The sousaphone is a brass musical instrument in the tuba family. It was first made around 1893 by J. W. Pepper as a change to the helicon, following the request of American bandleader John Philip Sousa. The instrument was named after Sousa. He wanted the deep sound of the helicon to be heard clearly above the band and into the auditorium. Like the tuba, the sousaphone makes sound when air is blown past the lips, causing them to vibrate or "buzz" into a large, cup-shaped mouthpiece. Similar to the helicon, the modern sousaphone is curved in a circle to fit around the musician’s body and ends with a large, flaring bell that points forward to direct the sound. Because it is easy to carry and focuses sound forward, it is often used in marching bands and other musical groups. Originally, sousaphones were made of brass. Starting in the middle of the 20th century, some were also made from lighter materials, such as fiberglass and plastic.
History
The first sousaphone was created by James Walsh Pepper in 1893 at the request of John Philip Sousa, who was not happy with the helicons used by the United States Marine Band. Some sources say C.G. Conn built the first sousaphone in 1898. Sousa wanted an instrument similar to a tuba that would direct sound upward and over the band, like a concert tuba. The new instrument had a large bell pointing straight up, unlike the directional bell of a normal helicon.
The sousaphone was first made for concerts, not for marching. Sousa used it in the professional band he formed after leaving the Marines, which only marched once. Sousa mostly used sousaphones made by C.G. Conn. Although the sousaphone was less balanced on a player’s body than a helicon, its large bell high in the air helped it keep the tuba-like sound by making the instrument’s bore and throat much wider. The upright bell made the instrument nicknamed a "rain-catcher." Some designs allowed the bell to rotate forward, sending sound to the front of the band. This design became the standard for many years and is still used today.
The sousaphone became useful for marching, and by 1908, the United States Marine Band began using it.
Versions with a special 90° bend to make the bell face forward were made in the early 1900s. Early sousaphones had 22-inch-diameter bells, while 24-inch bells became popular in the 1920s. Since the mid-1930s, sousaphone bells have been standardized at 26 inches in diameter. Some larger sousaphones, called Monster, Grand, Jumbo, Giant, or Grand Jumbo (depending on the brand), were made in limited numbers.
When C.G. Conn announced the new instrument, "The Sousaphone," in the January 22, 1898 issue of The Music Trade Review, it said the sousaphone would be a special part of Sousa’s band during their upcoming trip to Europe.
That trip began in April 1900. Before leaving, Conn explained that the band’s bass section included the Conn Sousaphone, which he donated to the band for the tour.
Construction
The sousaphone is a brass instrument with the same length and musical range as tubas. Its shape places the bell above the musician's head and pointing forward. The valves are located in front of the player, just above the waist, and the instrument's weight is supported by the left shoulder. The bell can be removed from the main body to make the instrument easier to carry and store. Except for its shape, the sousaphone is similar in design to a tuba.
Modern sousaphones typically use three simple piston valves, unlike concert tubas, which may have different numbers and types of valves. Both the sousaphone and tuba are partially cone-shaped brass instruments. No valved brass instrument can be completely cone-shaped because the section with valves must be cylindrical. While the shape of the instrument's bore affects its sound, similar to how cornets and trumpets differ from euphoniums and trombones, the sousaphone's bore shape is similar to most tubas.
To help players of different heights and body types use the mouthpiece comfortably, sousaphones often include a detachable, flexible tube called a gooseneck. This tube connects the mouthpiece to the rest of the instrument. The mouthpiece is inserted into a short, angled tube at the end of the gooseneck. This setup can be adjusted to position the mouthpiece at the correct height and angle for the player.
Most sousaphones are made from sheet brass, which can be yellow or silver, and may have silver, lacquer, or gold coatings. Unlike other brass instruments, sousaphones are also often made from fiberglass, which is lighter, stronger, and less expensive.
The weight of a sousaphone ranges from 18 pounds (8 kg) to 50 pounds (23 kg).
Most modern sousaphones are made in the key of B♭ (Low B Flat), like many tubas. Their music is written in "concert pitch," meaning it is not adjusted for the instrument's key. Although sousaphones may have a slightly smaller range than tubas (often with three valves instead of four), they can generally play the same music. Their parts are written in the bass clef, and the indicated octave is played as written, unlike the double bass or electric bass, which sound an octave lower. Many older sousaphones were made in the key of E♭, but this is now rare.
Varieties
Most major instrument makers have created sousaphones, and some still do today. Conn and King (H. N. White) instruments are widely considered the best examples for how sousaphones should sound and feel. The most famous sousaphone ever made is the Conn model 20K, which has a 0.734-inch bore (18.6 mm) and was introduced in the mid-1930s. It is still being made today. Some players prefer the slightly smaller King model 1250 (0.687-inch bore, 17.4 mm), which was first made in the late 1920s and is still produced as model 2350. Historically, sousaphones made by Holton, York, and Martin were also highly respected.
In the 1920s and 1930s, Conn and King made large sousaphones with very wide bores (0.750 inch or larger) and huge bells up to 32 inches (81 cm) in diameter. These were called "Grand Jumbo" (Conn models 46K and 48K) and "Jumbo" or "Giant" (King models 1265, 1270, and 1271). Other companies like Martin, York, and Buescher also made these instruments. However, these sousaphones were expensive and heavy, so few were made. They were no longer sold during the 1930s due to the Great Depression and World War II.
