Can I ask you something, Can I play or learn Contrabassoon? but i been played a bassoon in 2000 to 2005 i retired but i still love the sound of contrabassoon...i know it is expensive the one contrabassoon is amati cost £6,000 over, right I know you in USA and I'm from UK. any advisor to me apperciate it, Thank you
It's pretty much the same; there are some fingering differences and it's kinda weird actually holding the instrument in front of you, as opposed to the saxophone-ish way you hold a bassoon. You overcome these fairly quickly though.
One good thing about contra is that you're in bass clef all the time, with very few exceptions.
@dimsimlord Mm, I see! Though, I didn't know bassoon went out of bass clef? Though all I know about the basson I discovered myself, since I don't have a private instructor :/ My highschool band teacher doesn't know much about it himself, and there aren't any bassoon teachers around here...
Well in a concert band bassoon doesn't go out of bass clef, or at least in the years I've been playing in and occasionally conducting bands it doesn't. Probably because it never has to go very high. In other ensembles and solo stuff, though, it will go into tenor clef and sometimes even treble. I didn't have a private instructor until about 18 months into playing bassoon, I came to regret this as I'm doing bassoon at uni now and there's a lotta stuff I learnt wrong.
To go on (character limit sucks) it's perfectly normal not to have a private instructor for bassoon as there are so few of them around, but if you're taking the instrument seriously you may want to look into getting one. In a concert band, you will never have to go above a high A and you will rarely even get up to that, so as long as you know that you're fine for the time being. If you have any more questions, ask on my profile and I'll help if I can
You can tell I'm not a contra player by my question: is that slant the normal way to hold the contra, or are you doing it to expose the bell a little more so it's not pointing straight down? Either way, your playing is GREAT and I wish you much success should you pursue a career as a contra player! :)
It does look like an odd angle from there, but all the weight is either being pushed into the arch of my right foot with the end pin, or resting against my left thigh. My hands are only giving it some forward/backward stability.
So, while it does look odd, it's actually the most comfortable way for me to play without stressing my hands or wrists.
@SarahWildey I hold the contra the same way when I play. I agree that it's the most comfortable and it also kinda forces you into a good sitting position.
Well played, by the way! I'm also working on this piece right now. It's very virtuoso at places and is definately a challenge, but it's fun!
Where did you buy the music? I love this piece. I've searched before, but could never find it. You should look into Kalevi Aho's Contrabassoon concerto, it is very beautiful as well:)
Hi, I heard you play this piece and it really made me want to play it aswell, but I can't seem to find it on daniel dorff's website or the presser website. I was wondering if you can tell me how you purchased your copy?
I just fell in love with this piece the first time I played through it; it's really not like any other contra piece I've heard or played. It's very lighthearted and playful, and it's something an audience of non-musicians and/or musicians can all equally appreciate and enjoy. I just enjoy how fun it sounds, while at the same time showing that the contrabassoon can do more than hold low notes.
I love a girl who can rattle a small planet with one musical instrument : )
TheAmericanidiot9 4 months ago
Hi Sarah,
Can I ask you something, Can I play or learn Contrabassoon? but i been played a bassoon in 2000 to 2005 i retired but i still love the sound of contrabassoon...i know it is expensive the one contrabassoon is amati cost £6,000 over, right I know you in USA and I'm from UK. any advisor to me apperciate it, Thank you
FirstBus27 10 months ago
Low notes are awesome.
MrKoreyC 1 year ago
Very nice, a little buzzy on the low notes, but then again only a perfect reed can fix that!
devinb1690 1 year ago
Gracias!!!! por este video
batakasbatucada 1 year ago
AWESOME!! I just started learning the bassoon, I can only imagine learning the contra!! @_@ Is it a lot harder than the bassoon?
xXdarkclearXx 2 years ago
@xXdarkclearXx
It's pretty much the same; there are some fingering differences and it's kinda weird actually holding the instrument in front of you, as opposed to the saxophone-ish way you hold a bassoon. You overcome these fairly quickly though.
