This story takes place in an orchestra featuring, among each other, a piccolo (Peepo), a flute, an oboe, a clarinet, a bassoon, a trumpet, a French horn, a trombone, a tuba (Tubby), a violin, a cello, a double bass, a xylophone, cymbals, a timpani and a celeste. Tubby, the orchestra's tuba, comments after a rehearsal's warmup that he is tired of playing only the bass line. This draws ridicule from the other instruments, and Tubby runs off crying to a nearby creek. A frog who lives there consoles Tubby; both are treated poorly, as neither is thought to be capable or worthy of a solo. The frog teaches Tubby a melody and the two part ways.
The next day, at the warmup, Tubby begins playing his newly learned melody. The orchestral instruments are shocked, but are encouraged to let the tuba have his solo by their conductor. With the frog's help, Tubby gets to play his solo.
Production and release
The film was recorded in 1946 (according to the copyright notice), but remained unreleased for seven months until its final release on July 11, 1947.