Contrabassoon
OriginGermany
Year1700
FamilyWind
About the Contrabassoon
The lowest instrument in the orchestra. Over 18 feet of tubing folded into a compact shape. Sounds one octave lower than written. The lowest note is Bb0 at 29 Hz. Over 300 years of history. Ravel used it for comic effect in orchestral works. Only about 1,000 players worldwide.
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