Tuba

The tuba by a wide marign is the largest - and deepest sounding - of the brass family of instruments. Like the horn, the tuba uses valves to regulate the airflow through the instrument and hence the pitch and timbre of the sound it produces. A tuba's principle role is to provide the bass support for the rest of the brass section to work off. However the range of a tuba is larger than you would think and it is actually quite a flexible instrument. A number of composers have recognised this and have featured the tuba in concertante roles, the most famous of which include concertos by John Williams, Edward Gregson and Vaughan Williams. Tubas are particulary popular in the USA, Great Britain, Australia and New Zealand where they are integral parts of military, marching and brass bands as well as New Orleans type jazz bands.