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Sousaphone player in Washington Square, New York City

The sousaphone is a type of tuba often used in a marching band. It is named after John Philip Sousa, the famous march composer and conductor.

The sousaphone was developed in the 1890s by J.W. Pepper at the request of Sousa, who was unhappy with the tubas used at that time by the Marine band. At that time they used hélicons, instruments that somewhat resemble sousaphones, but have a far narrower bore, and a much smaller bell which points between straight up and the player's left. Sousa wanted a tuba that would send sound upward and over the band with a full warm tone, much like concert tubas, an effect which could not be achieved with the narrower-belled (and thus highly directional) helicons. Contrary to popular belief, it was not initially developed as a marching instrument, as the professional band Sousa started after leaving the Marines (for which he wanted this new instrument) marched only once in its existence. Rather, Sousa wanted a concert instrument which would be easier to hold and play, while retaining a full, rich sound. The tone he sought was achieved by widening the bore and throat of the instrument significantly, as well as pointing it straight upward in a similar manner to concert instruments, a feature which led to the instruments being dubbed "raincatchers". This remained the standard for several decades, and a version with a forward-facing bell did not debut until the mid-1920s. Early sousaphones had 22" diameter bells, with 24" bells popular in the 1920s. From the mid-1930s on, sousaphone bells have become standardized at 26" diameter.

Today, the sousaphone is a valved brass instrument with the same tube length as other tubas, 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 most of the weight rests on one shoulder. Thus, the sousaphone can be carried far more easily than a traditional concert tuba, while still retaining the tuba sound. The bell is normally detachable from the instrument body to facilitate transportation and storage.

Most sousaphones are tuned to B♭ and have parts written in the bass clef, although some sousaphones are tuned to E♭. Sousaphones generally come with a three valve configuration, rather than the four valves often used on modern concert tubas.

In the 1920s and 1930s, four-valved sousaphones were often used by professional players, especially E♭ sousaphones. Four-valved BB♭ sousaphones are uncommon and are prized by collectors today, especially those made by Conn, King (H.N. White), and Holton. Very large bore sousaphones, with oversized bells as large as 30" in diameter, were made by Conn ("Jumbo") and King ("Giant") in the late 1920s and early 1930s, but they disappeared from the catalogs during the Depression. Because of their weight and cost, few were made and even fewer survive.

While most major instrument manufacturers have made, and many continue to make, sousaphones, Conn and King instruments are generally agreed among players to be the standards against which other sousaphones are judged for tone quality and playability. Perhaps the most highly-regarded sousaphone ever built is the .734" bore Conn model 20K, introduced in the mid-1930s and still in production. Some players, especially those who find the 20K excessively heavy for marching, prefer the slightly smaller .689" bore King model 1250, first made in the late 1920s and also still in production as the model 2350. Historically, Holton, York and Martin sousaphones have sometimes been considered fine horns. Unlike with other brass instruments generally, and tubas in particular, players generally dislike the sousaphones made by non-American manufacturers.

In recent years, sousaphones have been available made of fiberglass instead of brass. The fiberglass versions are mainly used as practice horns, and are rarely used in performances. The fiberglass version normally does not have as dark and warm as a tone as the brass. However, fiberglass sousaphones are much lighter than their brass counterparts and provide well for smaller players who othewise cannot play the brass instruments in a marching band. The fiberglass version has been given the nickname as "white trash" by some sousaphone players because they do not sound as rich as the brass.

In large marching bands, the bell is often covered with a tight fitting cloth, called a sock, which enables the sousaphone section to spell out the school's name, initials, or mascot and to reduce the possibility of a spectator throwing objects into the large, inviting target. The Yale Precision Marching Band has made a tradition of setting fire to the tops of the bells of their sousaphones, including in the fall of 1992 when sousaphones served as the "candles" of a "wedding cake" formed by the band when two band alumni were married during a halftime show. They also utilize what they refer to as the "Ubersiouxsa", a sousaphone that was disassembled from its coiled format and welded back together on a twelve-foot frame to extend straight up from the player's shoulders.

The sousaphone is an important fixture of the New Orleans brass band tradition, and is still used in groups such as the Dirty Dozen Brass Band.

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Virginia Tech Music Dictionary: Sousaphone