, but still had a Miraphone soul)  I played a few F and BBb tubas as well.   The best tuba I played there (next to mine, of course!) was the new 5/4 "Bruckner" rotary CC.  It was actually one of the best CC tubas I've ever played.  I almost tried to buy it on the spot... It's absolutely outstanding. Another tuba of note was the good ol 88 (188) It still retains that old Miraphone soul!

That was a spectacular day and really was an honor for me.  I'll definitely be back!!   Thanks so much Miraphone!!!

 

 

Accord post #2 - Unboxing the Accord

The case came today. It arrived exactly on the day TNT shipping said it would. It was packed very well. It arrived at my door in NYC all the way from Pula, Croatia unscathed. Here is the box itself, along with my awesome helper, Fiona.

 

 

 

Here shows the good packing job.

 

 

The case (and Fiona)  Notice the Sudhaus latches.  

 

 

Accord Case company logo on the left, my design on the right (commissioned from Dima Drjuchin http://www.avrodesign.com/dima/)  The entire case is absolutely gorgeous, a work of art.  (it's gonna kill me when the airline handlers scuff it up for the first time!)

 

 

Interior of case -- note all the cushions.  These are modular and movable, they included extras and many various shapes.  The cushions are dense, but also lightweight.

 

 

My horn in the case.  The lid has a bit of play in it when open, so care must be taken when closing so that the lips of the case line up correctly.  

 

 

The Fiedler Backback System addon.  It is very comfortable and the horn at first try seems lighter than it does in the gigbag despite being 5-10lbs heavier, due to the better support of the backpack apparatus.  The entire backpack system is easily removable.  This whole case package is remarkably lightweight!

...I'll post more photos and info as I use it.

 

Accord post #1

I want to share a new case situation with you all... as well as a plunge I am taking!

For years I have searched for an optimal tuba case situation -- something similar to what almost every other non-tuba playing instrumentalist enjoys: a case that is usable on a day-to-day basis and is also protective. Constant dings, dents, and damage while-in-the-case is considered to be an expected inevitability for tuba players, especially ones who drag their horns around constantly, such as myself.

As of now, tuba players must rely on soft cases for day-to-day use, and then switch to an industrial bohemoth for more protected transport.

Players of other instruments, even large instruments, don't seem to have this issue, or at least as much of one.

Cello players for instance, enjoy superior portability versus protection while their instruments are exponentially more valuable and fragile. I have also noticed that many of my trumpet, trombone, and sax playing colleagues have form-fitting cases which are lightweight and ergonomic.

Most current tuba hard cases are simply too large for reasonable cartage, much less daily use, and pose major logistic challenges and consequences for the player.  The philosophy behind many of them is often one of excess and often downright ballistic in their design.

Protection of the horn is of course a good thing, but protection means little when practically unusable. I need a case that fits to what my personal logistic situation is - I haul the tuba most every single day to different locations, in a wide variety of transportation situations. I average 150 gigs a year, and that's not including rehearsals and giving lessons etc. This means I am dragging my horn with me constantly, and to venues which vary greatly. I often find myself in crowded, bustling situations where a gig bag is simply not enough protection. I require protection and maximum portability at the same time.

To add to this, I am playing more out of town lately, making the need for a better case situation paramount. I need a touring-quality case where I can reasonably go from an airplane to a train to a normal-sized car all within the same logistic sweep. I need a protective case which will easily pass through varying international airlines and airport situations. Before, I would use a standard flight case and take my empty gig bag along in a suitcase, then I'd have to beg people overseas in the city I was flying into to stow the flight case (and pick it up) while I traveled on with the horn in the gig bag via trains and cars.

I play a fairly standard tuba - an old Mirafone (Miraphone) 186 CC that I use for everything. I'm not really an F tuba fan, and a tiny travel tuba is out of the question for use in performance. For most of what I do, the 186 is perfect; not too big, not too small. I can dig deep and sound like a b.a.t., and I can make it sound light when I need to. Plus, I have played on this horn pretty much exclusively for 20 years. It fits me and I fit it. My relationship to this horn sort of akin to Willie Nelson and his guitar named Trigger.

