Bob Stewart

Breathing Bass Line

In the jazz tradition the Tuba was the bass in the rhythm section up until the mid-twenties. It was then the upright bass replaced the Tuba in many ensembles as the jazz music moved north and continued to develop. After this period the Tuba's roll, as bass in the rhythm section, was at a standstill and did not develop through Swing and Bebop. It wasn't until Cool Jazz of the 1950's when the Tuba was used by Miles Davis and Gil Evans in 'Birth of the Cool' as an ensemble horn.
The Tuba, like swimming, is something you can't do any longer than you can hold your breath. In order to maintain a steady beat while playing in the rhythm section I have developed a system of breathing called Pant Breathing. Using this method, the player can maintain a steady beat within the rhythm section, without losing time while taking deep breaths.