I’ve been playing the contrabass flute for around 25 years and have come to love its singing 3rd register, velvety middle octave and fat low bass tones. Catherine McMichael composed a concerto for low flutes and orchestra in 2006 entitled 'Three Philosophies', in which one of the movements features the contrabass flute. It is reported that while it might be thought that an instrument made from PVC would be inferior, the PVC allows for a louder instrument if the wall thickness is kept small. As you can see from the image above, the contrabass flute is written on the staff like any other flute. PFC-905 Flute in C  Silver Lip-plate,  Brass Body with Silver plated Soldered Tone-hole B foot joint Box Case included. You can hear what the instrument sounds like in this video. 'Nola' by composer Benjamin Yusapov, was commissioned by the International soloist Matthias Ziegler, for multiple Low Flutes and orchestra. In 2010, the 'Lyric Concerto' for contrabass flute and strings was commissioned by Sheridan from the late Australian composer Bruce Lawrence. habanero123456: 0:36. The new JCF1000 Contrabass flute extends that same tradition of sound and style into the lowest octave. Many contrabass flutes in C are also equipped with a low B, (in the same manner as many modern standard sized flutes are.) Contemporary musicians using the contrabass flute include Paige Dashner Long, Andy Findon, Laura Hyder, Madeleine Bischof, Pierre-Yves Artaud, Matthias Ziegler, Stefan Keller, Ned McGowan, Peter Sheridan, Patricia García, Sérgio Morais, David Lamont and Vinny Golia, who also plays all the other sizes of flute, and has recorded with it on the CD Music for Like Instruments: The Flutes, in a quartet with three other flutists. See details for more info. Though I am able to make high notes with this flute, the tone is not as strong as with a normal flute. Contrabass . PVC also permits more rough treatment, as the plastic instrument can be bumped without denting. New solo and chamber music is being composed almost every day[citation needed] for this instrument, and performer Peter Sheridan has commissioned numerous works from composers around the world, including: Alex Shapiro, Patrick Neher, Vinny Golia, Bruce Lawrence, Adrienne Albert, and Sheridon Stokes. The Contrabass Flute is the same pitch as the Contrabassoon. Sometimes referred to as the "gentle giant" of the flute family, the contrabass retains the facility for trills, as found elsewhere in the flute world. Recorded in exceptional detail and capturing a range of cinematic textures, harmonic embellishments, explosive articulations and an expressive true legato, this wonderful library features a … Many contrabass flutes in C are also equipped with a low B, (in the same manner as many modern standard sized flutes are.) The Contrabass Flute is the same pitch as the Contrabassoon. The contrabass flute is one of the rarer members of the flute family. Ease of arpeggiation is moderate and thus equivalent to the rest of the flute family. Flute Sound Files ~ Not Electronically Altered Our flute sound files DO NOT have any effects added to them. The Jupiter JBF1000 bass flute allows players to expand their skills and repertoire. The footjoint can be adjusted if needed. This is a living site, so here is a call to all players, builders and composers to send me links, photos and information to be included. True Legato and Rare Contrabass Flute Textures A first in cinematic sampling, Brute Flute is a Contrabass Flute library like no other. And then there’s the double contrabass flute (sometimes called the octobass flute) shown below, which is even larger and lower-pitched. It's over 9 feet long of tubing, ranges an octave bellow the bass flute, and two octaves bellow the concert flute. A wider, slower air stream is needed to produce a solid tone. Our flutes sound exactly like this naturally (Clear, Crisp, Loud, Non-breathy, & No air hiss). Nov 30, 2020 Cyber Monday Specials 20% off Accessories, Teaching Tools, Books, and Music, and free shipping on orders $199+. When the Sibelius program plays your score, it must find some instrument that it thinks best sounds like a contrabass flute. The lowest is the contrabass flute, bass flute, alto flute, the conventional C flute, and piccolo. The Singing Wall (Ned McGowan) for six contrabass flutes, Winter's Breath (Adrienne Albert) for contrabass flute and piano, Bantammer Swing (Ned McGowan) Concerto for contrabass flute and orchestra. The double contrabass flute (sometimes also called the octobass flute or subcontrabass flute) with over 5.5 metres (18 ft) of tubing is the largest and lowest pitched metal flute in the world (the hyperbass flute has an even lower range, though it is made out of PVC pipes and wood). Sub-Bass Flute (Double Contra-Alto or Sub-Contrabass) Contrabass Flute (Double Contrabass) These two Brobdingnagian flutes I will treat together, and are the lowest flutes out there. To complete our range of instruments, we have developed the Pearl Contrabass Flute. The diameter of this flute is wider than average to make it sound so low. Your flute will sound this way for you when you play it at home. * What is Be-Mode/ Membrane Sound? A first in cinematic sampling, Brute Flute is a Contrabass Flute library like no other. The flute is pitched at C with the lowest note being the C1. Option: Trill Key. Composers of such pieces include Peter Senchuk, Toby Caplan-Stonefield, Lawrence Ink, Phyllis Avidan Louke, and Judy Nishimura, among others. It is seen often in flute ensembles, however it is recently