In searching for a better case situation, I contacted some makers of fiberglass form-fitted cases for other wind instruments, and none were interested in making a tuba case.

I then ventured into the world of casemakers of other types of instruments. It seems that string players have the most options (probably due to sheer numbers of players) and have access to higher-tech materials such as carbon and kevlar.  I figured something had to work for me. Size-wise a tuba is around the same size as a cello, and as far as tubas go, my tuba is not all that heavy, weighing in at around 18lbs.

I sought out hi-end string case makers, and surprisingly found that one actually listed a new hi-tech tuba case. I had never heard of it, but it seemed like it might fit the bill.

The company is Accord Case from Pula, Croatia, right accross the Adriatic from Venice. They are primarily known for their ultra high-end cello cases (Yo Yo Ma and Rostrapovitch use them. Yo Yo Ma's cello is an $8M Stradavarius!) and guitar cases (Santana, Sting, Eddie Van Halen) and their carbon and Kevlar technology is so revolutionary that Ferrari used them to make seats for their F1 racecar.

I found the representatives at Accord to be incredibly responsive and professional and were more than happy to work with me and help to put together a case that fit my needs. We corresponded constantly for weeks, always with a prompt detailed response and no language barrier. I had to provide them with many detailed measurements, photos, as well as a full-sized concise tracing/blueprint of my horn which I shipped to Croatia in a box. In turn they provided me with photos of my case, as well as photos of their prototypes with horns in them, showing how it would work.

It seems that their design is made for something similar to a 186 and/or any German-style 4/4 CC or F. The case is not too much bigger than the tuba itself, and then the fine-tuning is made with adjustments are then made to the the suspension on the inside, which is designed to suspend the horn with a series of bumpers, pads and straps. (more details on this when I take delivery of the case)

My tuba weights about 18.5 lbs (it's unlaquered and fairly lightweight) and that's about just what the case is supposed to weigh as well. So, what I should have is a flight package that weighs UNDER 40lbs! (my previous setup is 98lbs, having it in a prosound crate case)

Here is a stock photo of someone standing on the demo case, demonstrating the rigidity of their flight model case.

 

 

Here are photos of my personal case (while still at the factory) which is has a more rugged matte finish in Ferrari Red (with a design I commissioned from NYC artist Dima Drjuchin http://www.avrodesign.com/dima/ )

This is a whole new era and approach to instrument cases.  Here is a Toyota TV commercial with classical guitarist Berta Rojas, with her guitar in an Accord case, which is very similar to the tuba case I had them make for me.

 

 

 

 

 

Recording

I just finished up playing simultaneously on 3 different records, and I sit down to plan another tomorrow  morning, so recording is on my mind!   It’s something I do pretty regularly and I have really grown to enjoy it. 

Time is always crucial in a recording situation. Following are some things I suggest to make a session (with me!) go smoothly:

1.) Be prepared.  Make sure that the engineer has everything setup, at least approximately, BEFORE the musicians arrive.  Naturally, there will be some adjustment after they arrive, but have things approximated and *line tested* beforehand.  ...this includes a headphone setup.  Have a plan in mind beforehand on how you’d like to do things as far as setup, isolation, and tracking order.

2.)  Be prepared.  Make charts!  I know you know your tune, but others trying to learn your tune by rote can be time-consuming and leaves room for mistakes while tracking.  Sometimes, only a head chart, or even a basic chord chart with the form of the song is needed...nothing fancy.  It's just a matter of having something to visually refer to when needed.  This can be the difference of two takes or ten, or getting one tune done in a 3 hour block, or rocking out 4 tunes.  Don't worry, having a chart does *not* take any of the vibe or feeling out of it.  In this situation, it's merely a tool to help make things go smoothly!

3.) Consult your tuba player on mic selection.  MOST engineers (even high-end, very accomplished ones) have little idea on how to make a tuba sound good...or worse, how a tuba should and can actually sound.  In the past, I have had wonderful performances completely destroyed by bad recording practices.  Nothing is more frustrating and tragic!  I now will usually send the setup I prefer ahead of time to help in this process... I also do my best to utilize standard equipment with which most engineers will be comfortable.  The mic setup will also affect how I approach the tone.  Tuba tone is actually quite delicate and must be dealt with in a fairly specific way.  Fortunately, these days with software recording, there are many options available and there is never a reason for a tuba to sound bad, gross, thin or rough!


