Tuba Exercises
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Breathing Excercises for Brass Players help to develop natural and effective breathing habits for excellent brass playing. They are intended to help develop efficiency, coordination and flexibility in breathing.

Breathing Exercises - click links for downloadable PDF files

The Bruckner Warm-up Excercise No. 1 for Tuba is based on a familiar Anton Bruckner symphonic theme. This exercise helps with the development of smooth descending slurs, tone quality and the lower register. They should normally be played at a medium dynamic level, but it can also be beneficial to creatively use louder and softer dynamics. These exercises also help younger players to become more familiar with descending scale patterns.

  • The Bruckner Warm-up Exercise No. 1 is available for either BBb, CC, Eb or F tubas.
  • - click links for downloadable PDF files

The Bruckner Warm-up Excercise No. 2 for Tuba is also based on a familiar Anton Bruckner symphonic theme. This exercise helps with the development of smooth descending and ascending slurs, tone quality and the lower register. They should normally be played at a medium dynamic level, but it can also be beneficial to creatively use louder and softer dynamics. These exercises also help younger players to become more familiar with both arpeggio and scale patterns in all keys.

  • The Bruckner Warm-up Exercise No. 2 is available for either BBb, CC, Eb or F tubas.
  • - click links for downloadable PDF files

The High Register Exercise No. 1 for Tuba is written to assist in gradually developing the high range of the tuba. Most tubists of university/college level should be able to play the first page fairly quickly. The second page should be practiced progressively as the tubist progressively develops upper range. This excercise also helps to develop greater fluency with both ascending and descending major arpeggios. The excercise may also be transposed to minor keys.

  • The High Register Exercise No. 1 for Tuba is available for either BBb, CC, Eb or F tubas.
  • - click links for downloadable PDF files

The Prokofiev Study No. 1 for Tuba is an orchestral study of the tuba excerpt from Sergei Prokofiev's "Romeo and Juliet Suite No. 2" at rehearsal 5. This exerpt is presented in its original form followed by suggestions for practicing the excerpt in various other tempi and keys. This excerpt is for directed towards BBb and CC tubists but may also be practiced by Eb and F tuba players.

Prokofiev Study No. 1 - click links for downloadable PDF files

These exercises can be played on bass trombone or any tuba of any key. Bruckner Range and Dynamics Exercise No. 1 helps develop the upper register utilizing contrasting dynamics as well as contrasting articulations. Bruckner Range and Dynamics Exercise No. 2 helps develop the lower register also utilizing contrasting dynamics as well as contrasting articulations.