The
tuba ( or ; ) is the largest and lowest-pitched musical instrument in the
brass family. Sound is produced by vibrating or "buzzing" the lips into a large cupped
mouthpiece. It first appeared in the mid 19th-century, making it one of the newer instruments in the modern
orchestra and
concert band. The tuba largely replaced the
ophicleide.
Tuba is
Latin for '
trumpet'.