How low can contrabassoon go?

Most American Contrabassoon go to Bb0. Many European ones go to A0. Two contrabassoons that I know of go down to Ab0. However many parts are written to go down even lower, so you can just put in an “extension” to go as low as you want.

Keeping this in view, what is the range of the contrabassoon?

The contrabassoon has a range of B0–C4.

Similarly, what does the contrabassoon sound like? Contrabassoon - Sound characteristics Dark, sonorous, full, resonant, heavy, grave, mighty, substantial, somber, rumbling, buzzing, rough, acerbic, husky. The contrabassoon is used to suggest solemn, weighty and somber moods as well as emotive and stately ones.

Then, what is the lowest note a bassoon can play?

The range of the bassoon begins at B♭₁ (the first one below the bass staff) and extends upward over three octaves, roughly to the G above the treble staff (G₅).

What family is the contrabassoon in?

woodwind family

36 Related Question Answers Found

What is the lowest instrument of the orchestra?

The bassoon has a larger version: the contrabassoon or double bassoon which sounds an octave lower. It is one of the lowest instruments in the orchestra.

How many notes can a bassoon play?

For the bassoon, which has a range that extends over three octaves, a musical score that is usually written on the treble clef would soon extend into horizontal "ledger lines" for high-pitched notes, and become difficult to read, so is instead usually transposed onto the C clef.

What is the deepest instrument?

Octobass

Related instruments
Photo of an Octobass at Musée de la Musique, Paris.
Classification	Bowed string instrument
Double bass

What is the range of a viola?

INSTRUMENT	WRITTEN RANGE (C4=middle C)	SOUNDING (transposition) than written
Violin	G3-A7	no transposition, excepting scordatura
Viola	C3-E6	no transposition, excepting scordatura
Cello	C2-C6
Double Bass	C2-C5	1 octave lower

Why are bassoons so expensive?

Oboe which are about the same complexity and have about the same number of players as bassoon cost much more than a clarinet being about the same size, so some of the cost difference between a bassoon and oboe could be considered the cost differential due to size. These three things together make bassoons expensive!

How long is a bassoon?

The bassoon is an unusually long instrument, nearly four and a half feet in length. Since the tube of the instrument has a folded shape, it would reach almost twice that if extended to its full length!

How much is a professional bassoon?

A new bassoon can have a list price ranging from under $5000 to over $20,000. Many popular models are discounted by dealers and a bit of shopping around can be worth the effort. Used instruments can cost from about $2000 to as much as a new instrument.

What is the contrabassoon made out of?

It is made out of maple wood (or plastic) and has a double reed.

What is the hardest instrument to play?

10 Most Difficult Musical Instruments to Learn (Ranked)

Organ.
Oboe.
Bagpipes.
Harp.
Piano.
Accordion.
Classical Guitar. The classical guitar is a musical instrument which most youngsters aim at learning.
Drums. Drums are believed to be the easiest instruments to learn but the most difficult to master.

How heavy is a bassoon?

Bassoons weigh about 7 1/2 pounds.

Is it hard to play the bassoon?

The bassoon is one of the most difficult instruments in the orchestra to play, but people just don't take it seriously. That's not surprising when you get a glimpse of the thing: It's a double-reed instrument that looks like someone turned a bong into a saxophone. Eubanks teaches bassoon at Lewis & Clark College.

How old is the bassoon?

The first instrument to be called a "bassoon" was developed in the mid 17th century. The body of the bassoon came apart into four pieces, known as the bell, long joint, boot and wing joint, and it featured three keys.

What's the difference between an oboe and a bassoon?

The bassoon is similar to the oboe in that it uses a double reed to produce sound. However, bassoons play much lower than oboes. The instrument in the picture to the left is a Contrabassoon, which is double the size of the regular bassoon, so it plays even lower.

Can a bassoon play pizzicato?

Cellists and double bass players can use the thumb for plucking, especially for playing chords. It is also possible to play pizzicato with the left hand (the hand which is normally doing the fingering). It is not difficult to pluck an open string with the left hand.