| |
| Playing Range: | |
|---|---|
| Related Instruments: | Baritone |
The tuba is the largest member of the brass family. Commonly pitched in BBb and Eb, as well as G in some drum corps, it is one octave lower than the baritone and is written in and below the bass clef.
Valves
Tuba valves can be either piston or rotary valves. Top-action piston valves are popular in Britain and fairly common in the US, and front-action, or side-action, pistons are common in the US. Rotary valves are traditional in Germany and the surrounding areas.
Uses in the orchestra
The tuba is commonly the lowest instrument in the orchestra, though rarely an orchestra will have a contrabassoon, which is lower. Tubas are most commonly used for standard bass lines, which are two notes repeated over and over.
Notable solos
- Mussorgsky. Bydlo from Pictures at an Exhibition
Notable concerti
- Vaughn Williams, Tuba Concerto