First Division Band Method, Part 2: Bass (Tuba) Book

This updated edition preserves everything that made the original method work: a proven scope and sequence that builds technique systematically without gaps. The refreshed design and clarified text make it easier to navigate in a modern rehearsal room while keeping the exact pedagogical structure that has successfully launched millions of students into ensemble playing.

Straightforward and purposeful. Each page builds logically on the last, moving from single notes into simple melodies, then progressively into duets and ensemble parts that sound genuinely musical rather than mechanical.

Beginning tuba players entering a concert band program, whether in middle school, high school, or adult community settings. This method pairs with the rest of the First Division family, so your entire band learns from the same pedagogical framework.

• Match the breath support and attack style your trumpets and cornets are using so the foundation sits solidly under the ensemble sound; tuba intonation depends partly on synchronized attacks with upper voices.
• Work through the duet and trio sections with consistent partners so students internalize their role within a harmonic context rather than treating exercises as isolated technical drills.
• Use the recital pieces at the back as early ensemble repertoire rather than rushing past them; they reinforce the exact concepts from the etude pages and build performance confidence.

Pair this with the concurrent method books for your other sections so your entire ensemble develops in lockstep. The recital pieces inside work as early small-ensemble or full-band concerts, giving your students performance opportunities while they're still mastering fundamentals.

• Proper embouchure formation and long tone production on bass clef instruments
• Reading rhythmic patterns in simple and compound meter
• Producing accurate low register intonation within an ensemble
• Playing duets and trio arrangements with consistent balance and blend
• Breath control for sustaining whole notes and longer phrases
• Recognizing and executing basic articulation styles (legato, staccato, accented)