MY THOUGHTS ON DOUBLING
(Cha-Ching!)
A jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one.
(Cha-Ching!)
A jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one.
Sony Pictures Barbra Streisand Scoring Stage, 2002
There are musicians who can pick up any instrument and make music seemingly effortlessly (Reichenbach comes to mind). Most of us need to work at it. It is impossible for most doublers to compete with someone who devotes all their time and energy to one instrument. But it is entirely possible to play several, if not many, instruments at a professional level – if one takes them seriously!
NOTE: in my opinion, proficiency on one horn is a mandatory prerequisite for doubling!
I do feel some nostalgia for the bass trombone as a specialty instrument. But I have been as guilty as the next guy; it is the way of the world; bills must be paid; the more you bring to the party . . .
This discussion is confined to low brass instruments. Issues include what instrument(s) to acquire, what mouthpiece(s) to use, and how to practice. I am a bass trombonist, with all the biases one might expect. These are my thoughts; others may disagree.
NOTE: in my opinion, proficiency on one horn is a mandatory prerequisite for doubling!
I do feel some nostalgia for the bass trombone as a specialty instrument. But I have been as guilty as the next guy; it is the way of the world; bills must be paid; the more you bring to the party . . .
This discussion is confined to low brass instruments. Issues include what instrument(s) to acquire, what mouthpiece(s) to use, and how to practice. I am a bass trombonist, with all the biases one might expect. These are my thoughts; others may disagree.
Which Doubles?
Again, some folks can make music on any instrument; most of us need to make choices. Almost everyone is stronger on one instrument than their doubles.
Tenor trombone players need to be able to play bass trombone. Small and large bore tenors go without saying. Euphonium is a good idea. Symphonic specialists will need an alto trombone. A bass trumpet may come in handy.
First and foremost, bass trombone players must to be able to play tuba. The ability to blend in the section on tenor trombone is important – if you can play lead, so much the better – not me! Contrabass trombone is becoming more common, but don’t buy one ‘til you know you’ll need it (return on investment). Having once owned a BBb contrabass trombone, I STRONGLY recommend contrabass trombone in F. (There's a story!)
Jeff Reynolds presented a clinic on Doubling on Contrabass Trombone to the 2017 ITF in Redlands, CA. The link is to a Facebook post; hopefully it will stay up.
Far be it from me to advise my tuba colleagues, but (sadly) they ought to be able to play bass trombone. Re cimbasso: see contrabass trombone advice above. Cimbassi come in bass and contrabass (usually F & CC) varieties, too. Bass cimbasso seems a good fit for opera (its original purpose) while contrabass lends itself to movie scores with monsters, mayhem, and explosions! If you are not certain which you need, let alone IF you need one, get advice from a successful cimbasso owner-operator before you write a BIGLY check!
When I was working, I was primarily a bass trombonist. In addition, I played tuba, contrabass trombone, cimbasso, tenor trombone, and euphonium, with varying degrees of proficiency. (To be fair, I was the designated Bydlo hitter in Pacific Symphony – that was the bulk of my euphonium work.) Of these, the tuba put the most money in my pocket – by far – Lion King alone! To be clear, I could play most “meat & potatoes” tuba parts successfully, but if they wrote a "tuba concerto" that required a virtuoso tubist and I was hired, a significant mistake had been made. Most contractors were aware of this.
Speaking of tuba, which key? "Different strokes for different folks." Some bass trombonists play an Eb bass tuba – usually compensating. That’s a good choice for a one-tuba family; it lies right in the middle of the range of most tuba parts. Some play a BBb contrabass tuba – because it fingers like a Bb trombone down an octave – keep it simple! Most professional tubists I worked with played CC, which is what I chose. Most also played F tuba – so did I. This is a pretty good article about the different tuba options. The tuba covers a huge range; owning both bass and contrabass tubas (and, perhaps, tenor tuba/euphonium) makes life easier – and safer!