Since 1961, sousaphones have been made from fiberglass reinforced plastic instead of brass. RMC-Reynolds introduced an 18-pound fiberglass sousaphone that year (called "Reynolds" or "Martin"), and Conn later released its 16-3/4-pound model 36K. King advertised its 18-1/2-pound model 1280 in 1964, as did Holton with its FG-122 and Selmer with its Buescher-division instrument. Olds introduced its fiberglass sousaphone in 1966. Fiberglass sousaphones are mainly used for marching, while brass sousaphones are used for other purposes. Fiberglass sousaphones are common in younger marching bands, like middle schools, because they are lighter. However, fiberglass sousaphones often do not produce as rich or dark a sound as brass ones.
In the 1920s and 1930s, professional players often used sousaphones with four valves, especially E♭ models. Today, four-valve B♭ sousaphones are rare and valued by collectors, especially those made by Conn, King (H. N. White), and Holton. Jupiter Company began making four-valve BB♭ sousaphones in the late 2000s, and Dynasty USA also makes a four-valve BB♭ model. The fourth valve adds weight but helps improve the sound and makes it easier to play low notes.
Because sousaphones are large, the lowest notes (in the sub-contra register) are already covered by "false tones," which are natural resonances that occur in the instrument. Most beginners do not know about these false tones because they are difficult to reach. Some professional players use a "raised embouchure," where one lip covers most of the mouthpiece, to play these notes. This technique provides more space for the lips to vibrate than the usual 50–50 split between the lips.
Sousaphones made in China and India are becoming more popular in street bands. In Switzerland and southern Germany, "Guggenmusik" bands often use these instruments because they are good for display and have acceptable sound quality. Most are tuned to E♭. Brands like Zweiss, which use older British designs, offer affordable sousaphones priced below €500. These are usually medium-sized, with bells about 23 inches (580 mm) in diameter. Chinese brands often copy older models and are generally reliable.
Special effects
In large U.S. marching bands, the bell of the sousaphone is often covered with a tight cloth called a sock. This allows the sousaphone section to display the school's name, initials, or mascot. The Leland Stanford Junior University Marching Band Tööbz! has a tradition of painting images on the front of their sousaphone bells.
Sousaphone players sometimes perform a show called "flaming tubas," where flash paper is lit inside the bell, creating the illusion that the musician is breathing fire. David Silverman created a sousaphone powered by propane, with a valve that controls flames across the top of the bell. The Yale Precision Marching Band has a tradition of lighting the tops of their sousaphone bells. In 1992, they used sousaphones as "candles" in a "wedding cake" formation during a halftime show celebrating the marriage of two band alumni.
The Yale band also uses a sousaphone called the "Überphone." This instrument was taken apart from its coiled shape, welded together again, and attached to a twelve-foot frame. It stands straight up from the player's shoulders.
College marching bands
John Philip Sousa supported the University of Illinois music program and was friends with the university's Director of Bands, Albert Austin Harding. The Marching Illini were the first band to march during a football game's halftime show and the first to use sousaphones on the field.
Some marching bands have special traditions involving their sousaphone sections. The University of California Marching Band's bass section performs a "strut" during the pregame show. During this, the section separates from the rest of the band, circles the North goal post, and rejoins to complete the Script Cal. The University of Southern California Trojan Marching Band's sousaphones play John Williams' "Imperial March" from Star Wars in single file when crossing streets to and from performances on campus. When The Ohio State University Marching Band performs its Script Ohio formation, a senior sousaphone player dots the "i."
The Fightin' Texas Aggie Band's sousaphone section (called "Bass Horns" at the university) performs a special two-step and four-step counter-march during performances. During halftime shows, the crowd cheers with "huh! huh!" when the last rank of 12 bass horns marches.
The University of Delaware Fightin' Blue Hen Marching Band has traditions involving sousaphone players. Before games, the sousaphone players separate from the rest of the band, run in a snake-like pattern around the field to the drum line's rhythm, and sometimes act out a skit. After games, the band plays "In My Life" by The Beatles, with a sousaphone solo.
- Sousaphones are played by a marching band during the Freedom Festival in 2011.
- The Virginia Pep Band's sousaphones have painted bells.
Musical genres
The sousaphone is an important part of the New Orleans brass band tradition and is still used in groups such as the Dirty Dozen Brass Band led by Kirk Joseph. The Soul Rebels Brass Band from New Orleans includes sousaphone player Edward Lee Jr.
In Sinaloa, a state in Mexico, a music style called Banda Sinaloense uses the sousaphone as a tuba.
Damon "Tuba Gooding Jr." Bryson, a member of The Roots, played the sousaphone on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. He now performs this role on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
Nat Mcintosh is the sousaphone player and co-founder of the Youngblood Brass Band, which blends traditional New Orleans brass band music with hip hop.
The Lemon Bucket Orkestra, a Canadian group that calls itself a "Balkan-Klezmer-Gypsy-Punk-Super-Party-Band," includes a sousaphone as one of its instruments.
Red Baraat, a Brooklyn-based dhol & brass band that mixes North Indian Bhangra with hip-hop, go-go, and jazz, features John Altieri on sousaphone.
In Israel, more brass bands are using the sousaphone for bass, including groups like Marsh Dondurma, Las Piratas Piratas, and Pam Pah Orkestra.
In Indonesia, Tanjidor is a traditional Betawi musical group from Jakarta. It began as a small orchestra in the 19th century, created by Augustijn Michiels, also known as Mayor Jantje, in the Citeureup area near Batavia.
The instruments used are similar to those in military bands, marching bands, or drum and bugle corps, typically including wind and percussion instruments. Tanjidor can also be found in Pontianak, West Kalimantan. The sousaphone is one of the instruments used.