The Tuba comes from a long tradition of trumpet-like instruments that were used for signaling and military ceremonies. It is a lip-vibrated wind instrument that is the largest member of the brass family and its main origin came from its direct ancestor, the serpent. A serpent is a large wooden tube covered with black leather in a shape of snake, containing six finger holes so that one could cover and uncover them to produce a variety of sounds. .
While the brass instruments remained valveless until 1814, a type of keyed bugle named ophicleide, was used. Ophicleide was a brass wind musical instrument of relatively wide conical bore, that was invented in 1817 by Jean-Hilaire Asté of Paris. With the intention to make instruments fully chromatic, Heinrich Stoelzel, a member of the band of the Prince of Pless, invented a valve which he applied to the horn by July of 1814. This device enabled the player, in all simplicity, to produce all notes from the lowest to the highest with the same strength, fullness, and purity, the majority of which were hitherto only obtainable by stopping the hand into the bell, which produced a dull and unclear sound.
Following the invention of the valve, the tuba was finally patented in Berlin by instrument maker Johann Gottfried Moritz in 1835. It was soon accepted into the band and orchestra, displacing the serpent, ophicleide, and other such instruments of poorer tone quality and intonation. .
The patent held on tuba inspired the manufacturers to improvise on their tuba creations. This created a great misconception in the music business because of the various sizes and sounds that tuba could create. The version created by Richard Wagner, for instance, could only be used in his Ring cycle of operas, thus receiving its name the Wagner tuba. In the late 19th century, John Philip Sousa commissioned an audience- friendly tuba to be used in the bands. It had a unique circular shape which made it very comfortable to carry around on the shoulder, thus making it very popular among the marching band players.
