I grew up as a brasswind player, but I found a working bassoon at a pawn shop that I recently started learning because I've always enjoyed its timbre. Your videos have helped me quite a bit in figuring out my around the bassoon. I can only imagine finding a working contrabassoon in the same way. 😂 Thank you!
Very cool stuff! I have only seen contrabassoons from a distance, and this was a fascinating close-up look at a very bizarre instrument. Thank you for this, and for all you do. Well done, Doc.
Wow! Way cool. I've always loved the Contrabassoon part in Sorcerer's Apprentice. I learned something new today too: Bassoonists are expected to be able to play Contra! No pressure, eh?
I just realized what you were saying about tuba and bass trombone. If I wanted to play contrabassoon in our concert band, I could play the tuba or bass trombone part without transposing.
You’d be better with the string bass part. With the tuba part you should really play the part an octave higher except for when the parts divide then play the upper part.
I never saw this instrument in the orchestra I attended, even though I did see a regular bassoon. I once blew into a bassoon, but I had absolutely zero experience with the bassoon at all, it was much too awkward for me to play. I could only play just 1 note on it, that's about it. Other than that I cannot really play it at all. This was the most awkward instrument I have ever played once in high school, especially because it was a woodwind instrument with a reed, and it was kind of uncomfortable to play. While I do appreciate the sound it makes, and it's calm, low sound, especially when I was watching a television show called Dragon Tales, it was not the instrument for me, not only because it was awkward, but also because I'm much better at brass instruments, than I am with woodwinds anyway. Especially at the tuba Even though I have never seen the contrabassoon, I heard it, and it sounds amazing, especially on some TV shows like The Flintstones (alongside the bassoon, and other instruments including the tuba), and feature films, including Disney ones like the 1953 film Peter Pan, but considering the experience I had with a regular bassoon, I'm afraid I'm going to have to pass on playing contrabassoon, also because I not only have no experience with the bassoon, but also, no experience with any reeded woodwind instrument. Even playing the clarinet in 5th grade was very tricky and difficult. That's why I'd much rather play the tuba, because, it is another low pitched instrument in the contrabass register, but compared to the contrabassoon, which I wouldn't play because playing the bassoon was awkward enough, and I would probably get the same amount of, if not more awkwardness, and the string bass, because it requires standing up to play it. That's why out of all the 3 instruments, the tuba, contrabassoon, and string bass, the tuba is by far the best instrument that I would pick, because I can hold it, and enjoy playing lower notes like the other instruments play, AND, it is much easier to play in terms of fingerings because there are 3 valves on my tuba, unlike the contrabassoon which has way too many keys. But despite that, seeing you as a wonderful bassoon and contrabassoon player, you do such an amazing job at playing them as making music and picking whatever instrument suits you best is amazing.
I grew up as a brasswind player, but I found a working bassoon at a pawn shop that I recently started learning because I've always enjoyed its timbre. Your videos have helped me quite a bit in figuring out my around the bassoon. I can only imagine finding a working contrabassoon in the same way. 😂 Thank you!
i play clarinet but i love bass woodwinds thank you for this video it nourished my brain 🙏
Very cool stuff! I have only seen contrabassoons from a distance, and this was a fascinating close-up look at a very bizarre instrument. Thank you for this, and for all you do. Well done, Doc.
I truly appreciated this contrabassoon overview. I have yet to give the contrabassoon a try. It’s a really cool instrument. (-:
That was very interesting Natalie! Thanks!
Wow! Way cool. I've always loved the Contrabassoon part in Sorcerer's Apprentice. I learned something new today too: Bassoonists are expected to be able to play Contra! No pressure, eh?
awesome video thanks for sharing!!
thank you so much for the video my school is letting me play it and its my first time learning contra
Good information. Thank you for answering my question. I’m debating learning contra or baroque bassoon (which is what I want to learn next).
I just realized what you were saying about tuba and bass trombone. If I wanted to play contrabassoon in our concert band, I could play the tuba or bass trombone part without transposing.
The contrabassoon is notated an octave lower, so you would have to play an octave higher to sound at the same pitch as the bass trombone or tuba
You’d be better with the string bass part. With the tuba part you should really play the part an octave higher except for when the parts divide then play the upper part.
I never saw this instrument in the orchestra I attended, even though I did see a regular bassoon. I once blew into a bassoon, but I had absolutely zero experience with the bassoon at all, it was much too awkward for me to play. I could only play just 1 note on it, that's about it. Other than that I cannot really play it at all. This was the most awkward instrument I have ever played once in high school, especially because it was a woodwind instrument with a reed, and it was kind of uncomfortable to play. While I do appreciate the sound it makes, and it's calm, low sound, especially when I was watching a television show called Dragon Tales, it was not the instrument for me, not only because it was awkward, but also because I'm much better at brass instruments, than I am with woodwinds anyway. Especially at the tuba Even though I have never seen the contrabassoon, I heard it, and it sounds amazing, especially on some TV shows like The Flintstones (alongside the bassoon, and other instruments including the tuba), and feature films, including Disney ones like the 1953 film Peter Pan, but considering the experience I had with a regular bassoon, I'm afraid I'm going to have to pass on playing contrabassoon, also because I not only have no experience with the bassoon, but also, no experience with any reeded woodwind instrument. Even playing the clarinet in 5th grade was very tricky and difficult. That's why I'd much rather play the tuba, because, it is another low pitched instrument in the contrabass register, but compared to the contrabassoon, which I wouldn't play because playing the bassoon was awkward enough, and I would probably get the same amount of, if not more awkwardness, and the string bass, because it requires standing up to play it. That's why out of all the 3 instruments, the tuba, contrabassoon, and string bass, the tuba is by far the best instrument that I would pick, because I can hold it, and enjoy playing lower notes like the other instruments play, AND, it is much easier to play in terms of fingerings because there are 3 valves on my tuba, unlike the contrabassoon which has way too many keys. But despite that, seeing you as a wonderful bassoon and contrabassoon player, you do such an amazing job at playing them as making music and picking whatever instrument suits you best is amazing.