Sousaphone

Sousaphone

A sousaphone.
Brass instrument
Classification	Aerophone Wind Brass
Hornbostel–Sachs classification	423.231.2 (Valved lip-reed aerophone with wide conical bore)
Inventor(s)	J. W. Pepper, John Philip Sousa
Developed	c. 1893
Playing range
Range of a B♭ sousaphone with three valves
Related instruments
Helicon Tuba Contrabass Bugle Cornu (horn)

The sousaphone (/ˈsuːzəfoʊn/ SOO-zə-fohn) is a brass musical instrument in the tuba family. It was first created around 1893 by J. W. Pepper as a modification of the helicon, at the direction of American bandleader John Philip Sousa, after whom the instrument was named. Sousa intended the bass sound of his helicons to better project above the heads of the band, and into the auditorium. Like the tuba, sound is produced by moving air past the lips, causing them to vibrate or "buzz" into a large cupped mouthpiece. Like the helicon, the modern instrument is bent in a circle to fit around the body of the musician, and ends in a large, flaring bell that is pointed forward, projecting the sound ahead of the player. Because of the ease of carrying and the direction of sound, it is widely employed in marching bands, as well as various other musical genres. Sousaphones were originally made of brass. Beginning in the mid-20th century, some sousaphones have also been made of lighter materials, such as fiberglass and plastic.