A Tuba Player's Role in Music Ensembles

Hey you music lovers! Today we're going to continue our talk about what tuba players do. We're going to talk about what a tuba does in a brass quintet.  Tuba in a Brass Quintet? There  are  5 people, 4 instruments in a brass quintet. In a BQ, there's 2 trumpets, a french horn, either a baritone or trombone, and SURPRISE a tuba.  Unlike a large ensemble, a brass quintet has 1 tuba player. They get to play their own part. They're going SOLO!  Every instrument plays something pretty different in a BQ. I think it's pretty awesome that each person gets to be independent.  Everyone has to play independently. Even though the higher pitched instruments have more of the melody, it's all about the bass. Because there is only one tuba player, they must make a big enough sound that supports their group. The tubist is expected to be in tune which helps the other players stay in tune. The tubist is also supposed to exaggerate their dynamics and keep a c...

Hello All! I am here to share with you my experiences in playing the tuba in different ensembles. I am a music education major at Indiana University of Pennsylvania and I play the tuba. I am really interested in this topic because there are so many different expectations of tuba players. By expressing what I know through this blog, I am not only helping others learn about what a tuba player does, but I am expanding my own knowledge. I am excited to share with you all some of my experiences and what I know about tuba players roles in ensembles.  Today, I will be talking about what a tuba player is expected to do in an orchestral setting.  You may not expect to find a tuba as a part of an orchestra because most people associate the tuba with the fat kid in the back of the ensemble wearing the sousaphone playing "Jaws" . However, a tuba has many more roles than just that.  Most people d on't expect to see someone playing it other than the most stereotypical peo...