Tuba many small brass ensembles will use the euphonium or bass trombone as the lowest voice). It is the principal bass instrument in concert bands, brass bands and military bands, and those ensembles generally have two to four tubas. It is also a solo instrument. Tubas are used in marching bands, drum and bugle corps and in many jazz bands (see below). In British style brass bands, two E and two B tubas are used and are referred to as "basses". Well known and influential parts for the tuba include: Concertos have been written for the tuba by many notable composers,
Brass instrument valve by Heinrich Stölzel in 1815) was an early variety. The piston valve found in the majority of valved brass instruments was invented in 1838 and patented in 1839. They are sometimes called Périnet valves after their inventor, François Périnet. They work by diverting air obliquely through ports in the stock of the valve so that a loop of tubing is included in the air stream, lowering the pitch. The stock of the valve is cylindrical and moves up and down through a larger cylindrical casing. The rotary valve works using a short circular plug housed in a larger cylindrical casing.