The F tuba saved my bacon at least once. I was sitting home watching TV one Thursday evening when a copyist friend called asking if I was aware I’d be re-recording the tuba solo from Jaws on the motion picture session I was booked for Monday morning – and should he fax me the part. I said, “No! Please do!” He felt that was asking a lot of a bass trombone player – I agreed! I practiced the solo relentlessly over the weekend, memorized it, went to work Monday, and lived to tell the tale. Had I not been warned – nor brought my F tuba – it could have been ugly! It’s good to have friends – and an F tuba. Tommy Johnson told me he played the original movie on CC (there's a famous story) – and went out and bought his first F tuba the following Monday morning and used it when they re-recorded the soundtrack for the album (those were the days).
Tenor trombone players need to be able to play bass trombone. Small and large bore tenors go without saying. Euphonium is a good idea. Symphonic specialists will need an alto trombone. A bass trumpet may come in handy.
First and foremost, bass trombone players must to be able to play tuba. The ability to blend in the section on tenor trombone is important – if you can play lead, so much the better – not me! Contrabass trombone is becoming more common, but don’t buy one ‘til you know you’ll need it (return on investment). Having once owned a BBb contrabass trombone, I STRONGLY recommend contrabass trombone in F. (There's a story!)
Jeff Reynolds presented a clinic on Doubling on Contrabass Trombone to the 2017 ITF in Redlands, CA. The link is to a Facebook post; hopefully it will stay up.
Far be it from me to advise my tuba colleagues, but (sadly) they ought to be able to play bass trombone. Re cimbasso: see contrabass trombone advice above. Cimbassi come in bass and contrabass (usually F & CC) varieties, too. Bass cimbasso seems a good fit for opera (its original purpose) while contrabass lends itself to movie scores with monsters, mayhem, and explosions! If you are not certain which you need, let alone IF you need one, get advice from a successful cimbasso owner-operator before you write a BIGLY check!
When I was working, I was primarily a bass trombonist. In addition, I played tuba, contrabass trombone, cimbasso, tenor trombone, and euphonium, with varying degrees of proficiency. (To be fair, I was the designated Bydlo hitter in Pacific Symphony – that was the bulk of my euphonium work.) Of these, the tuba put the most money in my pocket – by far – Lion King alone! To be clear, I could play most “meat & potatoes” tuba parts successfully, but if they wrote a "tuba concerto" that required a virtuoso tubist and I was hired, a significant mistake had been made. Most contractors were aware of this.
Speaking of tuba, which key? "Different strokes for different folks." Some bass trombonists play an Eb bass tuba – usually compensating. That’s a good choice for a one-tuba family; it lies right in the middle of the range of most tuba parts. Some play a BBb contrabass tuba – because it fingers like a Bb trombone down an octave – keep it simple! Most professional tubists I worked with played CC, which is what I chose. Most also played F tuba – so did I. This is a pretty good article about the different tuba options. The tuba covers a huge range; owning both bass and contrabass tubas (and, perhaps, tenor tuba/euphonium) makes life easier – and safer!
The F tuba saved my bacon at least once. I was sitting home watching TV one Thursday evening when a copyist friend called asking if I was aware I’d be re-recording the tuba solo from Jaws on the motion picture session I was booked for Monday morning – and should he fax me the part. I said, “No! Please do!” He felt that was asking a lot of a bass trombone player – I agreed! I practiced the solo relentlessly over the weekend, memorized it, went to work Monday, and lived to tell the tale. Had I not been warned – nor brought my F tuba – it could have been ugly! It’s good to have friends – and an F tuba. Tommy Johnson told me he played the original movie on CC (there's a famous story) – and went out and bought his first F tuba the following Monday morning and used it when they re-recorded the soundtrack for the album (those were the days).
Don’t Cheap Out
A doubler needs the best instrument(s) they can afford. A specialist can deal with a quirky instrument – that has other, perhaps “magical” qualities. They can learn and control all the intonation/response idiosyncrasies such a horn might have – a doubler, not so much. Buy the best horns you can afford, and when you can afford better, upgrade!
No Compromise Mouthpieces
For example, a bass trombone mouthpiece with a tuba rim seldom produces a characteristic tone, likewise, a tenor trombone mouthpiece with a bass rim – or vice versa. Some folks swear by this. The idea, as I understand it, is switching rim sizes confuses the embouchure. I feel the opposite is true. Playing a poorly designed mouthpiece beats the chops up worse than switching.
