Your assignment is to find a clip of someone playing a contra instrument. You may choose your own instrument family or another instrument family. Post a copy of the link and tell me who the performer is and what you like or dislike about the piece. Take time to listen and think about what you are listening to. Once a clip has been used it cannot be used by someone else. Also, what questions do you have as a result of the performance or about the instrument.
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Blog Assignment #2
Here is a little trip to the musical bizarre. There exists a whole world of contra instruments. These are the bass instruments for almost every instrument family (Sorry tuba and percussionists) These instruments are no only very different looking, but in recent years are being rediscovered by musicians and used in a variety of ways.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXBeu7o9uUM&feature=related
This is a clip of a Contra Bass Saxophone player. His name is Marcel W. Helland.
I liked the sound of the instrument; how low it can get is really cool. I don't know how he wears that thing around his neck, it must way like at least 40lbs. Some of the humor in the clip is funny.
Di Nino
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wx4YoFYex2k
Contraphobia
This piece is performed by Randy Emerick.
I liked this piece because it still has that quintessential "saxophone" sound - the deep, reedy one, despite the fact the tone is so low. Just looking at it is pretty hilarious because it makes my alto sax look so small. Randy Emerick is also a very, very good player. The only thing I didn't like was that if you listen closely you can hear the keys moving, like he was pressing too hard or something, which is a bit distracting.
However, overall I enjoyed the piece and I wish I could see a contrabass sax in real life!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcX4qxtReJk
This clip if of a Contra Flute. the player is Stefan Keller and he is playing the song "factory".
The sounds of the contra flute is different than the one i play. It has a deeper sound. I don't like the sound of the contra flute. In my opinion it is a lot deeper compared to the flute and i thought that flutes should be higher than other instruments. From the video i didn't get to see the whole instrument. From what i saw it seems that it stands on the ground like a bass clarinet, but you have to play it standing up.
I think the neat thing about a contra flute is that it isnt straight. Usually most flutes are straight like the picalo but the contra flute isn't the mouth peice comes around the top of the intrument to the right.
Rebecca Ramshaw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwTorKNmED4&feature=related
Really Big Blues
It is a video of a contrabass saxophone player name Randy Emerick.
I really liked the tone of this saxopone. He is a very good player and I thought the piano accompanyment sounded really good with what he was playing. It is huge compared the alto that I play...I don't get how he holds it up!
You can definatly still hear that saxophone sound even though its as low as a tuba. I thought it was a very good video, and it would be alot of fun to try to play it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6PSbz4nV-Q&feature=related
This video is of Alexander Mainz doing a warm up on a four valve 5/4 tuba.
I really enjoyed this because Alexander was able to keep a veryb rich sound even though he was playing very low notes. It does look very akward to hold it though and it probably takes a lot of air to get such a good sound.
nik Vantfoort
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BiqPn3d_dKM&feature=related
This is a clip of a Contra Bass Flute player by the name of Eva Kingma. The piece is called Flight Delayed.
I really enjoyed this piece because it had a good rhythm and beat to it. The contra bass flute, i think does not sound very much like a flute, except for the "breathy" sound to it. The contra bass flute sounded a lot lower then i had expected and it was also a lot larger too. I think the accompaniment added to the performance. I think the contra bass flute sounds unique and unlike any other instrument i have ever heard. It would be a good addition to a band because it has a very special sound, which would make it very distinct. Judging by its low sound, i think it would be a good instrument for accompaniment in a piece. I think the notes sounded interesting and very different from a flute. Although in the piece it did not seem like a contra bass flute would have a very large range, because it has such a low sound. I found the clip interesting and it was great to hear an entire different sound of music.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXitAt16meo
Clip of Contra bass Trombone player Eric Budd performing Tuxedo Junction.
The Contra Trombone seems like a difficult instrument to play, in order to capture the full range of the instrument one is required to extend their arms quite extensively. This piece was played with a nice tonal range and the players embouchure appeared to be quite defined.
In my opinion this instrument sounds best in a higher register. The solo of this piece was well done. I enjoyed the way the player slurred his notes but maintained a consistent tonguing pattern right after. I also enjoyed the way Eric played the rhythms too, they were in very comfortably swung time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jh7TuPsOBUM
This is a clip of a contrabass saxophone player named James Carter.
The contrabass sax is a very interesting instrument. Because of its large size the instruments pitch is extremely low. I really enjoyed this piece because it has many different accidentals which add texture. I like the different sounds that come from doing different movements with your hands on the buttons he makes a “popping” sound during the piece which I think it’s pretty neat. I would just like to know how they do that, I’ve never heard of contrabass instruments before and this has really sparked my interest. This definately something i would like to try.
