1. Embouchure: The player positions their lips tightly against the mouthpiece of the sousaphone. The placement of the lips influences the pitch and quality of the sound produced.
2. Airflow: The player blows air into the mouthpiece with controlled force and direction. The breath should flow continuously and steadily to produce a consistent sound.
3. Lip Vibration: The air stream from the player's mouth causes the player's lips to vibrate. This vibration creates variations in air pressure within the mouthpiece.
4. Resonance: The vibrations from the player's lips travel through the mouthpiece and into the sousaphone's tubing, causing the air column inside to vibrate in sympathy. The sousaphone's shape, specifically its large bell and coiled tubing, is designed to amplify and shape the sound waves.
5. Sound Projection: The vibrations of the air column in the sousaphone cause the bell to vibrate, producing sound waves that are projected outward. The bell of a sousaphone is designed to radiate the sound in a specific direction, allowing it to be heard clearly in a large ensemble or outdoor setting.
The sousaphone's tubing length and shape, along with the player's embouchure and breathing techniques, contribute to its characteristic rich, mellow, and resonant sound.