The bassoon is a woodwind instrument in the double reed family, which has a tenor and bass sound. It is composed of six pieces, and is usually made of wood or synthetic plastic. It is known for its distinctive tone color, wide range, versatility, and virtuosity.

What type of instrument is a bassoon?

Rising to popularity in the 16th century, the bassoon is a large woodwind instrument that belongs to the oboe family for its use of a double reed. Historically, the bassoon enabled expansion of the range of woodwind instruments into lower registers.

What is description of bassoon?

: a double-reed woodwind instrument having a long U-shaped conical tube connected to the mouthpiece by a thin metal tube and a usual range two octaves lower than that of the oboe.

What are 3 facts about the bassoon?

The bassoon is a four foot long instrument. The tube inside would stretch to eight feet if straightened out. To play the bassoon the bassoonist must use every finger and their thumbs as well. The parts of a bassoon include the bell joint, reed, crook, pads, bass joint, rod system, keys, wing joint, hand rest, and butt.

Why bassoon is the best instrument?

It has a unique sound

From the rich, growling timbre of its low notes, through the stately, lyrical sweetness of the middle, and up to the penetrating highs, the bassoon has one of the most characterful, complex and flexible sounds of any instrument.

Instrument: Bassoon

Who invented bassoon?

The man most likely responsible for developing the true bassoon was Martin Hotteterre (d. 1712), who may also have invented the three-piece flûte traversière (transverse flute) and the hautbois (baroque oboe).

How many keys does a bassoon have?

The number of keys on a bassoon can start from 22 up to 28; extra keys on the bassoon will allow the player to use alternative fingering. A short reach Bassoon is built for smaller hands, so the keys on the bassoon are either extended or some holes closed to make it suitable. 1. Reed: A double bassoon reed.

How many types of bassoons are there?

In general, there are two types of bassoons. One is the German (Heckel) type, and the other is the French (Buffet). Both styles of bassoons are played today, typically in different countries, with the French bassoon played in France, Canada, Belgium, Latin America, and other romantic countries.

Where are bassoons made?

Bassoons produced today are made using hard maple mostly from Europe.

How does a bassoon work?

A single reed is clamped to a mouthpiece at the top of the instrument and vibrates against the mouthpiece when air is blown between the reed and the mouthpiece. Two reeds tied together are commonly known as a double reed.

How many bassoons are in a orchestra?

There are 2 to 4 bassoons in an orchestra and they have a similar range to that of the cello. Bassoons usually play lower harmonies, but you will sometimes hear their hollow low notes featured in a melody. You play the bassoon by holding it upright and blowing through the double reed.

Is a bassoon a bass instrument?

bassoon, French basson, German Fagott, the principal bass instrument of the orchestral woodwind family.

Why is it called a bassoon?

The name "bassoon," used in the English-speaking world, also drives from a French word, "basson." Basson is a term used for a musical instrument similar to the earliest fagotto that also offered a low pitch range, and which started being referred to as the fagotto from the latter half of the 17th century.

Is bassoon an AC instrument?

There are many non-transposing instruments, instruments where concert pitch and written pitch are the same. Violin, viola, cello, flute, oboe, bassoon, trombone, etc. ... This means when they play their written C, it sounds like a Bb in concert pitch. Alto sax, bari sax, and clarinet in Eb are Eb instruments.

Who is the best bassoonist in the world?

• Klaus Thunemann. ...
• Milan Turkovic. ...
• Gustavo Núñez. ...
• Antoine Bullant. ...
• Bill Douglas. ...
• Judith LeClair. ...
• Julie Price. ...
• Asger Svendsen. Asger Svendsen is a professor of the bassoon that received early training from the prestigious Royal Danish Academy of Music, which is also where he teaches.

What key is bassoon?

The bassoon player produce the sound by blowing into the reed. It is pitched in the key of C, notated in bass clef, although the tenor clef is used for highest registers.

How long is a bassoon?

Folded upon itself, the bassoon stands 4 feet, 5 inches (1.34 m) tall, but the total sounding length is 8 feet, 4 inches (2.54 m). The regular bassoon is often doubled an octave lower by the contrabassoon.

Is a bassoon a transposing instrument?

The bassoon is an exception—it is not a transposing instrument and its "home" scale is F. ... In general, for these instruments there is some reason to consider a certain pitch the "home" note of an instrument, and that pitch is usually written as C for that instrument.

Is a bassoon a high sounding instrument?

The bassoon's double reed gives it a rich, slightly buzzing quality in the lowest notes and a sweet nasal sound higher up. Bassoons can be extremely expressive as solo instruments and their warm vibrato enables them to sound remarkably human, a little like a resonant baritone singer.

What are the parts of a bassoon?

Bassoons come apart into six pieces, counting the reed as a separate piece. There is a reed, the bocal or crook, wing joint, boot joint, bass joint and bell. These pieces must be fitted together precisely for proper playing to be possible.

Where does the bassoon sit in the orchestra?

To the right of the clarinet, behind the oboes, is the BASSOON. The bassoon is a very long wooden tube that has been folded in half so you can see the bell from the audience.

How expensive are bassoons?

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.

How heavy is a bassoon?

Bassoons weigh about 7 1/2 pounds.