buttons on tuba

This isn't as simple as you might think ...

First of all there are tubas in several different keys Bb, Eb, C and F being the most common. This is the lowest note that can be played without using valves. All have at least 3 valves, some have 4 or even 5!

In general, if you are playing music written in bass clef, then these parts are in concert pitch (and would sound the same as on the piano). Players need to use different fingerings depending on the key of the instrument eg second space C in the bass clef would be played using value 1 on Bb, 1 and 2 for Eb, open (no valves) for C and F. Orchestral tuba parts are usually written in bass clef and some concert band, wind band and military band parts are in bass clef. Beware, some German published music is in bass clef but follow the treble clef transposition conventions used in the UK.

In the UK Brass Band world, tuba parts are written only for Bb and Eb tubas in treble clef. The same fingerings are used as for all other valve instruments in a Brass Band. In technical terms, the parts are transposed.

You can find fingering charts using Google "tuba fingering".

buttons on tuba

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