To generate enough power to play music, the instrument included a huge electric motor, 12 dynamos, 145 tone wheels to recreate various notes and instruments, and a two-person keyboard to control it. While the crutch is responsible for much of the balance of the bass flute, the length of the instrument puts most of the weight of the flute on the thumb of the right hand. It has a body that is held vertically and an adjustable floor, just like the bass clarinet has. The double contrabass flute (sometimes also called the octobass flute or subcontrabass flute) 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). Tube length is about 5 meters. You can hear a variety of their tunes at the band's YouTube page. Igil. Players with smaller hands might feel comfortable turning the foot joint slightly toward themselves to lessen the reach to the D# key, rather than lining up the rod of the foot joint with the center of the D key. Alto flutes are pitched in the key of G, a perfect fourth below the concert flute. The Great Stalacpipe Organ is billed as the world's largest musical instrument, located deep underground in Luray Caverns in Virginia. 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. Now I understand. ♪ Another big flute sounds like a bassoon ♪ ♪ The subcontrabass can carry a tune ♪ ♪ The contrabass flute is the smallest fellow ♪ ♪ It sounds just like a cello ♪ - [Narrator] Wow, thanks! The Subcontrabass Flute The subcontrabass flute can be made in the key of G or C. The subcontrabass Flute in G, ranges ½ octave below the contrabass flute, and two and ½ octaves below the concert flute. These instruments look quite different from those manufactured by Kingma and Kotato. There are more and more solo pieces for alto and bass flute (and even contrabass flute) being written and published every day, mostly by specialty publishers such as ALRY Publications at www.alrypublications.com and Falls House Press at www.fallshousepress.com. The subcontrabass flute is one of the largest instruments in the flute family, measuring over 15 ft (4.6 m) long. The Subcontrabass Flute The subcontrabass flute can be made in the key of G or C. The subcontrabass Flute in G, ranges ½ octave below the contrabass flute, and two and ½ octaves below the concert flute. He eventually built three models, each bigger and more expensive than the last, and they cost a lot more than they earned. Sometimes it’s helpful to think about blowing into a pop bottle to play a note, to get the air stream wide enough for the larger flutes. Usually, these huge flutes have a total length of 15 feet (all bended up, obviously, but still). Care should be taken to set up the contrabass so that the player can comfortably play on the head joint while maintaining good posture. You can hear what the subcontrabass flute sounds like in this video, and see it in the image above on the right. The subcontrabass flute plays a fourth below the contrabass flute, and the pipe is over 15 feet long. Your flute will sound this way for you when you play it at home. Depending on manufacturer, these instruments may or may not possess a low B foot. You can hear music played on the Teluscape's water organ in this video. While some alto flutes might be available in solid silver, basses and contrabasses generally are not because of the excess weight. This instrument will be much louder than you think. The igil is a two-stringed traditional instrument from the Tuva region of Siberia, just north of Mongolia. Newer models have been designed with greater attention to ergonomics, so when shopping for used instruments, it is important to play test them for comfort as well as for performance. All the way to left is the sub-contrabass flute! The Wave Organ, part of the Exploratorium in San Francisco, is a seaside sculpture that includes 25 organ pipes. In subsequent practice sessions, it is advisable to play through this octave exercise with an electronic tuner to determine intonation idiosyncrasies of the particular instrument, so it can be played better in tune. The alto flute is almost the same as the concert flute but the headjoint can be curled around as shown in the picture. Some bass flutes are available with a b-foot, and some higher end manufacturers have other options such as open holes or customized fit. When the hall opened in 1929, the seating capacity was 42,000 people. Our flutes sound exactly like this naturally (Clear, Crisp, Loud, Non-breathy, & No air hiss). It is sometimes called the "gentle giant" of the flute family because of its gentle sound. It is over 15 feet long, and it is rarely used outside flute ensembles. The subcontrabass flute is rarely used outside of flute ensembles. When curved head alto flutes position the head joint parallel to the center section of the flute, the chin plays a more prominent role in the balance and support of the flute. In addition, the player may experience fatigue in the right hand when playing for long periods of time. It is used mostly in flute ensembles.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). Bass flutes fall into three distinct price ranges:  $2300-$4500 (Jupiter, Emerson, Jupiter DiMedici, and Gemeinhardt); $6800-$8000 (Altus, Yamaha, and Eva Kingma); and $10,000+ (Kotato and Sankyo). Many flute choirs have been happily using these instruments because of their affordability. Shown here is the FUNtain, a hydraulophone that is part of the Teluscape at the Ontario Science Center. When playing an alto flute with a straight head, the flute is balanced above the first joint of the left index finger, the chin, and the right thumb. The subcontrabass flute plays a … Some players prefer this position as being more comfortable than playing with the body of the contrabass straight up and down parallel to the player’s body. In fact, the subcontrabass register has long been a staple in music written for the one existing instrument capable of playing easily in that register: the organ. Larger flutes require more air. Enjoy this wonderful video of Italian jazz musician Attilio Berni, a graduate of the Santa Cecilia Conservatory, performing ‘Cute’ on the biggest playable saxophone in the world and the smallest: the subcontrabass saxophone and the soprillo.The ensemble is the Moonlight Big Band. Sometimes bigger is better, as in a box of chocolates. If there is interference, angle the curved section of the head joint slightly back toward the player. Its sound is pitched between the contrabass flute and bass flute. 