Sousaphone
Sousaphone
It was invented in the 1890s to replace tubas in marching bands: in a concert, the tuba is traditionally held on the musician's lap with the bell pointed upward. In marching, however, the musician must hold the tuba in his hands. This proves very difficult due to the weight and shape of the tuba.
The sousaphone is a valved brass instrument with the same tube length as a tuba, but shaped differently so that the bell is above the head, the valves are situated directly in front of the musician a few inches above the waist, and the majority of the weight rests on one shoulder. Thus, the sousaphone can be carried far more easily than a traditional concert tuba, and sounds very similar. Sousaphones are often tuned to BBflat or C, and read the bass clef.
In recent years, sousaphones have been available made of fiberglass instead of brass. The tone is slightly inferior to the brass instrument, but the weight is much less, the cost is lower, and the sound is still acceptable in virtually any marching band performance.
The Sousaphone's large, flared bell can be also made from fiberglass or brass. In large marching bands, the bell is often covered with a tight fitting cloth which enables the sousaphone section to spell out the school's name, initials, or mascot.