Sousaphone

The sousaphone is basically a tuba that coils around the performer's body with a flared bell that faces forward. As such, it is similar to the tuba in how it is played. The main difference is the sousaphone wraps around the performer's body to make the instrument easier to carry in marching bands. It is It is made of the same brass material and can also be silver plated like a tuba. Many of the popular models are made of a fiberglass material that make it much lighter in weight, designed for more comfort when carried for long periods. Most sousaphones have only three valves.

The sousaphone is played in the same manner as all other brass instruments. The performer vibrates his/her lips against the mouthpiece producing a tone, and the pitch is controlled by three valves.

Sousaphones can be pitched in nearly any key. Most sousaphones are in the key of B flat, however, it is not unusual to find instruments in E-flat. The sousaphone notes sound at the same octave as written, so it is a non-transposing instrument. The lowest note written for the sousaphone is the F1 below the bass clef staff. The high range goes to the F4 above the bass clef staff. A professional performer can extend the range more than an octave above this and extend the low pitches into the pedal range of the instrument.