Play the best mouthpiece for each instrument; it will respond and sound better. That said, there are many different-sized, but appropriate, mouthpieces. There is (at least) one notable exception, my friend Jim Nova, who uses a 3G rim from soprano to bass and less than a millimeter wider on contra – and sounds marvellous! The mouthpiece(s) may not be the only factor.
Play the best mouthpiece for each instrument; it will respond and sound better. That said, there are many different-sized, but appropriate, mouthpieces. There is (at least) one notable exception, my friend Jim Nova, who uses a 3G rim from soprano to bass and less than a millimeter wider on contra – and sounds marvellous! The mouthpiece(s) may not be the only factor.
Switch Horns Frequently in Practice
Lew McCreary, who was the best tenor/bass trombone doubler ever, once told me, “never practice one horn for more than 10 minutes at a time.” I think there are at least three reasons he was right.
One, there is a neurological/perceptual, mouthpiece-shaped, "home-base ring” on/in one’s lips. The brain tries to line that ring up with other mouthpiece rims. It spreads the lips for a bigger mouthpiece and crams them into a smaller. If one switches mouthpieces frequently, the brain doesn’t develop that "home-base" sensation, and the embouchure forms naturally regardless of mouthpiece.
Two, if one plays one instrument for an extended period, the brain learns its timbre as “right.” When one switches to a darker/weightier instrument, the brain hears “tubby – wrong!” and adjusts the lips erroneously. The reverse happens switching to a brighter/lighter horn. If one switches horns frequently, the brain learns different – but “right” – tones and doesn’t distort the embouchure.
Three, a similar effect occurs regarding pitch. If one plays one horn for a while, that horn’s pitch center becomes the "right" one. A different instrument will likely have a different pitch center and the brain instinctively tries to lip it in tune with the first instrument. If one switches frequently, the brain develops its own "right" pitch center, independent of the instruments, and tunes all the horns to that instead of lipping – less wear and tear on the face! (BTW, I don't like the verb "lipping"; just blow it where you want it. There's more involved than your lips, and "lipping" can mess with your chops. See Tuning Slides.)
To avoid this trifecta of embouchure abuse, set up all your instruments when you practice – and rotate – frequently. I would set up all my horns and switch around the circle – sometimes every key on scales and arpeggios – sometimes repeating etudes on each.
In closing: for me, doubling was about the money. Playing tuba was fun, but that's not why I did it. My first love is the bass trombone – full stop. Tommy Johnson once asked me what I'd do if I won the lottery. I replied, "Sell the tuba!" He chuckled and said, "good answer."
One, there is a neurological/perceptual, mouthpiece-shaped, "home-base ring” on/in one’s lips. The brain tries to line that ring up with other mouthpiece rims. It spreads the lips for a bigger mouthpiece and crams them into a smaller. If one switches mouthpieces frequently, the brain doesn’t develop that "home-base" sensation, and the embouchure forms naturally regardless of mouthpiece.
Two, if one plays one instrument for an extended period, the brain learns its timbre as “right.” When one switches to a darker/weightier instrument, the brain hears “tubby – wrong!” and adjusts the lips erroneously. The reverse happens switching to a brighter/lighter horn. If one switches horns frequently, the brain learns different – but “right” – tones and doesn’t distort the embouchure.
Three, a similar effect occurs regarding pitch. If one plays one horn for a while, that horn’s pitch center becomes the "right" one. A different instrument will likely have a different pitch center and the brain instinctively tries to lip it in tune with the first instrument. If one switches frequently, the brain develops its own "right" pitch center, independent of the instruments, and tunes all the horns to that instead of lipping – less wear and tear on the face! (BTW, I don't like the verb "lipping"; just blow it where you want it. There's more involved than your lips, and "lipping" can mess with your chops. See Tuning Slides.)
To avoid this trifecta of embouchure abuse, set up all your instruments when you practice – and rotate – frequently. I would set up all my horns and switch around the circle – sometimes every key on scales and arpeggios – sometimes repeating etudes on each.
In closing: for me, doubling was about the money. Playing tuba was fun, but that's not why I did it. My first love is the bass trombone – full stop. Tommy Johnson once asked me what I'd do if I won the lottery. I replied, "Sell the tuba!" He chuckled and said, "good answer."
Thus Endeth the Lesson
Speaking of doubling, this guy is amazing!