Music needed..

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Scott Pope

That was great that you made up a DB book for them. I like your ideas of selectively combining tuba and bassoon parts for an actual "part" that supports the various voicings of the band. Occasionally, when I've played in a band that was sparse, I've had to take bassoon or contra clarinet parts and add some missing texture if it wasn't cued in the tuba parts.

The best year I had in a community band was completely different, however. That particular year I played conventional tuba parts, but we had a guy who recognized it was about his last, as Parkinson's was getting him. He couldn't hold his trombone anymore, but he could balance a bass guitar in his lap. So we took the entire book and made parts for him to be able to play that last couple of years before he had to give it up completely. Some were transposed tuba parts, others were DB parts, a couple of contemporary pieces had actual bass guitar parts, etc. Just like low woodwinds add so much needed texture to tubas, his musicianship was of the highest caliber and really broadened the foundation of the band.

Have fun at your gig!

There was only one piece that I had to make up from scratch with the bassoon and tuba that I recall. Maybe half the book or less possibly were Tuba parts. The band had 3 tubas and they could really play. The two baritone horn players were smokin' as well. One night I borrowed a part to make a copy as it was something I would love to be able to play and these guys read the stuff like the morning paper! One rehearsal when I came in early to set up they were re-auditioning one of the F.Horn players that had been there for years. The conductor told her she just wasn't cutting it anymore and let her go. This was the Quakertown Band founded in 1877, 2 years after the Batchelder bass I was using was made, no joke. I used an amp as well so wrong notes had no where to go. They played a few numbers of classical, big band jazz and the majority was band music with some um-pa stuff in there. I hadn't played in 15 years so I was just getting my chops back. Then I realized from playing the classical where I stood chops-wise and realized I needed to play in an orchestra to really get my hands and eyes back up to snuff and then some.

I called a local Orchestra and was informed they did have openings in D.Bass but an audition was required. I gave my resume from memory in an email and offered to just come and sight-read the rehearsal as I didn't have any of the required music for an audition having packed it all up 15 years ago. They agreed and the rest is history.

Last night I worked on the piece and I think I can pull it off with the written-over part I've doctored up. Like I said, until I play the first rehearsal I wont know if I can read that muddy scribble part at tempo and see my notes thru all of the other mumble-jumble on the page. If not, I buy and download the part on-line when I get back from rehearsal that night and be done with it.

[Don Higdon]

Ken, I don't think a DB part exists. I went to Petrucci, which provides free downloads, but they don't have parts for this, so I can't help you. (I just wanted to remind you of what a great guy I am.)

Petrucci is a great resource, though; they have tons of free stuff. Go to
http://imslp.org/wiki/Main_Page
Click on 'Composers', click on the composer you want, and you'll get a list of available works.
The full score for the Holst shows a staff for "Basses", but just as you say, that's really tuba writing. One option is to click on 'Full Scores' and select the Condensed Score. It's like a piano reduction, but you'll see notes on the bass clef for which instruments are playing. It will be clean, and you can transpose up an octave and write in where necessary. That's the best I can do.
I'm doing some concert band stuff now, and I do this all the time. I simply can't sight transpose from below low C.
Good luck, you old goat.

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Don Higdon

Ken, I don't think a DB part exists. I went to Petrucci, which provides free downloads, but they don't have parts for this, so I can't help you. (I just wanted to remind you of what a great guy I am.)

Petrucci is a great resource, though; they have tons of free stuff. Go to
http://imslp.org/wiki/Main_Page
Click on 'Composers', click on the composer you want, and you'll get a list of available works.
The full score for the Holst shows a staff for "Basses", but just as you say, that's really tuba writing. One option is to click on 'Full Scores' and select the Condensed Score. It's like a piano reduction, but you'll see notes on the bass clef for which instruments are playing. It will be clean, and you can transpose up an octave and write in where necessary. That's the best I can do.
I'm doing some concert band stuff now, and I do this all the time. I simply can't sight transpose from below low C.
Good luck, you old goat.

Don, I thank you for joining the party even those dinner is finished.. lol

There IS actually a DB/String Bass part as I found a listing for 'optional String Bass' within the instrumentation, and I DID find it on line for purchase here; http://www.onlinesheetmusic.com/seco...s-p311160.aspx

I was just hoping to avoid transposing and re-writing some of the notes that I can't read being more than 2 ledger lines below the staff.

I have since written-up my part to play and have practiced it. I spent more time doing this than the time it takes to make the $4.95 and spend it on line for the part. Being that I will probably never play this again in my life and the fact that the Orchestra directors think the part I have is good enough which it's nit really, I didn't want to have to pay to play! But, I might just do it to take the strain off my eyes and brain and be a sport for once. Just don't let anyone know I can be a nice guy. That would just ruin my reputation altogether..

Still buddy, thanks for the reply anyways. It's always nice to hear from you. One chart I did in jazz band in high school was titled "Better Late Than Never".

[Ken Smith]

Ok, I bought the part on-line and printed it out. The String Bass part is not 100% the same as the Tuba. In some places, the DB Tacits while the Tuba plays. Less work for me!

Reading the Tuba part all marked up caused me to stop several times when mis-reading the proper bass notes while trying to read the part in octaves, marked up or transposing mentally while not really knowing what register to play the DB part in.

With the actual DB part printed out, it's sooooooooooo much cleaner to read.

I'm all set now .. and $4.95 poorer..

[Terry McDougal]

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

I'm all set now .. and $4.95 poorer..

So, what part of Scotland are you from Ken?

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Terry McDougal

So, what part of Scotland are you from Ken?

Scotland? Sorry, I don't get it.

[Bin Hire]

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

Scotland? Sorry, I don't get it.

Ken, please let me try to explain. There are many old jokes about people from Scotland being thrifty (careful with money). Yes, I know that is a stereotype, like us people from Bahrain all having big noses, though maybe true in my case.
Pardon me for even suggesting it but, in most cultures, $4.95 is not much more than you would pay for a cup of coffee.
If you love to play the bass it is a small price, no?