I just got a text saying my new horn should be arriving by the end of the day. It’s a BBb Helicon from Wessex Tubas. Wessex Helicon
Helicons are what they based sousaphones on. Apparently. they balance on your shoulder a bit better and, because of the bell throat and shape, they play more like a concert tuba than a sousaphone. That is, with a better tone, not so burpy. (That’s an industry term, y’all.)
This model has four valves, the wrap for the fourth valve goes all the way around the body loop, so it reduces the stuffiness of tightly wound tubing. Comes with a case, but I also ordered a gig bag for it. Unlike helicons of old, the bell detaches and it will fit in a sousaphone gig bag. Tuba hard cases are really unmanageable.
I’ll be doing an unboxing video for my YouTube channel, and a review of the horn later after I’ve played it a while. I’ll post links when they’re up for the three people actually interested.
Ya know…I think there may be another poster here that plays a tuba. Can’t quite think of her user name…TubaMistress? TubaPlayingWoman? TubaDevotee? Something like that…
Does one hold that with the bell pointed upwards or forwards? If upwards, it’d be directing the sound away from the audience, but if forwards, it looks like it’d be terribly front-heavy.
I’ve always wondered…what’s meant by a “BBb” instrument? I know what, say, a Bb instrument is, but what’s “B B-flat” (or a “CC” tuba, for that matter)?
I thoroughly enjoyed the video too! My favorite side note was the large mallet sitting ominously on the couch through much of the video (first appearance is at 10:08) suggesting a surprise ending- perhaps Looney Toons in nature. But alas it was a red herring.
In seriousness, I watched the whole thing curious about the first tune to be played. I was a bit disappointed to be frank. Where was the “I’m so excited” or 1812 Overture or Imperial March… But that was the only low point!
I am not a tuba expert, but the BB designation indicates a double-octave pitch (lower). There is no clef in common use for that low a pitch range, so instruments like that usually sound an octave lower than written. There actually exist BBBflat tubas, sounding 2 octaves lower than written.
A C tuba is a concert instrument, so a CC tuba would be a concert instrument pitched an extra octave lower. It all stems from the inadequacy of conventional notation.
(A “concert” instrument or pitch means that a “C” played sounds like a “C” in vibrational numbers. Other numbers indicate a transposition. Please refer to transposing instruments if you are not familiar with this concept.)
The bell runs off your body upward at a 45 degree angle from your left shoulder. If you want to really blast the audience, pivot to the right. But I’ve never heard anyone say they couldn’t quite hear the brass bass, no matter which way you face.
When Little Banjo was in second grade, he asked me to come and speak to his class and do something unique. I showed up with my CC Conn upright four piston-valve concert tuba, made in 1957, and told the class a little bit about how you made music with it, and how it was used in various bands and orchestras.
Then I played “Yellow Submarine.”
Big hit with the teachers and kids, who all knew the song, and it sounds remarkably good on tuba.
