Concert band music question

[aoeuidhtns]

I've received music for a concert band festival I'm playing at later this week, and of the five pieces i've received three are tuba parts. Some of the notes are off the bottom of the staff -- too low for me to play. Should I just take these notes up an octave, or should I take the entire line up an octave?

[petesenkowski]

Unlike bass parts, which are transposed up an octave, tuba parts are written at pitch. If you transpose the entire piece up on octave, you will be playing exactly the same notes that the tuba would play.

Thanks,
Pete

[Simandl Fan]

I'd take the whole line up an octave...like I used to always do before I got my low C. It's better musically than taking one or two notes up.

[Don Higdon]

At the suggestion of the principal tuba, I play an octave above the note written for the tuba. The tone of the combination is much better that way.
The concert band is one situation where the DB is not responsible for being the aural floor of the ensemble.