Playing A Tuba Essay

I didn’t choose the tuba, the tuba chose me. I feel like this is how all tuba players started off. The tuba is the largest but one of the youngest members of the brass family. It is not the hardest instrument to play but it is not the easiest either. I did not expect to play the tuba at any point in my life, however due to certain circumstances, I ended up playing the tuba for the Barlow band. The journey first started my freshman year of high school. I was playing the trumpet at the time. The band was preparing for the upcoming winter concert. The band director, Mr. Nickolas, realized that that band needed more low brass which consisted of tubas and baritones. Mr. Nickolas and the previous band director, Mr. Bolton, called the trumpets into the auditorium. He told us the dilemma that he had and asked us whether any of us wanted to switch instruments. The thought of playing another instrument peaked my interest. We all took turns playing each instrument. After a few days I was told I could try out the tuba. …show more content…
We decided to start learning the notes for the instrument as it was written in bass clef. I struggled at first to learn the notes that were written for the tuba. Playing the instrument was not the problem, reading the music was. The other guy seemed to get it down pretty fast. Soon, we were out with the rest of the band playing along to the music we were preparing for the winter concert. Even with the amount of practice that I got in I still ended up as the last chair tuba. Leading into my Sophomore year, I practiced much more. I learned the notes and basic scales of the Tuba. I was primarily second chair my sophomore year. That however was about to