The tuba is the largest and lowest-pitched instrument in the brass family, with a history tracing back to ancient times, though its modern form was developed in the 19th century. The term "tuba" originates from the Latin word for "tube," historically used for instruments in ancient Greece and Rome, including a cylindrical, lip-vibrated instrument known as the Roman trumpet. The modern tuba evolved from earlier bass instruments like the serpent, a large, snake-like wooden instrument wrapped in leather that dates back to the 17th century and the ophicleide, invented in 1821, and resembles a bassoon or saxophone with keys and pads.

The pivotal development came with the invention of the valve apparatus in the 1820s, allowing for greater pitch flexibility and the creation of new brass instruments. Building on this innovation, the first modern tuba was invented by Prussian military bandmaster Wilhelm Friedrich Wieprecht and German instrument builder Johann Gottfried Moritz. They filed a patent for the "bass tuba" on September 12, 1835, creating an instrument with a conical bore, a wide bell, and five piston valves, which allowed for a much broader range of low notes. This instrument was initially called the "bass tuba" or "bombardon" and was designed to replace the ophicleide in military bands.

The tuba quickly gained popularity in military and brass bands across Europe and the United States. Its adoption by orchestras soon followed, largely due to the advocacy of French composer Hector Berlioz, who was impressed by the instrument during a tour of Germany and began incorporating it into his compositions. The tuba became a permanent fixture in the symphony orchestra, particularly during the Romantic and Modern periods, where its deep, resonant sound added crucial harmonic depth to orchestral music. Over time, various tuba variants were developed, including the euphonium, helicon, and sousaphone, each designed for specific musical contexts like marching bands. Today, the tuba remains a vital instrument in classical, jazz, and popular music.

The sousaphone is a brass musical instrument in the tuba family, designed to be easier to play while standing or marching, with sound projected forward over the band. It was conceived by American bandleader John Philip Sousa, who suggested to instrument maker J. W. Pepper the idea of a modified helicon bass with a large, upright bell to project sound upward and over the band. Pepper built the first sousaphone in 1895 at his factory in Philadelphia, naming it the "Sousaphone" in honor of Sousa. This initial model, known as a "rain-catcher" due to its upward-facing bell, was primarily intended as a concert instrument for Sousa's Peerless Concert Band, not for marching. The instrument was later adapted for marching, with the bell repositioned forward, a design that became standard. The first commercially successful bell-front sousaphone was developed by C.G. Conn in 1908, leading to the widespread adoption of the forward-facing bell design. The sousaphone has since become a staple of marching bands, show bands, and is also used in jazz.

A later innovation was covering the bell with tight fitting cloth enabling the sousaphone section to spell out the school's name, initials, or display a picture of the mascot.