# The Tuba Express (Demo for bass tuba)



## Guy Bacos (Jun 22, 2010)

Here is a demo for bass tuba and string ensemble. This is a dedicated demo for bass tuba from the VSL downloads.

The Tuba Express

All aboard! 

Comments are appreciated!

Guy


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## Rob (Jun 22, 2010)

a pleasant little piece, Guy! Thank you for remembering me what an instrument the tuba is... one of the most underrated in my opinion. It has a melodic quality you wouldn't expect from a member of the bass family  . I'm not fond of how the samples crossfade from mf to f, too abruptly for my taste, but legato works fine in general


PS you always treat strings very well


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## robteehan (Jun 22, 2010)

really well done Guy. great idiomatic writing for the tuba.


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## A/V4U (Jun 22, 2010)

I couldn't play it better....hehe....JK.....Thanks Guy, another great demo.


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## Guy Bacos (Jun 22, 2010)

Hi Rob,

Thanks! There was one section I was concerned with that, at 47 sec, I just did that part again but with velocity automation and the transition between the f and ff is much smoother, have a listen and let me know.The only section I had programmed with velocity automation was the waltz section which was more lyrical.


robteehan,

Thanks! This means a lot coming from Mr Tuba himself! :D


Thanks A/V4U! Are you a tubist?


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## synergy543 (Jun 22, 2010)

Such a wonderful little piece and such great expression in the performance.

How many articulations did you use throughout the Tuba line? Its very transparent and hard to tell where you switch articulations as opposed to simply adding accents with velocity or mod.

The expressive details add tremendously to the realism but my cheeks start to hurt thinking about it. o=<


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## JBacal (Jun 22, 2010)

Excellent, Guy!

One of my favorite pieces as a young kid was "Tubby the Tuba." Check it out if you've never heard it. It has a great melody that kicks in about 6:50 into the video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10LTlRhXwik

Best,
Jay


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## Guy Bacos (Jun 22, 2010)

synergy543 @ Tue Jun 22 said:


> Such a wonderful little piece and such great expression in the performance.
> 
> How many articulations did you use throughout the Tuba line? Its very transparent and hard to tell where you switch articulations as opposed to simply adding accents with velocity or mod.
> 
> The expressive details add tremendously to the realism but my cheeks start to hurt thinking about it. o=<



Thanks Greg! Yeah, I'm finding myself more picky than before for dynamics.
The articulations are quite basic, nothing fancy, these are the ones I used:

-Staccato
-sfz
-legato
-legato fast
-trill
-fast-rep BPM-190
-flatter
-pfp_no Vib_4s
-portato


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## Guy Bacos (Jun 22, 2010)

I've been watching many other live versions of that story, it's a shame non come close to the warmth of the original, despite the bad quality, 1945 I think.


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## re-peat (Jun 22, 2010)

(Another) great piece, Guy. Particularly impressed with the strings writing/orchestration: lots of fascinating ideas and some very nice developments/variations on the main theme. _Very_ welll done.
To my ears, the reverb is perhaps a bit on the heavy side (both in sound as well as in presence), but that is a very minor thing. And there's also the bit at the very end (the musical _exclamation mark_), which sounds audibly limited/compressed. 

Anyway, this very nice sounding virtual tuba couldn't have wished for a better demonstration piece.

_


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## Ned Bouhalassa (Jun 23, 2010)

Bravo! Makes us want to play tuba, which is the best compliment I can make, I think. :wink:


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## Guy Bacos (Jun 23, 2010)

re-peat @ Wed Jun 23 said:


> (Another) great piece, Guy. Particularly impressed with the strings writing/orchestration: lots of fascinating ideas and some very nice developments/variations on the main theme. _Very_ welll done.
> To my ears, the reverb is perhaps a bit on the heavy side (both in sound as well as in presence), but that is a very minor thing. And there's also the bit at the very end (the musical _exclamation mark_), which sounds audibly limited/compressed.
> 
> Anyway, this very nice sounding virtual tuba couldn't have wished for a better demonstration piece.
> ...



Thanks re-peat! Great compliment! 

You are right on both counts. I heard the heavy rev this morning, I cut down on it a bit. Always a pleasure to hear from you.  






Ned Bouhalassa @ Wed Jun 23 said:


> Bravo! Makes us want to play tuba, which is the best compliment I can make, I think. :wink:



Thanks Ned!


PS Perhaps some day :wink: 

http://toronto.kijiji.ca/c-buy-and-sell ... Z210252195


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## Guy Bacos (Jun 24, 2010)

Thanks Mike! That's a heart warming post. 0oD


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## baronesbc (Jun 25, 2010)

WOW, congratulations! I remained totally fascinated not only by the realism of the sound but also by your extraordinary compositional skill!Excellent work!


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## Dave Connor (Jun 25, 2010)

Excellent Guy. Very nice piece and great demonstration of VSL's great sounding tuba. People are rightfully commenting on the quality of the composition which really does steal the show. It sounds very much like Shostakovitch's language so I'm wondering if you have been listening to that great composer of late.

Great work once again.


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## Dave Connor (Jun 25, 2010)

double post


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## Guy Bacos (Jun 25, 2010)

Thanks baronesbc and Dave. You are very kind!

It's funny because when I started this demo and struggling the first day or 2, I kept saying to myself, "Guy, what were you thinking choosing the base tuba???" After listening to some tuba pieces and concertos especially from Vaughan Williams, I said to myself: "That's a damn nice instrument!"


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## Guy Bacos (Jun 25, 2010)

And Dave, no I haven't listened to Shosty these days, in fact, although I admire his music and especially his orchestration, I know relatively little about his music.


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## Dave Connor (Jun 25, 2010)

Guy Bacos @ Fri Jun 25 said:


> And Dave, no I haven't listened to Shosty these days, in fact, although I admire his music and especially his orchestration, I know relatively little about his music.



That's remarkable Guy. If you get a chance to listen to his first symphony you will chuckle at the neighborhood you both are playing in.


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## Guy Bacos (Jun 25, 2010)

I will, thanks Dave.


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## midphase (Jun 25, 2010)

Gotta say it's one of the best pieces I heard on these forums in a long time.


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## Guy Bacos (Jun 26, 2010)

midphase @ Sat Jun 26 said:


> Gotta say it's one of the best pieces I heard on these forums in a long time.



Thanks Midphase! The cheque is in the mail.


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