Sousaphone

The sousaphone is a type of tuba designed to be easier to play than the concert tuba while standing or marching. It is widely employed in marching bands and various other musical genres. Designed to fit around the body of the musician and supported by the left shoulder, the sousaphone may be readily played while being carried. It is useful in all types of bands that play outdoors, as it directs the sound forward, unlike a tuba. The instrument is named after American bandmaster and composer John Philip Sousa, who popularized its use in his band.

History

The first sousaphone was built by James Welsh Pepper in 1893 at the request of John Philip Sousa, who was dissatisfied with the hélicons in use by the United States Marine Band. Some sources credit C.G. Conn with its construction, because of the first sousaphone he built later in 1898. Sousa wanted a tuba-like instrument that would send sound upward and over the band, much like a concert (upright) tuba. The new instrument had an oversized bell pointing straight up, rather than the directional bell of a normal hélicon.