Above all, realize the ultimate goal is to allow your musicians to communicate your music through their own horns and voices.  Encourage and allow them to
communicate.  It's easy to get caught up in the process and get bogged down.  Put your music in the listener's ears and try to remember why and how they might enjoy your music.

It's really fun to record with the tuba as it has this tendency to really open people's minds.  It has this incredibly versatile, yet somewhat unknown sound.   It's not abnormal for me to go into a session to play on one song, then after the artist hears the tuba, they end up wanting it on many songs.  

One last piece of advice I can give to artists using a tuba on their recordings is to take mixing and mastering seriously (especially the EQ side of it).  Mastering is often overlooked in many DIY projects. (it's more than just sending the sound through a compressor plugin) Adequate approach to these steps are crucial in dealing with the unique frequency characteristics of the tuba.  I PROMISE it's worth the effort. 


The tuba has a beautiful sound, use it wisely, and use it often!!  The tuba CAN rock, the tuba CAN swing, the tuba CAN elevate any ensemble to a new level.  Do it!

PS - see my recording history here!

About the tuba: What is a Pedal Tone?

 

What exactly is a pedal tone?

This question comes up a lot, especially from younger players, and the term is sometimes slightly misused by arrangers, producers, even band directors.

Some believe that "pedal tones" on a brass instrument are just really low notes -- like notes on the organ controlled by the pedals. That's only partially true...

Pedagogically, "pedal tones" refer to notes that exist in the fundamental partial of a brass instrument. They are the "real" notes of the horn which correspond to the actual length of the tubing.

For instance, my CC tuba is 16 feet long -- exactly the same length as a low C on a massive pipe organ, and my fundamental a.k.a."pedal" C sounds the exact same pitch as a 16ft organ pipe would play. Its fundamental is known as C1, which is 32.7Hz.

A "French tuba" pitched in C -- which plays one octave above a modern tuba (it plays in the same octave as a euphonium or trombone) is 8 feet long and its fundamental is C2 which is twice the Hz of the octave below, approx 65.4Hz.

Going up another octave is the C trumpet (the trumpet used in most orchestras in the US and Canada)… yes, its fundamental is at C3 (an octave below "middle C" on the piano) which is 130.8Hz

…and so on. 

 
(here is a video of me demonstrating a "Pedal C" on Bravo! TV)

Why do we use pedal tones?

Yes, they can sound funny, even kind of flatulent… however they are an essential tool in developing brass instrument technique. Playing pedal tones not only has therapeutic qualities for the "chops" (embouchure), more importantly, knowing how to play them opens up the entire low range of the horn. Suddenly (and subconsciously!) your brain knows that there are more notes down there, and the muddy low register is no longer mysterious and you are actually playing the "real" notes of the horn. And perhaps most importantly, the pedal tones are a great model of playing with maximum wind quantity and minimum pressure... as it is impossible to play a pedal with pressure. It is a model of how to maximize low-pressure playing throughout the horn. 

 

When done correctly, they are also usable notes - I love to use them both live and on recordings.  Here I use one in the rock band The Animators' song "The Senator Goes To Hell"  
(tuba nerd info: it's a pedal Db fingered 1+2 as a privileged tone on the 4V CC)

Sentaor-tubajoepedaldemo

 

It’s really fun and is a great exercise to play things down really low!

(hey band kids, In ensembles adding octaves down can support the sound of those above you...but don’t tell your band director I told you that!!)


How to find the pedal tones? Let your lips flap and just keep trying to play lower and lower. Once you find it (one octave below your "low C" or "low Bb" respectively) it will POP right out. How to know if you have it?  It matches the note an octave up!  
Once you get it, try playing the pedal going down through the valve series… see how low you can go!  Be patient, sometimes it takes some time to find them!

A funny thing about learning how to play pedals… It’s kind of like learning to ride a bicycle -- it might take a while to get the hang of it, but once you do get it, you never lose it.