TromboneChat

So, this may be a fishing expedition.

I've been trying to relocate all my bass trombone literature from the mid-90s which has gone missing over the years.

I'm looking for a tuba book (I think) that had this one exercise I used to play with my private teacher back in the day (teacher has since passed away, so that's not an available avenue).

The exercise in question was in 6/4, and was just quarter notes with perhaps a few half notes thrown in at the end of a series (I think that it took up about 75% of one page in the book). As I recall, each measure would start on a pedal tone or a note in the trigger register and then slur up to something in the staff, then descend down back into the pedal range over a 5 note sequence (don't recall if it was an arpeggio or not). Then the next measure would start again in the same manner in the pedal or trigger register (I believe lower) and repeat. We would play this exercise so loud and so slow and used it to train lung capacity, as well as tone.

I seem to recall that the cover of the book was blue and white, and this book fell apart very easily (the cover came off without much use). But maybe that was just my copy. I've tried looking at several tuba books at a local music store and just haven't had success finding it.

I know this is a super random request for help. Any help would be very much appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

The Blazhevich Trombone book (we used to call it "Clef Studies" but it was originally "School for Trombone") was published for tuba. There are a number of 6/4 exercises in it. Maybe that's what you are looking for.

The School for Trombone is available for free on IMSLP and you can just transpose down an octave to get your pedal tones.

I'm looking at the Blazevich 70 Studies for BBb Tuba (Vol. 1) book. It has several things in 6/4 (and a bunch of other peculiar times), but the only thing that resembles this description is actually in 3/2 (which, of course you might have played in 6/4). It's Exercise 5 in the key of C. Ranges from A at the top of the staff to pedal E-natural in the second octave below the staff.

But it doesn't really conform to the details of the description you've given. I'll grub around in my other stuff and see if I find anything.

Edit: I can't find it in any of my tuba stuff -- of which there is quite a bit, but also a lot I don't have. I don't have Vol. 2 of Blazevich. It might be there. Not in Snedecor or Arban.

Hi all.
Hi pj0004 .

Maybe you are looking for the C. Kopprasch studies for tuba , vol 1 .

The exercise n° 25 is very close to what you describe .
It is a 6/4 time , in the key of Bb : the first measure start with a pedal Bb slurred to a D a 10th above ( in the 3rd lines bass clef) , then goes down to Bb , F , D , and pedal Bb again , all quarter notes , first two notes legato , then four notes staccato . The second measure it is pedal A slurred to a Eb a b12th above ( in the 3rd space) , then goes down to C , A , F , Eb . Ans so on .

Regards
Giancarlo

Post on Tubaforum.net. If it's in a tuba source, someone there will know it.

pj0004 wrote: ↑Tue Dec 05, 2023 3:02 pm As I recall, each measure would start on a pedal tone or a note in the trigger register and then slur up to something in the staff, then descend down back into the pedal range over a 5 note sequence (don't recall if it was an arpeggio or not). Then the next measure would start again in the same manner...

Not 6/4 but similar to your description...

I agree with Giancarlo! It sounds exactly like Kopprasch 25 to me. More specifically, it sounds like the version of that etude in "Special Studies for the Tuba" by Arnold Jacobs, a 20 page booklet from the end of the. The original etude has dynamics written in, but the Jacobs version has only articulation, and says;

"The following should be practiced slowly, metronome set to 60. It should be motivated as a tone building Etude for middle and low range. In this study, I prefer that the student breathe on the bar line, if possible, being very sure to fill the lungs and use air freely to produce a considerable resonance in his playing, about f(orte). Great awareness is demanded on the part of the player that his tone is always pleasing and has great clarity regardless of range."

A quick search on google for "Arnold Jacobs Special Studies for the Tuba" will show you a few different versions of it for free, I guess that it is out of copyright? Imo the best transcription is the one on windsongpress. Anyways, great exercise, and great book (the Jacobs and Kopprasch both).

Thank you all for the replies!
There is such a wealth of information available with the people here.
These suggestions all look so wonderful, and now I have more method books to search for and acquire!
I think you all have closed this out for me.

It looks like I was playing exercise 25 of Kopprasch aka one of the Arnold Jacobs etudes.
I'm nearly positive that the one I had used was one of the Arnold Jacobs versions. A quick google search brings up this Amazon listing (a bit further down in the the search results) and the (blue and white) cover states that the book (Hal Leonard Advanced Band Method for Tuba) includes the "Special Studies by Arnold Jacobs".
Aaron, you may have meant to include that note in your post, it could have been cut off: "a 20 page booklet from the end of the...".

Unfortunately that book seems to be out of print, and also isn't even listed on the Hal Leonard website (versions for other instruments exist though...how strange).

So it's off to confirm the copyright on the Jacobs material and/or get the Kopprasch version (since that book still seems to be in print, or available)!

Thank you all again!

pj0004 wrote: ↑Thu Dec 07, 2023 7:47 pm ... and/or get the Kopprasch version (since that book still seems to be in print, or available)!

Kopprasch is also on IMSLP.