Explore the Tuba
Q: What is the tuba, and where did it come from?
A: The tuba is the largest and lowest-pitched instrument in the brass family. It is a descendant of Edmé Guillaume’s noble Serpent, a wooden instrument with a metal mouthpiece used to accompany plainchant as far back as the sixteenth century.
Q: Who invented the first brass tuba?
A: In 1835, instrument inventor Johann Moritz, in collaboration with military bandmaster Wilhelm Weiprecht, was able to produce the first ever brass tuba using Heinrich Stölzel’s patented Berliner pump valves that, for the first time, allowed for a broad enough bore size to facilitate the lower tones of the new instrument.
Q: Why was the tuba invented?
A: As orchestras grew larger during the Classical and Romantic periods, they needed stronger bass instruments to balance the sound. Older instruments like the serpent, ophicleide, and contrabassoon couldn’t adequately support the expanding orchestral sound, so the tuba was developed to fill that role.
Q: How wide is the tuba’s range?
A: The tuba boasts one of the widest ranges of any wind instrument – professional players can produce more than 5 octaves!
Q: What keys are modern tubas tuned in?
A: Modern tubas come in a variety of keys, including Bb, C, Eb, and F, each suited for different musical settings and styles.
Q: Is the tuba only used in orchestras?
A: Not at all! While the tuba often finds its home as a sonic presence in the back of the orchestra, it also appears in many other musical settings.
Q: What types of ensembles feature the tuba?
A: The tuba can be found in wind ensembles, brass quintets, tuba quartets, brass bands, marching bands, and even pop, polka, jazz, and funk bands.
Q: Are there tuba soloists?
A: Yes! Several notable professional tuba soloists perform concert works and solo recitals, showcasing the instrument’s surprising agility and expressive power.
Q: What makes the tuba a versatile instrument?
A: The tuba’s wide range, rich tone, and ability to blend or stand out make it adaptable to almost any musical genre – from classical and jazz to popular and contemporary music.
This versatile instrument can also be found in wind ensembles of all levels, from elementary to the President’s Own, brass quintets, tuba quartets, brass bands, marching bands, pop bands, polka bands, jazz bands, funk bands, and there are even several notable professional soloists!
Q: Do tubas come in different keys?
A: Yes! Bb and C are contrabass tubas and are pitched lower than the other two, Eb and F, which are bass tubas. Contrabass tubas reside in a lower tessitura and produce a bigger, darker sound, ideal for low playing and balancing out an orchestra. The bass tubas are pitched higher and offer a brighter, more direct sound, making them an excellent fit for pieces that stay consistently high, chamber groups, and solo repertoire. As a professional, I am expected to own and operate both a contrabass and a bass tuba.
Q: How much do tubas cost?
A: Tubas range from a couple of hundred dollars to upwards of $35,000+. That said, the average equipment costs for an undergraduate student would probably be expected to be around $8000-$10,000 for a contrabass tuba and $6000-$8000 for a bass tuba.
Q: Does the tuba take a lot of air to play?
A: Yes, but don’t let something like that stop you! If Arnold Jacobs could be the principal tubist of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra for 44 years with a 3-liter lung capacity (average lung capacity is 6 liters), anything is possible!
Q: How much does the tuba weigh?
A: Many factors go into the final weight of a tuba. Some tubas are bigger than others, a system we calculate in “quarters.” For example, a 3/4 horn is smaller than a 4/4 (the two sizes you’ll likely see in a high school setting). A silver-plated horn will be heavier than raw brass; different valve sets and modifications can affect the weight, and more. That said, according to the manufacturer, my PT6-P (a 5/4, silver-plated C tuba) weighs approximately 22.7 pounds.
Q: How long is the tubing that makes up a tuba?
A: Unwrapped, the tubing of a tuba would stretch 18ft for Bb, 16ft for C, 13ft for Eb, and 12ft for F.
Q: Is the euphonium just a baby tuba?
A: HAH! No. I don’t suggest asking any euphonium player that either, as it tends to upset them. The euphonium is a descendant of the flugelhorn and was invented in 1843, almost ten years after the tuba, and is closely related to the baritone (which has a smaller bore and only three valves) and the saxhorn (invented by Adolphe Sax, the same person who invented the saxophone). Since their creation, all three instruments have had their niche in the world of military bands.
Important Tuba Recordings
Ottorino Respighi, Fountains of Rome – The Fountain of Trevi
Hector Berlioz, Symphonie Fantastique – 5th Movement
Michael Daugherty, Reflections on the Mississippi – Carol Jantsch
Interested in learning the tuba? Visit our Music Teacher page to find more about our instructors and how they can help you achieve your musical goals.
About the Author
Our Explore Musical Instruments series of articles were written for and contributed to Note-worthy Experiences® Music Studio by current and past music instructors. We appreciate their generosity in sharing their experiences and expertise!
