How the reed contrabass makes its sound
In the Hornbostel–Sachs system, which classifies instruments by how they produce sound, the reed contrabass belongs to the double-reed instruments: two reeds beat against each other – oboes, bassoons, shawms and the duduk.
More broadly it is one of the aerophones (wind instruments), where sound comes from vibrating air.
Its timbre – the colour that lets you tell it apart from other instruments playing the same note – comes from the mix of overtones its body and resonator emphasise.
From Wikipedia
The reed contrabass (Italian: contrabbasso ad ancia; French: contrebasse à anche) is a metal double reed woodwind instrument in the bass-contrabass register, pitched in C. Although the bassoon-like double reed and metal construction make it superficially similar to a contrabass sarrusophone, it is descended from the ophicleide which it resembles in appearance, as well as in the arrangement of the simpler key work and fingering.
Other double-reed instruments
Frequently asked questions
What does a reed contrabass sound like?
As one of the double-reed instruments, its sound comes from the way two reeds beat against each other.
What type of instrument is the reed contrabass?
It is classified as double-reed instruments (Hornbostel–Sachs 422.112).
Sources & credits
- Wikidata Q7306717 – CC0
- Wikipedia: Reed contrabass – CC BY-SA 4.0
- Image by St Cecilia's Hall Concert Room & Music Museum, Musical Instruments Museums Edinburgh; photographed by Dominic… – CC BY 3.0