LSO Masterclass - Contra Bassoon

[theman9126]

that low note is the most badass thing I have ever heard......

[88pie88]

i love how the bell is near your balls XD

[KHallesy]

@anebt actually facts prove that the octocontrabass clarinet by le blanc has frequencies lower then what we can here.. Contrabassoon goes 8 hertz higher.

[deathray393]

Putting a bari sax mouthpiece on a tuba sounds so amazing.

[8000cheese]

I'd rather learn to play something sexier, lol

[GutsAndSpleen]

@8000cheese go for saxophone

[hoosiermink]

Check out foxproductscom for info on contras.

[asianrulez201]

tuba still rules

[BriarFilth]

This is such a kool instrument, I've never heard of or seen it before!

[Billie1982Jean1]

How do people learn and buy contrabassoons

[Billie1982Jean1]

Are these fingerings for contrabassoon the same as bassoon and is that a wooden bocal

[Marine1Bulldog]

@Billie1982Jean1 Some of the fingerings are the same (Bass clef top line A and down); from B-flat just above top line B.C. and up, the fingerings are different.

[lilmemnonlil]

mmmm... sounds like someone wants to go to the bathroom

[surtursfire]

That's the most bad ass sounding woodwind EVER!

[Jlundy12]

@24eGardian actually the piccolo can go much louder lol

[BlackJackWiNn3r]

you guys are wrong you down there dimsilord never heard our band before soo shut up

[lilpinkneko]

i play bagpipes, oboe, english horn, and bassoon

i cant find a contra bassoon anywhere :(

[1993heavenshallburn]

@lilpinkneko is bagpipes the scottish thing? im not english

[lilpinkneko]

@1993heavenshallburn scottish yea

[1993heavenshallburn]

@lilpinkneko thanks

[lilpinkneko]

@1993heavenshallburn no problem

[tflover1221]

i second that

[rabengeraun]

Lenny Bernstein described this instrument's intervention in the Choral Symphony as "Beethoven's fart".

[yellowpostit23]

my band director is looking around for pieces that call for contra for concert season because I actually impressed him with my sound on contra a few weeks ago.

[tannerjordan2010]

@yellowpostit23 look for sasparilla by john mackey. it's got an awesome contra solo in it

[bryonyrocks]

i find it hard to distinguish the timbres at such a low freq

[foreignboy221]

@bryonyrocks

Me too! But I think it's funny, because when it's a solo instrument playing that low the notes start sounding very similar, but once you put it into a large ensemble, it becomes much easier to hear a wrong note! Idk. I love contrabass instruments.

[icupfreely23]

It makes a really high sound for a contrabass instrument

[Lamar933]

@icupfreely23

Im not super suprised at this considering that the Bassoon itself can go very high despite it being one of the lower instruments.

[lespaulman123]

and its in bass clef

[crazycardist]

@lespaulman123  regular bassoon is in bass clef

[dbrockbassoon]

@crazycardist all bassoon is in bass clef >.> contra sounds an octave lower

[Stupiddailynews]

This is actually incorrect. Bassons are the only instrament that can play in both clefts.

[MunkyRoCks777]

No, the baritone horn can be read in Treble and Bass Clef.

[pope0331]

Yes but when reading in Treble clef it uses trumpet fingerings acting as a transposing instrument whereas when reading in Bass clef it uses Tuba fingerings playing real notes... only practical not acoustical reasons.

[pope0331]

WRONG!!! Add to that Trombone (Tenor and Bass clefs), French Horn (Treble and Bass clefs), Cello, Contrabass and BASSOON (Treble, Tenor and Bass clefs... three not two). WOW

[lilpinkneko]

that sax idiot

[TheSensei8]

@Stupiddailynews hahaha, that's so wrong

[ElizabethUnlimited]

Bass Clarinet can

[MatthewKaras]

@dbrockbassoon Bassoon (not contra) uses the tenor clef quite often.

[dbrockbassoon]

@MatthewKaras I know. I have played bassoon for a long time. My comment was to emphasize that both bassoon and contra play in bass clef, and of course, others when necessary.

[supersentiger]

mostly, just a little more seperated and an extra key or two

[supersentiger]

very, to answer your question. also, if it goes to the extreme low tones, it has an odd shaking tone

[bassoon334]

are the fingerings the same/similar?

[CloneHat]

How similar is this to playing the Bassoon?

[d2girls]

Beautiful sound.

[tromboneman45]

contrabassoon rules! It has the power to blow your hair off with sound!

[TheBass00nist]

The type of Contrabassoon he plays on can play down to the lowest black note on a Piano, a Sub-contra Bb. There are some models, however, with an extra link on the top of the instrument that can play down to the lowest A on the Piano, Sub-contra A.

And yes, the Contrabasson does require quite a lot of air, especially in the low range. It's also slightly clumsier than Bassoon and harder to intonate on. But when mastered, it's bloody awesome!

