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Slurring
Back when we started with the mouthpiece by itself, you were changing pitch by
changing the speed of your airstream. This is what is commonly referred to as a "lip slur".
Later on when you were asked to play from one open note to another without tonguing,
you were actually performing what is referred to as a "slur".
To slur from one note to another just means that you do not tongue that second note.
Here is an introductory slurring exercise that only uses two notes.
The first measure shows you the names and fingerings for them.
Here are three exercises that will take you through the common range of the tuba
while also training you to change notes notes without the use of your tongue.
Use the videos as your guide.
SCALES
Every piece of music you will ever play is based on one or more scales.
A scale is a group of notes that follow a specific pattern.
If you play tuba in a band, most of the music you play will be based on the Bb, Eb, and F scales.
Once you master those three, move on to Ab, C, G, Db, and Gb.
If you are still hungry for more, go for D, A, E, and B.
Here is a very common scale in a series of different patterns.
Practice playing only one line at a time, as slowly as you need to
in order to play it accurately.
You can see that you have two octaves written here, lower notes and higher notes.
Play the lower octave first.
As you improve and expand your range, come back and try the upper octave later.
At the bottom of this page, you can find the printable version of this scale and 11 others just like it, but in different keys!
Use these scale patterns in your daily practice routine and use a metronome to help develop your internal sense of pulse.
MULTIPLE TONGUING
Sometimes your music will require you to play several tongued notes in a row,
but at a fast tempo, possibly too fast to perform with regular tonguing.
In these instances, it is important to have the double and triple tonguing skills at your disposal.
DOUBLE TONGUING
Your first syllable will still be "tah".
Your second note will be "kah", which means you will actually be using a part of your tongue that is further toward the back and it will touch the roof of your mouth further back than the "tah" will.
TRIPLE TONGUING
For legibility, we will use the syllable "ta" and "ka" on the written exercise,
but still try to think of saying "tah" and "kah" for a more open and resonant tone.
First syllable = "ta"
Second syllable = "ta" again
Third syllable = "ka"
Another way to triple tongue would be "ta-ka-ta",
but you will need to experiment with both to find what works the best for you.
You have been playing for a while now and your tuba's valves
may have slowed down a bit.
This is normal, but you need to always be aware of the condition of your instrument
and take care of it when it needs you.
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