being used in solo and chamber music situations. The ease of playability of the Jupiter JBF1000 Bass Flute are hard to beat. As a virtuoso solo instrument, even a few concertos have been composed for the contrabass flute. Learn how and when to remove these template messages, Learn how and when to remove this template message. The flute is a family of musical instruments in the woodwind group. It’s not cheap but worth every cent as it picks up the rich sound really well and is relatively adverse for feedback. To play this flute, you would need to make your mouth bigger and looser. The contrabass flute offers expanded sonic dimensions in several ways, particularly in its percussive realms. Recorded in exceptional detail and capturing a range of cinematic textures, harmonic embellishments, explosive articulations and an expressive true legato, this wonderful library features a highly unique and inspiring set of sounds. Its lowest note is one octave below the cello’s lowest C, two octaves below the bass flute and three octaves below the concert flute. Contrabass Flute: handmade, brass body with silver lip plate, silver plated, B footjoint, key of C; sounds two octaves below concert C flute SPECIAL ORDER ONLY I own a contrabass flute. Photo of Maria Ramey playing Kotato contrabass, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Contrabass_flute&oldid=986834501, Articles with a promotional tone from February 2011, Articles needing additional references from October 2020, All articles needing additional references, Articles with multiple maintenance issues, Articles with unsourced statements from August 2019, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 3 November 2020, at 08:30. The contrabass flute sounds an octave lower than the Bass Flute, and three octaves lower than the standard C Flute. Contrabass flutes are only available from select flute makers. Contrabass flutes are only avail… Pearl’s contrabass flute has nice 3 rd octave and wide range which allows the pleasure playing in both solo and flute choir settings. The instrument can be made in the key of G, pitched a fourth below the contrabass flute in C and two octaves below the alto flute in G; which is sometimes also called double contra-alto flute, or in C, which will sound three octaves lower than the C flute. habanero123456: Mr. Kotato & Mr. Fukushima are excellent craftsmen who were working with Shozo at Muramatsu Flute in Japan from 1970 to 1980.Their performance is also same as professional player as to conduct flute ensemble, "PIACERE". The PFC905 sounds a full two octaves lower than the soprano C-flute and provides a resonant, rich tone that extends the range of any ensemble including flute choir. Another factor to remember is that these instruments must … The Contrabass Flute, a full two octaves lower than the C-flute, is the 'Gentle Giant' of the flute family. It's warm tone may seem not loud at first hearing, but carries in an impressive way. Kotato & Fukushima sell their double contrabass flutes for US$24,000.[2]. The 'haunting' low register (below G2) has similar qualities to the bassoon, and the low B1 (three octaves below middle C) can carry well with an experienced performer. Though for many pieces, the part is either a duplicate or simplification of the bass flute part, some of the newest repertoire includes an independent contrabass flute part. Kellerman makes use of different types of western flute, including fife, alto flute, and bass flute. Currently I’m also exploring with microphones inside of the flute. Features: Silver-Plated Yellow Brass Headjoint combines the strength of yellow brass with the rich tone quality of silver plating And it is with much pleasure that we introduce this wonderful instrument to you. It provides a much deeper sound than a regular flute, and the low notes are hauntingly beautiful. He even uses the rarely seen contrabass flute. The subcontrabass flute is one of the largest instruments in the flute family, measuring over 15 feet (4.6 m) long. Ideal for the flute choir or school music program, the Jupiter 523S bass flute produces a wonderfully projecting and focused sound. Contra Alto Flute Demo (1) by Siang Nanachart. It is best used to play dramatic, slow pieces of music. Option: Flute Stand (7Ib) Option: Be-mode (membrane sound, 1 hole) * Option: Es & Roller. Whereas the normal bass flute is a single octave lower than the concert flute, the double contrabass is one octave lower than the contrabass flute, two octaves lower than the normal bass flute and three octaves lower than the typical concert flute. The instrumentation of the orchestra comprises the entire spectrum of the flute family. Despite its large size it is still agile as the normal soprano flute, and has worlds of new possibilities to express, as you will hear on these pages. habanero123456: 2:47. In April 2008 the well structured[citation needed] concerto "Bantammer's Swing" for contrabass flute and chamber orchestra by Ned McGowan was premiered in Carnegie Hall. Bass, contrabass, and octocontrabass (double contrabass) flutes. It's a additional device which produce a unique sound color. In pitch, it is equal to the Bassoon or Cello. One is a "contrabass flute in G," pitched a fourth below the bass flute and an octave lower than the alto flute; thus, this is technically a contra-alto flute. Though the upper register can lack strength, its sensitivity and lyricism can be used to great effect; and a good instrument can readily reach the high A or B (above middle C). The new JCF1000 Contrabass