 The first contrabass bugle was developed in the 1960s by Whaley Royce, a Canadian instrument manufacturer which produced bugles for many drum corps of that era.Matching all other competition bugles at the time, these early contrabass bugles were pitched in the key of G, making them significantly larger than all tubas to that date, save the large E and BB concert tubas used in all brass bands.The contrabass bugle is the only member of the drum corps bugle line that has never been produced in a valve-less style, as it was developed when the drum corps rules allowed one piston valve and one rotary valve.