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. Cahill’s first telharmonium required 12 railroad cars for transport. For comparison purposes, approximate measurements of concert flutes are. The location and size of keys vary, so it is important for players, especially those with smaller hands, to play test different models to find one that is comfortable to play and where the foot joint keys can be reached comfortably. For instance, when setting up a curved head alto or a bass flute head joint above the center section of the flute, make sure that there is enough clearance for the left hand first finger to operate the C key. The biggest instruments can provide rich, full, low notes, but those often come at the expense of portability. Contrabass flutes sound two octaves lower than the concert flute and are approximately twice as long with a larger diameter than the bass flute, requiring even more air and a slightly wider aperture. On the contrabass flute, the peg is attached to the foot joint. So Paige, what do you like about these giant flutes? The igil is a two-stringed traditional instrument from the Tuva region of Siberia, just north of Mongolia. Like the contrabass, the footjoint can be adjusted. Since then, the 14 Berlin flautists, who cover the entire sound spectrum from the piccolo flute to the concert flute, and from the alto flute to the double bass and subcontrabass flutes, enthral audiences with their gentle, nuanced and brilliant flute sound. At present, the subcontrabass flute is an instrument that must be custom ordered. On the left is a double contrabass flute; both instruments are played by flutist Maria Ramey. a double contrabass flute; both instruments are played by. For more information on repertoire available for big flutes, a good resource is the 2004 Repertoire Catalogue for Piccolo, Alto Flute, Bass Flute by Peter van Munster, available at www.petervanmunster.nl. Yamaha alto and bass flutes are made of a gold brass alloy with a lacquer finish rather than silver or silver-plate. Contrabass flutes sound two octaves lower than the concert flute and are approximately twice as long with a larger diameter than the bass flute, requiring even more air and a slightly wider aperture. It may be made out of PVC or metal. Once the player finds a good set up position, the head joint sections can be marked with a spot or line of ink from a permanent marker, or a spot of nail polish on adjoining sections to aid in more quickly finding the optimum position when putting the instrument together. Start slowly with some long tones on notes on notes such as A, G and F in the first octave, to determine the air stream width and speed necessary to produce a good tone. It was invented in 1850 by luthier Jean­-Baptiste Vuillaume. Subcontrabass Flute:The subcontrabass flute is also one of the biggest members of the western flute family. When buying an alto, bass or contrabass flute, the price can vary depending on many factors, including whether the instrument is silver plated or solid silver. At present, the subcontrabass flute is an instrument that must be custom ordered. If the contrabass is set up a little too high, the player can take a step back from the instrument and tip the instrument slightly towards them, using the peg as a pivot point. $19.99 $ 19. Since then, the 14 Berlin flautists, who cover the entire sound spectrum from the piccolo flute to the concert flute, and from the alto flute to the double bass and subcontrabass flutes, enthral audiences with their gentle, nuanced and brilliant flute sound. Important condition for this is that the flute plays well in the bottom register, that it produces more decibels than other flutes. The subcontrabass flute is one of the largest instruments in the flute family, measuring over 15 feet (4.6 m) long. The contrabass flute is used for solos and as a bass instrument in choirs. Eva Kingma even makes highly-respected bass flutes with open holes and quarter tone keys. The upper octaves of many big flutes can be notoriously out of tune and require the player to listen carefully and adjust individual notes to correct the pitch. Basses and contras from some manufacturers, as well as altos, are available with a solid silver head or a solid silver lip plate on the head joint. The sound of the sub-contrabass is incredibly full and uniform throughout all registers even as the air expenditure required in the low register is immense. If the airspeed is too fast when playing a high note on one of the larger flutes, it may result in a harmonic instead of the desired note. Like the contrabass, the footjoint can be adjusted. The contrabass flute is designed a full two octaves lower than a soprano C-flute, which has gentle and warm tone. While the upper octaves are the strongest and loudest for the concert flute, they are the weakest octaves for the larger flutes. When playing concert flute, many flutists increase the airspeed in the higher octaves. The 3m-tall subcontrabass saxophone’s lowest note is just about within the human range of hearing. Start Playing Subcontrabass flute Today! On a search for the wonderful world of Sub-Contrabass, we found this! The alto flute is tuned 4 times lower the the concert flute; The