Learn why people trust wikiHow

How to Play the Sousaphone

Author Info
Updated: May 17, 2019

A sousaphone is no doubt one of the most important instruments in marching band. As

Explore this Article
the marching version of the tuba, it's really the backbone of the sound of the band.
However, sousaphones are different than tubas, and before you put it on, you'll need to Steps
Related Articles
know how to play it.

Steps

1 Have a tuba background. While it is possible to start out on sousaphone, most sousaphone players
started out on the tuba in a concert band, and that'll make switching types of tubas much easier.

2 Assemble the instrument - take the bell and put it in the hole at the top of the horn, and then put
your lead pipe in the hole next to your valves. Be sure to screw it on really tight.

3 Put the horn on your left shoulder to hold it up and balance it, while lifting the instrument with your
right elbow.

4 Hold the area where the mouthpiece and the lead pipe meet.

5 Keep the horn's bell facing north/south depending on which way you're facing.

6 Take a large breath and blow to produce a sound.

7 Make sure you have a nice, smooth tone, and have fun with it!

Community Q&A

Question

I just started sousaphone today, it hurts like crazy but I'm able to march without a pad, How do I stop it from
bouncing?

Community Answer

If your sousaphone is bouncing while you're marching, then you need to focus on smoothing out your marching. The
bottom half of your body, from the waist down, or "the athlete," should be marching as normal. The top half of your
body, or "the musician," should be still and calm, so your airstream is uninterrupted. If someone were to watch you
march, but only from the waist up, it should look like you're gliding, which will eliminate the bounce.
 Question

If she holds the mouthpiece with her right hand, how does her left hand reach the valves?

Community Answer

It is only correct to play the sousaphone with your right hand on the keys and left hand on the mouthpiece due to the
shape of the tubing. The picture of the girl holding the mouthpiece with her right hand in step is likely just an error.

Question

My shoulder hurts when I play the sousaphone. Is there any way I can make it stop hurting?

Community Answer

You might want to put a piece of foam on your shoulder, or rubber band it to the instrument. You can also try to see if
you can angle the instrument differently to ensure the weight is well balanced.

Question

Where do I put my left hand when playing the sousaphone?

Community Answer

I usually placed my left hand on the sousaphone, almost by my shoulder.

Tips

Take big breaths before you play, a loud bass sound surprises people.
The first time you wear a sousaphone, it is going to hurt like crazy, but don't use pads or anything to deaden the
pain, because that will only apply more pressure to your shoulder, making it hurt even worse.
If you ever need to take your horn off quickly, do it quickly, but carefully.
You control the horn, don't let the horn control you.
If you think your instrument needs its water emptied, do one of the following: lift it up so the bell faces the
sky/ceiling and press the valves repeatedly, pull out your valve slide and empty it while depressing its valve, blow
into your mouthpiece get the water out (make sure spit valve is open).
A fiberglass sousaphone weighs less than a brass sousaphone, and both produce almost the same sound. Try
practicing with a fiberglass sousaphone, then move on to brass.
Feel free to use a small cloth to soften the pressure on your shoulder, especially brass sousaphones(they usually
weigh up to 50-75 pounds, or more).

Warnings

Do not drop it!

Always keep the screws on the bell tight so the bell won't fall off while you play
Make sure your mouthpiece is in the lead pipe tightly.
ThingsAYou'll Need
sousaphone

A good mouthpiece