Euphonium are the tuba-euphonium quartet or larger tuba-euphonium ensemble; the brass quintet, where it can supply the tenor voice, though the trombone is much more common in this role; and other mixed brass ensemble. Such ensembles are almost non-existent: they are more likely to be semi-professional or amateur in nature. Most of the United States Armed Forces service bands include a tuba-euphonium quartet made up of players from the band that occasionally performs in its own right. The euphonium is not traditionally an orchestral instrument and has not been common in symphony orchestras. However, there are a few works from the
Ophicleide Ophicleide The ophicleide ( ) is a keyed brass instrument similar to the tuba. It is a conical-bore keyed instrument belonging to the bugle family and has a similar shape to the sudrophone. The instrument's name comes from the Greek word ophis (ὄφις) "serpent" + kleis (κλείς) "keys", since it was conceived of as a serpent with keys. Like the serpent, some found it difficult to play, and early twentieth-century musicians felt it had a somewhat unpredictable sound. The ophicleide was invented in 1817 and patented in 1821 by French instrument maker Jean Hilaire Asté (also known as Halary or