Patent ID: 7504571

Claim:
A shoulder marching tuba comprising: a first substantially U-shaped tube having first and second ends, the first substantially U-shaped tube defining a viewing region for a user operating the tuba; a valve system for adjustment of musical pitch of sound issued from the tuba in fluid communication with the second end of the first substantially U-shaped tube and located on a forward side of the viewing region; a second substantially U-shaped tube having first and second ends, the second end in fluid communication with the first end of the first substantially U-shaped tube; a mouth piece in fluid communication with the first end of the second substantially U-shaped tube, wherein the mouth piece is positioned to provide a user a view through the viewing region while operating the tuba; a third substantially U-shaped tube having first and second ends, the first end in fluid communication with the valve system; a fourth substantially U-shaped tube having first and second ends, the first end in fluid communication with the second end of the third substantially U-shaped tube and positioned below the viewing region, the second end of the fourth substantially U-shaped tube positioned above the viewing region; a fifth substantially U-shaped tube having first and second ends, the first end in fluid communication with the second end of the fourth substantially U-shaped tube, the second end of the fifth substantially U-shaped tube positioned below the viewing region; a sixth substantially U-shaped tube having first and second ends, the first end in fluid communication with the second end of the fifth substantially U-shaped tube; and a bell in fluid communication with the second end of the sixth substantially U-shaped tube and positioned above the viewing region.