The sousaphone is a type of tuba that is widely employed in marching bands. Designed so that it fits around the body of the tubist and is supported by the left shoulder, the sousaphone may be readily played while being carried.
It is manufactured from sheet brass, usually yellow or silver, with silver, lacquer, and gold plating options, much like many brass instruments.It is in the key of B?, and the instrument's part is usually read in "concert pitch", not transposed as with a trumpet in B?. Like other tubas, It has parts written in the bass clef.
Very large bore (>= 0.750 inch) sousaphones, with oversized bells as large as 32" in diameter, were made by Conn ("Grand Jumbo"[46K(3-valve) & 48K(4-valve)]) and King ("Jumbo"[1265(3 & 4-valve versions)]