[StanleyKSCBP]

yeah but the if there was music written for Tuba that went that low you wouldn't be able to get that low straight away because they're not notes that haven't been set up or made on the Tuba

[williebeaty]

totally depends on the tuba and the player. and tuba sounders better. lol

[williebeaty]

people say contrabassoon can get lower than other wind instruments, but tuba can get lower.

[dimsimlord]

Yes but contra can play those notes strong and loud. Tuba down there sounds like a whale farting at the bottom of the ocean- no strength.

[emquandra]

Yeah, I've played both, and bassoon can really play out those low notes. Tuba might have a lower range, but trying to play those low notes out is pretty tricky. Especially if you don't want to sound blatty. Bassoon wins! :D

[24eGardian]

@dimsimlord that tottaly depends on who is playing that tuba. and bessoon when they play those low notes it sounds very broken. and tuba has more mass and I think more strengt to. you can play louder on brass instruments than on woodwind instruments.

[dimsimlord]

@24eGardian

Yes, you can play louder on brass. But not in that register.

[knuhe]

@dimsimlord Tubas can play very agile and powerful in the same low register, but I don't know of any tubaists having worked enough hours down there to do it just as clean as the contra bassoon, but it is feasible.

But nothing sounds cooler than a contra basson!

[jordandavid77]

@dimsimlord HAhA

[atoman88]

@dimsimlord its harder to play louder down there on brass instruments. tubas can play louder in general though. if you want those notes to be played loud find a contrabass trombone.. those beasts can get LOUD down there lol

[castq3]

the tuba is not a woodwind.

[bassoon334]

Go bassoon - the oboe sounds like a duck

[boryskow]

like a duck, if duck was a songbird

[Elisabettina88]

Oboe is fantastic, beautiful...the sweetest and sexiest instrument of the world!!! =D However, I like very much bassoon, too...

[tinathefatlard0]

bassoon is the definition of sexy.

[Elisabettina88]

To say the truth, all instrument with double reed are beautiful and very sexy =D But oboe is my instrument *-*

[Elisabettina88]

...................... -.-

[Alexstewart88]

What a foolish comment.

[bassoon334]

that probably take a lot more air than the bassoon

[rogerthemaestro]

haha I watched this whole video just because he reminds me of chancellor palpatine from star wars! ^_^

[WingedTigerGuy]

That is so weird!!

He actually does!!

[purpleflurplepop]

That sounds really good! I play the regular bassoon and my band teacher says that the bassoon is really hard to play and personally I think its pretty easy. But, I just started playing so there will be harder stuff. Any way u r inspiring!

[deathmetalcontrabsn]

I love the tone. Is that a Mollenhauer? Strange shaped bocal, what is it?

[enchalados]

thats a sweet instrument

[AZWozzeck]

I'm playing contra in Brahm's 1st symphony! I love this guys contra playing, so clean and polished.

[xilyrobertpattinsonx]

thats a badass instrument

[CornelisonRC]

Beautiful example of the first excerpt from the Brahms.

[lukie117]

is contabassoon hard

[xilyrobertpattinsonx]

the bassoon is known to be a particularly difficult instrument to learn and play.

[5hpir3]

mh in dont think so... i played basson for some years and it was quite easy... i think playing a cello is even more difficult (my sister played it and she saied it was quiet hard to play...)

[bckm54]

i played both cello and bassoon (my major was viola, minor was bassoon) and I can tell you that they're BOTH difficult! Youre more likely, I think, to pull a muscle playing the cello because of the bowing, but the bassoon's ability to leap around means you have to have better technique to be good on the bassoon. But, hey, they're both really beautiful! :)

[bridgeoverwater627]

I taught myself to play bassoon. It can be tricky at first, especially since I have no previous wind experience, but once you get some basics down it's not too bad.

[nktopper]

I wonder how long you played for and how far you got as far as technique is concerned. As I have advanded, it has only become more complicated. Flicking is introduced and the higher register fingerings take time to get used to.

[weas89el]

a better question is is it expensive?

YES!

[IntelligentAlchemist]

$20,000 dollars kind of expensive.  Its like, hmmm, car or instrument?

[Farnik01]

Well, for any professional for pretty much every instrument, prices easily get that high.

[Delilahks]

Probably harder than Bassoon

[lukie117]

thats awesome

[XEA6L]

i just luv the decresc...

[iminnocent12]

beautiful tone. very confident in his playing im very impressed, especially with a major lack of buzzing. and still in copyright means that a company or someone has ownership or the rights to the piece of music he talked about and he would have to buy the rights to play it and theres almost no chance hed be alowed to online. but anywho, well done sure. big fan of contra, wish i had one, but i got my bassoon for now

[Lvin4Him]

I'm diggin the accent.

His tone is a TON less reedy than other people I've heard. Excellent, excellent tone!!!

