Mark wrote: Wed Apr 29, 2026 1:47 pm I take walks with my dogs near a golf course ...

BTW, the golf course is on one side of the path and this is on the other. Photo was taken yesterday.

bloke wrote: Wed Apr 29, 2026 7:43 am plastic bags filled with helium strapped to them

I take walks with my dogs near a golf course and I see players with remote controlled golf bags that follow them around the course.

What about a playing stand with a robot base?

I played with Richard Frazier in a group here in Chicago back in the 1980’s. If I recall he left the area to join the Oregon Symphony? What is he up to these days? Good guy.


I haven't seen Richard in forty years. Here is a recent interview Mike Grose did with him: https://www.youtube.com/watch ...

Hey Mike,


Mark--Interesting to know you bought your Mirafone from Bill also.


And I took lessons from Richard Frazier.


I bought my 186 BBb in 1966 (with some assistance). Then, the tuba was $650.00, and the hard case was $90 .


I just bought a new Miraphone case from Thomann to replace one ...

Rick Denney wrote: Wed Mar 18, 2026 1:44 am What high school did you attend?

Spring Woods High School in Spring Branch.

Here you go:

Miraphone.jpg

I bought this new, with a gig bag, from Bill Rose. I think this was the year after I was in the Texas All-State Band with Rose's son, also a tuba player. I sold it a few years later.

The serial number is on the receipt. If any one has this horn, I'd like to know about ...

You can also get shank adapters.

Google "planning music for your wedding". There is a lot of advice out there for planning wedding music and as a musician you should understand the subject from the perspective of the happy couple. There is a lot of spots in weddings where there is a specific kind of music that may be required (e.g ...

bloke wrote: Mon Feb 16, 2026 10:44 pmHarbor Freight (The only stuff I buy at that place is stuff with no moving parts.)

My policy for Harbor Freight: Is it under $20 and do I only need it once?

To be clear; this is not mine. I saw this photo online and thought it was way over engineered and totally not worth the effort.

Here is a simple solution and you can fit it down the bell of your tuba.

Your shirt was burned through your leather apron?

I'm in need of new black dress pants for concerts. I'd like to be able to launder them at home instead of dry clean at $14 a pop. It would also be nice if they have suspender buttons.

I also want black suspenders with black hardware instead of gold or silver.

Any suggestions?

I just watched several YouTube videos of Hans Nickel playing solos with the WDR Symphony Orchestra. He played all the solos from memory.

I am guessing that the Tucci RT-50 is the same as a PT-50. If so, that is an very big mouthpiece. This might cause slotting problems.

bort2.0 wrote: Sat Jan 10, 2026 1:34 pm I hope you don't need to reach that first valve slide while you're playing

It's a problem. And...

I assume the top rotor is the fifth valve. Is it a flat whole step? The tubing looks a lot longer than the first valve tubing.

Arrangements by Jack Gale are usually pretty good.

Like a lot of German orchestras, and unlike a lot of American orchestras, they want Meistersinger played on F tuba.

When I work on Rochut, I usually play the exercise down one octave, then as written and then down two octaves. This makes a great low and high range exercise.