sound of the alto flute is very low and mellow. Repertoire for Alto, Bass and Contrabass. Hit it! His telharmonium transmitted live music over telephone lines to any number of people who wanted to hear it, giving us the first long-distance live concert. A hydraulophone is an organ powered by water. THE SOUND. To fill that huge space, the organ uses over 33,000 pipes! Rubber-tipped mallets tap the caves' natural stalactites and produce musical tones. © Copyright 2004 Phyllis Avidan Louke. The Zadar Sea Organ in Croatia is a similar project. This helps the player to reach the keys. Contrabass flutes are currently being manufactured by Eva Kingma in The Netherlands and by Kotato in Japan. After the curves are adjusted properly, the embouchure hole should be set up so that it is parallel to the floor or angled slightly toward the player. So Paige, what do you like about these giant flutes? When purchasing a bass flute, it is important to ask whether the instrument comes with trill keys, as some of the less expensive models do not include them as a standard feature. The instruments’ large size renders the keys on the center section of these flutes too large and too far apart for the hands of a normal size flutist to depress all of them directly. 97. Make sure that the operation of the D# key is not hindered by the post on the center section of the flute, and that it doesn’t interfere with the operation of the D key. ♪ Another big flute sounds like a bassoon ♪ ♪ The subcontrabass can carry a tune ♪ ♪ The contrabass flute is the smallest fellow ♪ ♪ It sounds just like a cello ♪ - [Narrator] Wow, thanks! Double Contrabass Flute (In C) As flute choirs get more and more popular, more flutists are purchasing alto, bass and contrabass flutes than ever before, both to play in flute choirs, as well as to explore the expanding repertoire written for the larger flutes. It may be made out of PVC or metal. It is sometimes called the “gentle giant” of the flute family because of its gentle sound. Although the basic fingerings and written range are the same in all members of the flute family, the larger diameter of the tubing in alto, bass and contrabass flutes require the player to make adjustments in air management, hand position and alignment of the instrument that differ from those used when playing concert flute. Some alto flutes are available with a b-foot, and some higher end manufacturers have other options such as open holes or customized fit. Remember that playing the larger flutes requires more air than playing the concert flute. The intonation upper octave notes can be sometimes be improved by using alternate fingerings. The subcontrabass flute, played here by Stefan Keller, is the lowest flute of the family, around 15 feet long (4,6m). When putting together alto, bass and contrabass flutes, care should be taken to avoid any interference with the operation of the keys. It is pitched in the key of C, three octaves below the concert flute (two octaves below the bass flute and one octave below the contrabass flute). - [Paige] In … With the head joint set up above the center section of the flute most of the weight of the instrument is supported by the hands, while in the other set-up, the weight is divided between the hands and the chin. To achieve this the diameter of the flute is wider than average. For flute players it is a special experience to go as low as the string bass! Options can include trill keys, and a b-foot is standard from both of these manufacturers. The group uses two homemade Tesla coils to send arcs up to 12 feet long between them, and they sometimes include humans wearing Faraday suits (to protect them from electricity) in their performances. The term "zeusaphone" is trademarked by a company that sells and rents singing Tesla coils. Only some flutes are played in the world. The stalactites used cover 3.5 acres! The Contrabass Flute is the same pitch as the Contrabassoon. The alto, bass and contrabass being successively larger than the concert flute, both in diameter and in length, require successively larger volumes of air to play along with proper support of the air column to achieve a pleasing and projecting tone. Hear what the subcontrabass flute sounds like in this video. Cahill stopped played telharmonium concerts over phone lines in 1916, and unfortunately neither the instrument nor any recording of its music survive today. 99. On a search for the wonderful world of Sub-Contrabass, we found this! The octobass is the largest of all stringed instruments. On a search for the wonderful world of Sub-Contrabass, we found this! There is no standardized design of alto, bass and contrabass flutes among manufacturers. The contrabass flute is played standing up because of the size of the instrument—when assembled it stands over 6 feet tall. The Subcontrabass / Double Contrabass / Hyperbass Flute Bass flutes are fairly common, and then there’s the less common contrabass flute — the so-called “gentle giant” of the flute world, which is pitched two octaves lower than a regular concert flute. For the budget minded, Jelle Hogenjuis in Holland is manufacturing contrabass flutes from PVC pipe with brass keys that are priced under $3,000. Most bass flutes are built with a crutch for the left hand that is designed to help support and balance the greater weight of the instrument. Thank you to Paige Long for the following measurements of even larger flutes…. In most cases, it takes two people to play the octobass: one to draw the bow and the other to fret the three strings. The contrabass flute was designed to perform as a solo instrument as well as a bass instrument in choirs. We’ve been alerted to the excellence of the subcontrabass flute, an insanely huge and low member of the flute family, and we want one to play with please. 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