AboutDonald Sutton Expertise I can answer questions about instrument selection, mouthpiece choices, playing technique and general care and repair. I can also deal with composing, arranging and voicings of BBb, CC, EEb, and F tubas as well as Euphoniums.
I do not know much about instrument prices or values, and can only give little information on ages. For that kind of question, check the 'Vintage Instruments' category - there's some fantastic people there!
Experience I have been playing tuba for more than 30 years. I play all the brass instruments and most woodwinds. I currently direct the tuba quartet for the 25th Army Band
Organizations 25th Army Band
TubaSoldier Tuba Quartet
Education/Credentials BA, music, (Tuba and Euphonium were my major instruments)
Expert: Donald Sutton Date: 6/6/2008 Subject: Tuning a Euphonium
Question QUESTION: Hello,
I am a trombone player doubling on euphonium, and I have trouble tuning it. When I try to tune a Bb on the euphonium, the tuner reads it as a very flat B natural. I don't know why it's not reading as a B flat. Does this mean I am REALLY out of tune? Is there anything wrong with the instrument itself? All other valves tune just fine. And I am having trouble finding the main tuning slide. If you can help, thank you.
ANSWER: Hi Ron and welcome to the Dark Side! Not knowing how much experience you have, my answer may seem simplistic at points, but that is as much for you as for other people who may search answers later.
Part of your issue in tuning will depend on the type of horn you are playing, and part of it will be due to your embouchure. Let me tackle the easiest first.
To find the tuning slide on the Euphonium, start at the bell and trace the pipes back toward the mouthpiece. The first large slide that you come to is the main tuning slide, and it is usually the bow after the main bottom bow. On a 4-valve instrument, the other 'bottom bow' type of slide will be the 4th valve tuning slide. These two get mixed up quite a bit as on many instruments they look similar. The other valve tuning slides will be easy to find, as they are attached pretty close to the valves themselves.
As a trombone player, you probably tend to play with a 'hard' embouchure. That, along with the cylindrical bore is what gives the 'bone the bright sound that cuts through an ensemble. The euphonium has a conical bore, more like a french horn, and needs a slightly 'looser' embouchure. To get this, when you articulate, instead of thinking 'too' or 'ta', try dropping your jaw a bit and saying 'taww' or 'toh'. You will get a more mellow tone that is appropriate to the euph and it will make tuning easier.
Are you trying to tune the Bb top of the staff, or the Bb second line from the bottom? If your Bb3 (top of the staff, C4 is middle C) is sharp, then you have a very stiff embouchure, and will need to play lots of long, low tones to loosen it up. If Bb3 is ok and Bb2 is giving you trouble, then long tones will still help, but it will just take some time to get used to the larger pipes.
Then again, it could be your horn. On one euph that I play, I am usually very flat, and I have to use a smaller mouthpiece and push every slide in to play in tune. But I love the tone I get on than horn, so it's my main soloing instrument and I just lip up when needed. Is your horn a 3-valve, or a 4-valve? And if it's a 4-valve, is it a compensating or a non-compensating horn? A compensating instrument will have a second set of tuning slides for each of the first 3 valves. The 3-valve will have the greatest tendency to play sharp, but any quality instrument should be able to be played in tune across the range. Another thing to consider is that if it was manufactured outside of the US, Canada or Europe, it may not be set to A=440. Other countries still use tunings from A=435 to A=444 and everything in between.
Good luck, I hope this helps! Keep Euphing!
--Don
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Hello again.
I forgot to tell you that I just started playing the euphonium, and I find it frustrating that I can't play it exact. Since I am a beginner, what should I do to work on my embouchure, tone, etc? I mean I know when I started on trombone I wasn't perfect, if you know what I mean. =P
Answer Your best bet is to start playing long tones every day. That will strengthen you embouchure and improve your tone and tuning all at the same time.
Begin with a F3 (4th line up). Take a deep, relaxed breath, turn it right around, and play as long as the breath lasts. You're trying for an even volume and a steady pitch. As soon as either your volume or your pitch wavers stop the note, even if you still have air left. Go down a half step (E3) and repeat. Continue going down by half steps until you can either go down no more, or you can't make the pitch and volume stay even. Then go back to F3 and repeat the exercize, this time playing the note starting loud, getting soft, then getting loud again, all while keeping the pitch steady.
Don't worry about being frustrated, it happens to every player. Just don't let it stop you from playing. If you are trying to teach yourself, you might think about hiring a teacher to guide you through the beginning to make sure you get a solid start.