[cellofellow1223]

A fox contrabassoon is pretty good. They only cost 24,000

[nickysaxpiccolo]

haha ONLY:P

[linusbergl]

I understand why that guy is hired in such a good orchestra. He sounds good. Really good.

[StanleyKSCBP]

Dominic Morgan = Top Legend!

[KaraokeKid22]

what does he mean it is still in copyright?>

[linusbergl]

I think copyrightlaw makes music "public domain" after about 70 or 80 years depending on country. I think.

[ibanezdude9659]

yes, this is true. Im not sure but I think it may be anything before 1923 is public domain, and no exceptions. Don't quote me on that tho.

[varniss]

Copyright law is a hodge-podge of stupidity, it depends on where you live, i mean in Canada its 50 years after publication, so anything before 1958 is public domain. But in the US, things published in 1923 will not be PD until 2018, while anythign publishe din 1922 was public domain 17 years ago....

[DavidVenneman]

I'm not sure, but i think in Canada it's actually 50 years after the death of the author, not the publication. Check "public domain" on wikipedia

[thomasburtable]

this is true

[XEA6L]

He means that, since it is still protected by copyright law, to be able to legally use the piece for any kind of evaluation, express permission would have to be obtained, in writing, from the publishers or the composer. It is common for recent compositions not to be available' for legal use' for audition purposes. The copyright expires 70 years after the death of the composer.

[prznmtlhed]

I dont think many people understand how hard it is to produce such a beautiful sound on the contrabassoon.

Amazing.

[zuantuba]

How many contra basson you have?

[smole133]

something's wrong with the video

[mmm555666777]

that was amazing i acually want to marry a bassoon or a contrabassoon they rock

[StanleyKSCBP]

Wow! Beautiful sound

[bakarka]

It's too late to ask now, but I was wondering if an instrument would be provided in NY, or are players expected to transport their own contra. Very few players own an instrument, usually we borrow the instrument owned by the orchestra we play with.

As for the YouTube Tan Dun production, it seems like an impossible task without very significant editing... I'm not sure what to think of it since so much of music-making has to do with being in the presence of the people you're making music with!

[ikukakee]

that some deep shit right there!!

cool! i wish i had me one of those...

[contrachloe]

For the audition for the live youtube symphony orchestra performance it says you can play Beethoven 5, is this on contra? and where is bar 607? the scores I have seen only go to bar 440! thanks

[dbrockbassoon]

contrachloe:

Yes, the Beethoven needs to be played on the contra. Look for areas of running arpeggios in the contra part. This is what you should prepare.

Hope this helps.

[lyricomposer]

Thank you so very much for doing this. I have composed for 55 years, but only written for Contra Bassoon a very few times (there are only two on our island). It is so very helpful to have the range and technique clearly and effectively demonstrated: very much an encouragement to all composers, as well as players. You are an excellent ambassador for your instrument!

[aerovinci]

it's great I don't know what he have saied because I'm italian and I'm not very good at english but the controfagotto was fanyastic

[Kaiamara]

Excellent!

It's very nice to hear a woodwind go that low.

[JKadd1211]

Hmm... sounds like a bari sax. That's what I play.

I'd be awesome to learn bassoon/contrabassoon.

[Kaiamara]

Bassoon is really awesome, I recommend taking it up if you have the chance. I say Bassoon because Contrabassoon is far more difficult to learn and find.

And Bari. Sax is awesome!

[mainecolbs]

Not to mention expensive!!! I was told Contra bassoons cost upwards of tenthousand dollars!!!

[justlaurie999]

If they are rosewood, it is more like $65,000 to $70,000. But if you ask me, it'd totally be worth it!

[mainecolbs]

Hahaha!!!

If only it could be that easy

hmmmmm......

I just got 65,000$

what should I do? Invest? Save?

or......

Contrabassoon!!!!!!

what a great world that would be

[wkleung11]

I thought all contrabassons were made in maple, like bassoons?

[bsnRhapsody]

this is some hot shit <3

[lalaforce]

wow contrabassoon sounds awesome!!!

I play bassoon and now i wish i could play contrabassoon but my school doesn't have one =[

[deutschlandlieben]

Contra is so fun to play! (:

[Gredran]

holy shit what an instrument! i gotta write for that one! lol these vids are cool

[bshuker]

Brilliant! Never really knew what the Contrabassoon sounded like until now

[Astonkke]

Fantastic. Thank you!

[lynd33]

Amazing dynamics. Just amazing.

[AdioBlackMentality]

beast instrument!

[semarcus1]

Excellent suggestions. It's fun to hear the isolated contrabassoon part of the Brahms Variations.

I'm posting this to be kept aware of new text comments and video responses.

[Headcrabb]

I really want to see how many people audition with a Contra-Bassoon!

[IgnisDivine]

Wow, great tips about confidence on auditions, i guess it applies to every instrument.

I play viola but i love the registry and sound of the Contra Basoon.

Great video Dominic