One good thing about contra is that you're in bass clef all the time, with very few exceptions.
dimsimlord 1 year ago
@dimsimlord Mm, I see! Though, I didn't know bassoon went out of bass clef? Though all I know about the basson I discovered myself, since I don't have a private instructor :/ My highschool band teacher doesn't know much about it himself, and there aren't any bassoon teachers around here...
xXdarkclearXx 1 year ago
@xXdarkclearXx
Well in a concert band bassoon doesn't go out of bass clef, or at least in the years I've been playing in and occasionally conducting bands it doesn't. Probably because it never has to go very high. In other ensembles and solo stuff, though, it will go into tenor clef and sometimes even treble. I didn't have a private instructor until about 18 months into playing bassoon, I came to regret this as I'm doing bassoon at uni now and there's a lotta stuff I learnt wrong.
dimsimlord 1 year ago
@xXdarkclearXx
To go on (character limit sucks) it's perfectly normal not to have a private instructor for bassoon as there are so few of them around, but if you're taking the instrument seriously you may want to look into getting one. In a concert band, you will never have to go above a high A and you will rarely even get up to that, so as long as you know that you're fine for the time being. If you have any more questions, ask on my profile and I'll help if I can
dimsimlord 1 year ago
@dimsimlord Thank you very much!!! :)
xXdarkclearXx 1 year ago
Ah contrabassoon. If only! That sounded great! Listening to you play reminds me I need to work on my vibrato.
blkaznmartin 2 years ago
I wish I could control my vibrato as well as you, shoot, even my bassoon vibrato is at best shaky (BAHAHA... PUN!).
Great sound though, really!!
richivinsky 2 years ago
You can tell I'm not a contra player by my question: is that slant the normal way to hold the contra, or are you doing it to expose the bell a little more so it's not pointing straight down? Either way, your playing is GREAT and I wish you much success should you pursue a career as a contra player! :)
bckm54 2 years ago
It does look like an odd angle from there, but all the weight is either being pushed into the arch of my right foot with the end pin, or resting against my left thigh. My hands are only giving it some forward/backward stability.
So, while it does look odd, it's actually the most comfortable way for me to play without stressing my hands or wrists.
SarahWildey 2 years ago
I hold the contra the same way. I think it helps me to close the keys better, my hands aren't that strong.
AZWozzeck 2 years ago
@SarahWildey I hold the contra the same way when I play. I agree that it's the most comfortable and it also kinda forces you into a good sitting position.
Well played, by the way! I'm also working on this piece right now. It's very virtuoso at places and is definately a challenge, but it's fun!
TheBass00nist 11 months ago
Hello Friend,
I want to buy one used contrabassoon.
Do you where I can find this one?
thank you
ridobasi 2 years ago
I love your contra sound. It's great. You sound so in control over it. I want to play contra like that.
tyjetz 2 years ago
Who rated this down? Nice work. Great vibrato
weas89el 2 years ago
Where did you buy the music? I love this piece. I've searched before, but could never find it. You should look into Kalevi Aho's Contrabassoon concerto, it is very beautiful as well:)
cellofellow1223 2 years ago
What kind of contrabassoon do you have?
I play regular bassoon but I really want to pick up the contra before college.
Great video :)
You have a really nice tone in your upper register!
KStrick92 3 years ago
hmmm.....i wonder how this would sound on bass trombone...nice padals btw
TheNthOG 3 years ago
Hi, I heard you play this piece and it really made me want to play it aswell, but I can't seem to find it on daniel dorff's website or the presser website. I was wondering if you can tell me how you purchased your copy?
saxboy89 3 years ago
Nice versatility of styles through the movements. I do not know Daniel Dorff, who is it exactly ?
Jokk49 3 years ago
I just fell in love with this piece the first time I played through it; it's really not like any other contra piece I've heard or played. It's very lighthearted and playful, and it's something an audience of non-musicians and/or musicians can all equally appreciate and enjoy. I just enjoy how fun it sounds, while at the same time showing that the contrabassoon can do more than hold low notes.
SarahWildey 3 years ago 2