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Sousaphone
The sousaphone traces its origins back to the late 19th century when John Philip Sousa sought to create a more practical alternative to the traditional upright tuba for marching bands. The sousaphone plays a central role in marching bands, adding depth and power to their musical performances. Its distinctive appearance and sound contribute to the spectacle of parades and halftime shows.
It is a modern adaptation of a now-obsolete type of tuba called the Helicon - a circular marching instrument thought to have been invented in mid-19th century Russia, which was carried on the shoulder.
The sousaphone is a giant among brass instruments, weighing in at as much as 50 lbs (though most marching band sousaphones weigh only half that or less). If it were unrolled, the average BBb Sousaphone would be approximately 18' long!
While more often used for marching, sousaphones are also seen in concert settings.
A typical sousaphone has three piston valves, but less common sousaphones contain rotary valves. Sousaphones with 4 valves are less popular than the 3 valve models, due to their additional cost and significantly greater weight (nearly twice the weight of a 3-valve sousaphone).