flute extends that same tradition of sound and style into the lowest octave. The Sub-Bass is in G and the Contrabass is in C. These instruments are only seen in the largest of… Contrabass flutes have also been made from PVC pipe, by the Dutch flute maker Jelle Hogenhuis. Contrabass flute is such an uncommon instrument that Sibelius has chosen not to include it in its Essentials soundset. Numerous composers have written for the contrabass flute, including Wil Offermans, Robert Dick, Thomas Seelig, Andrew Downes, Catherine McMichael, Phill Niblock, and Günter Steinke, Juan Cerono, Nicolás Medero Larrosa, Fernando Curiel, Mariano Rocca, Angeles Rojas, Jorge Chikiar, Esteban Sebastiani, Valentin Pelisch, Ezequiel Menalled to name only a few[citation needed]. It is seen often in flute ensembles, however it is recently being used in solo and chamber music situations. It provides a true bass for the flute ensemble. Nov 28, 2020 Black Friday Specials Upgrade your instrument and take advantage of our Black Friday Savings to receive up to a $500 rebate on new flutes! Its sound is rather weak but haunting. This gentle giant of the flute family can reach three octaves below middle C, requires a lot more breath to produce sound than the concert flute, and its haunting low register is … Furthermore, the contrabass flute is being utilized more in the flute choir with most newer pieces including a part for the instrument[citation needed]. Its range is similar to that of the regular concert flute, except that it is pitched two octaves lower; the lowest performable note is two octaves below middle C(the lowest C on the cello). The contrabass flute in C is produced by Jean-Yves Roosen (France),[1] by the Japanese firm of Kotato & Fukushima, Eva Kingma, Pearl, Di Zhao and Christian Jäger from Munich. The contribution that the addition of the contrabass flute has made to the composition of flute choirs is enormous, offering at last the grounding of a true and deep bass sound. Duet by Bass flute in F and Contrabass Flute (Fバス・コントラバスフルートで吹いてみた ) by habanero123456. The contrabass flute is designed a full two octaves lower than a soprano C-flute, which has gentle and warm tone. The Michigan Flute Orchestra is an ensemble of dedicated and accomplished flutists from the southeastern Michigan and Detroit areas. I’ve been playing the contrabass flute for around 25 years and have come to love its singing 3rd register, velvety middle octave and fat low bass tones. Another instrument is the subcontrabass flute in G, pitched one octave below the contra-alto flute, or two octaves below the alto flute in G. Kotato & Fukushima also produce a "subcontrabass flute in C", or double contrabass flute, pitched a full octave below the contrabass flute. According to the instrument classification of Hornbostel–Sachs, flutes are categorized as edge-blown aerophones. A/B Duo: Ricochet by Ned McGowan ... contrabass flute playing the blues - big sound!!! Welcome to contrabassflute.com, a collection of links and information related to this amazing instrument. by Dirko Juchem. Jupiter flutes has created a student model for flute ensembles. Bass flutes sound one octave lower than the concert flute and are almost twice as long with an even larger embouchure hole and more than double the diameter, requiring even more air and a wider aperture than for the alto flute. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening. ... Any voices other than flutes or light percussion, harp, or piano are likely to drown out the sound of the Sub-Bass and Contrabass. For a good acoustic sound, the best microphone I’ve ever come across is the DPA 4099. A Contrabass flute is silverplated and is tuned at the scale A=442Hz. Its range is similar to that of the regular concert flute, except that it is pitched two octaves lower; the lowest performable note is two octaves below middle C (the lowest C on the cello). Due to the price and rarity of this instrument, few people have explored this instrument. Continuing its tradition of innovation, the Pearl Contrabass Flute completes the harmony ensemble of instruments. This is surely the first flute recording of any kind with a piece dedicated to Ginger Baker, my favorite rock drummer. The contrabass flute is used for solos and as a bass instrument in choirs. The contrabass flute requires much greater volume of air to produce sound than most other wind instruments, and composers who write for this instrument might consider more frequent breaks in phrasing than one would when writing for smaller flutes. The contrabass flute is one of the rarer members of the flute family. Features: Silver-Plated Yellow Brass Headjoint combines the strength of yellow brass with the rich tone quality of silver plating Body Weight: 4.8kg (40 Ib) Height: 2m Body Full Length: 2.7m Tube Diameter: 60mm Despite its large size it is still agile as the normal soprano flute, and has worlds of new possibilities to express, as you will hear on these pages. Bass Flute (Contrabass) This instrument, two octaves lower than the C Flute and one octave lower than the Tenor (former Bass), has been growing in popularity over the past two decades. KOTATO FLUTE - Best Contra Bass in the World! The upper registers (middle C and above) lack the strength of tone found in its cousins; the strongest register is arguably that between G2 and G3. Above, the 'Lyric Concerto ' for contrabass flute Textures a first in cinematic,. Hiss ) foot joint Box Case included from PVC pipe, by the Dutch maker. 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