Tuba

WHAT IS IT?

The tuba is the lowest member of the brass family. The first version was patented by Wilhelm Friedrich Wieprecht and Carl Moritz in 1835. It has since evolved with help from many other instrument designers including Adolphe Sax.

It has 3-6 valves (usually 4), and its tubing is coiled and ends in a wide, upward pointing bell.

WHERE IS IT USED?

--orchestras, bands, jazz, marching bands

--often would fill the role usually played by a string bass, especially in jazz

WHAT OTHER INSTRUMENTS ARE RELATED TO THE TUBA?

Serpent--precursor to the tuba; mouthpiece like a brass instrument but tone holes and keys like a woodwind; conical tubing curved into a serpent-like shape

Euphonium--a sort of tenor tuba; plays more in the trombone range; sometimes referred to as a baritone

Wagner Tuba--"a cross between horns, trumpets, trombones, and bass tubas"; designed to be played by horn players (The Encyclopedia of Music, Max Wade-Matthews and Wendy Thompson, 2006)

Sousaphone--see below

THE SOUSAPHONE

--named after John Philip Sousa, famous composer and bandmaster who popularized the instrument

--tubing circles the player, making it easier to carry and play standing up or marching

--the bell extends above the player's head and points forwards

--supported by the left shoulder

--variations exist in other countries

FAMOUS TUBA PLAYERS

John Fletcher, William Bell, Howard Johnson, Philip Catelinet, Roger Bobo

WELL KNOWN TUBA MUSIC

John Fletcher playing "Flight of the Tuba Bee"

Tuba solo in "Bydlo", Pictures at an Expedition by Mussorgsky

Also:

Stravinsky's "Rite of Spring"

Wagner's "Ride of the Valkyries"

Gershwin's "An American in Paris"

TUBACHRISTMAS

An yearly concert held in cities around the world celebrating "those who play, teach, and compose music for instruments in the tuba family," according to the Wikipedia article on the event.

TUBA JOKE

"How do you clean a tuba? with a tub-a toothpaste!"