Band director wants to change me to sousaphone

[Diiw]

My band director wants to start me on sousaphone for the upcoming marching band season and I'll be playing for concert. My First time playing in a school band setting. He told since I read bass clef and the rhytm isn't to hard on sousaphone, the transition should be smooth.
Any tips for learning sousaphone and band in general.

[ADbassman]

Do it! Sousaphone is awesome and a load of fun to play. Learning to play it isn't too difficult either if you already know how to read bass clef.

[Diiw]

Yah that's what i heard but I'm only 5'2 what about the weight.

[ADbassman]

Our smallest tuba player was about that size. I was 135 at my skinnest in high school. Once your shoulder gets used to it, it's gravy. I'm assuming it's a brass sousa and not a plastiphone.

[jonathan_matos5]

Originally Posted by Diiw

Yah that's what i heard but I'm only 5'2 what about the weight.

they are deceptively light or deceptively heavy depending on the individual horn.

the weight is distributed across the shoulders and if worn right could give you a tension headache.

might i recommend a contra instead.

i marched bass trombone in high school.

one of the local high schools marched a bass guitar with a wireless this year. i found it amusing.

[Diiw]

Yah he said plastiphones are for wussies lol and thats good

[Diiw]

Originally Posted by jonathan_matos5

they are deceptively light or deceptively heavy depending on the individual horn.

the weight is distributed across the shoulders and if worn right could give you a tension headache.

might i recommend a contra instead.

i marched bass trombone in high school.

one of the local high schools marched a bass guitar with a wireless this year. i found it amusing.

Well he wants more sousaphone player but if the weights to much for me he said that we could also need another baritone

[JohnMCA72]

I carried a Sousaphone and a double bass around for a couple of years! Then I switched to electric bass, & "only" had to carry the Sousaphone, a bass, & an amp!

If I'd been smart, I'd have played piccolo!

[Diiw]

Lol

[TheSuzie]

How about a piccolo sousaphone?

Sousaphone Eb Piccolo by Jupiter

[skwee]

The role is the same, so it can't hurt to be a double threat.

[Diiw]

Are the ways pieces written different..... If that makes sense

[Diiw]

Originally Posted by TheSuzie

How about a piccolo sousaphone?

Sousaphone Eb Piccolo by Jupiter

That's funky to look at

[Stilettoprefer]

Originally Posted by TheSuzie

How about a piccolo sousaphone?

Sousaphone Eb Piccolo by Jupiter

Thats cute haha.

[Joe Gress]

Don't worry about the weight. One of our sousaphone players in college is a 5'3 petite brunette who normally plays piano and bassoon.

[bassbrad]

Originally Posted by Diiw

Are the ways pieces written different..... If that makes sense

Baritone fills a different role in the symphonic band, it is more melodic and also plays harmonies instead of holding the roots.

[Dr_Funkdamental]

Originally Posted by ADbassman

Our smallest tuba player was about that size. I was 135 at my skinnest in high school. Once your shoulder gets used to it, it's gravy. I'm assuming it's a brass sousa and not a plastiphone.

Agreed. Plastiphones are horrible. It may take your shoulder about a week depending on how long you hold it to get used to it. It does go away though. Ive been playing sousaphone and bass for almost 20 yrs. Work on your tone, tone, tone. Long tones with whole notes. Boring but vital, unless you want to sound like you have a brillo pad stuck in your horn. One day you may sound like this

YouTube - ‪The Wisconsin Band with Nat McIntosh - Brooklyn‬‏

[Diiw]

Originally Posted by Dr_Funkdamental

Agreed. Plastiphones are horrible. It may take your shoulder about a week depending on how long you hold it to get used to it. It does go away though. Ive been playing sousaphone and bass for almost 20 yrs. Work on your tone, tone, tone. Long tones with whole notes. Boring but vital, unless you want to sound like you have a brillo pad stuck in your horn. One day you may sound like this

YouTube - The Wisconsin Band with Nat McIntosh - Brooklyn ?

Yah well I met my section leader today at an ice breaker picnic for us freshman. Were a small band so it's just me and him playing sousaphone. Band camp starts Monday so it's going to be mostly one on one training for the most part

[Chef FourString]

Go for it, dude. Brass rules the world.

[Stilettoprefer]

Originally Posted by Chef FourString

Go for it, dude. Brass rules the world.

+1 for the low end

Tuba trombone and baritone are the bomb in orchestra's and marching bands:P