What is the origin of the tuba?

Answer 1

The shape of the tuba has been changed through out the ages. The original shape of the tuba came from an instrument called a ophicleide. It was a form of the tuba except it had no valves. Later on Johann Gottfried Moritz and Wilheim Wieprecht invented a keyed ophicleide. The shape of the tuba was always changing through out the years. Well in 1845 a man by the name of Adolfe Sax had created a family of Saxophone horns. He had these ranging from the soprano and the contrabass. The contrabass resembled a lot of what the modern tuba resembles now and that's where the modern shape of the tuba came from.

Later on though a band leader by the name of John Philip Sousa got in contact with C. G. Conn and they created a more "audience-friendly" version of the tuba which is now known as the sousaphone.

Answer 2

The Ancient Roman name for a long, straight brass instrument was "Tuba" and when the modern Tuba was invented around 1835 it was given the name by the inventor.

See the first related link below for a brief history of the Tuba and the instruments that lead up to it.

See the second related link below for drawings of Roman instruments.

Answer 3

The first tuba was invented by Johann Moritz and protected by Prussian patent in 1835