A tuba is both a category of instrument and a group of instruments within the brass family of instruments. The baritone, euphonium, and sousaphone, as well as the tuba itself, are all included in the tuba category. Bb tenor tubas, F, Eb, and C tubas, and BBb (say “double B-flat”) and CC (say “double C”) contrabass tubas are among the tubas.
Tubas are non-transposing instruments, and due to their more comfortable fingering, the C and BBb are the most commonly used in orchestral settings. They’re frequently used to perform older repertoire written for other brass instruments like the ophicleide (a forerunner of the tuba) or the Wagner tuba.
The tuba’s role as a supporting instrument is well-known—so well-known, in fact, that it is gently parodied in the children’s story “Tubby the Tuba,” in which Tubby eventually persuades others that he should be allowed to play a melody rather than just the “oom-pahs.” Tubby was created in 1941 by George Kleinsinger and Paul Tripp, who were inspired by a tubist who had performed one of their pieces.
Composers writing for tuba must account for the large amount of breath required to play the instrument. Because of this, tuba playing is a very physical activity, even though the tuba player sits still. Pauses are necessary to allow the player to breathe. Unlike the other brass instruments, the tuba only uses mutes on rare occasions, and when it does, it’s usually the straight mute. Both inserting and removing the mute is difficult, and composers must allow enough time for the performer to do so quietly.
Concert bands, orchestras, jazz, Dixieland, brass choirs, and brass quintets all use tubas. Solo tuba repertoire includes Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Concerto in F minor, Carson P. Cooman’s Divertimento for Tuba and Piano, and Thomas L. Read’s Enchorial Landscape, and is more popular today than it was previously.
Roger Bobo, James Gourlay, Patrick Harrild, Patrick Sheridan, and Sam Pilafian are all well-known tubists. Jon Sass, François Thuillier, Sérgio Carolino, and Harvey Phillips are other notable tubists.