Name of Instrument:
Tuba
Family:
Brasswind
How to Play:
In order to play the tuba, the musician must be able to blow large amounts of air into the mouthpiece and press the valves. One of the famous composers who used the tuba in his music is
Richard Wagner. In fact, a Wagnerian tuba was even designed to use specifically for his music. Other composers who used the tuba are
Richard Strauss and
Hector Berlioz.
Types:
There are various types of tubas created through the years. In 1835 Johann Gottfried Moritz and Wilhelm Wieprecht created the
bass tuba in F. Tubas that are used in the military or brass bands are the
BB-flat bass and E-flat bass. Other types of tubas are the
sousaphone, based on the specifications of
John Philip Sousa, and the
helicon. Other types of tubas exist depending on which country it is used. For example, tubas in BB flat are used in Europe and the US.
First Known Tubas:
The tuba was invented in the 1820s in Germany. It has valves and is the largest and deepest voiced instrument of the brasswind family. In 1835, the bass tuba in F was patented in Berlin.
Tuba Players:
Some notable tubists are: Arnold Jacobs, Dave Bargeron, Ray Draper, Marcus Rojas and Bob Stewart.
Additional Tuba Resource:
Tuba History
