Cimbassi

The cimbasso (say "chim-boss-oh") is a valve contrabass trombone traditionally used in the operas of Verdi and other Italian composers. They may be pitched in BBb, CC, Eb, or F and may be played by a tuba or bass trombone player. Cimbassos are now often heard in large orchestras used for movie soundtracks. They can produce a light sound that is less overpowering than the tuba, or they can produce a monstrous sound that is offensive to many. This large instrument requires some forethought to keep it out of harm's way when not in use. We recommend traffic cones.

Hornbostel-Sachs classification: 423.232