Ameera
http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=RB7RWyDVqws&feature=related
This instrument was a contrabass saxophone,it was performed by Laksar Reese
This song has a cool beat and rhythm.It sounded good on the contrabass sax because of
its low pitch. The sound of the contrabass sax was very unique and interesting. The low tone of the instrument increased the songs impact and effectiveness,and made the beat stand out. The thing I liked about this song was the liveliness and the jazzy beat.The only thing that I didnt like was sometimes the notes got blended together and it was hard to distinguish and differentiate between the notes.The only question that I have is how much more air would you have to put into the instrument to get a sound.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XL0Px6my9yA&feature=related
This is a clip of contrabass flute player Tillman Dehnhard playing an improvised piece called "All is Full of Air."
I think this piece is really interesting to listen to. The piece sounds very creepy and mysterious because the flute sort of echoes. I think he also used some electronics to help give the piece some special effects. Its really neat how he can get more than one note at the same time, but i'm not sure if thats because he's using some electronics. I also like how he whistles into the flute. It creates a very cool, sort of haunting effect.
The contrabass flute sounds a lot different from the flute I play. The sound is a lot deeper. I wouldn't have been able to tell that it was a flute if i hadn't known. Overall, I thought that this piece was very interesting to listen to.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1t_vu_uQoQ&feature=related
This is a clip of a Contra Bass Saxophone player named Randy Emerick.
First of all, it was really surprising to know the size of these "Contra Bass Saxophone" compared to the Alto Saxophone. Also the pitch was really low compared to the Alto Saxophone. I loved it when it reached the lower notes and that sound in between also the vibration. One and only thing I didn't like it when Saxophone reached the higher notes it would sometimes make a different sound. The speed of the music was just extremely good with the Contra Bass Saxophone "Dragging out those note" sort of feeling.
I wonder how much air has to be put in through the Contra Bass Saxophone compared to an Alto Saxophone. Lastly would like to know how big those air hole buttons get.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cA0n4w19rsk&feature=channel
This is a video clip of a man named Stefan Keller, he is playing the song "Kunos Journey" on the contrabass flute.
This video was quite interesting - i didn't think that the contrabass flute would be THAT big, and it definitely has a much different sound then a regular flute that i play. It's a much lower pitch, and it has that jazzyness kind of feeling to it. It's weird how they call it a flute, the thing is huge, and the finger holes are really big too. It has a lot of loops to the instrument, it's not like the normal flute that is just straight. It is thicker too. It must be hard to hit the high notes on that. This man seems very good at this flute by just listening to a few of his songs he has played. The tempo is pretty slow as well, usually the flute has the melody and goes really fast, but not the contrabass. It's cool! I like the rhythem.
Maria Michalopoulos
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvTD5NkQKh0&feature=PlayList&p=0DDBDAD19BCFF766&playnext=1&index=2
This is a clip of contrabass flute player. His name is Tillman Dehnhard, and he is playing the song "Windscapes".
I really liked the tone and the sound of the contrabass flute. It has much deeper and richer sound than the flute. But one thing that I did't like was that when he played the contrabass flute, I could actually hear his breathing sound loudly, and it was kind of distractive. But overall I really enjoyed the clip.
Sylvia Lee
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFabADpz9cg
This is a rather interesting solo performed by Gerard Buquet on a unique contra-bass trombone. The trombone was made with 2 bells especially for this piece, entitled "Zwischen".
This piece is very different from one you would hear normally. It doesn't seem to have much of a tune, however the player is able to do some very interesting things with his trombone; it sounds almost like an elephant at times. He is able to reach very low notes. I really like the sounds of these notes. They sound very strong and round, and alot like a foghorn. Within the first minute of the piece he also does a lot of jumping around, high and low, to different notes very quickly, and i think this sounds really cool. Some of the notes at the beginning also sound like a very high vibration, like a trilling sound, like a whole bunch of very short, staccato notes strung together. Perhaps the musician is just very good at double tongueing. The piece also has many silences or pauses, interrupted by violent bursts of music. I like this effect.At one point, the musician is even able to play a high note out of one bell and a low note out of the other at the same time. At other times, you can hear when one note comes from one bell, and another note follows from the other bell as a sort of echo. Around 1:56 the musician starts sortof dancing with his trombone and singing, "aaawwwww" sounds along with his playing, which is kindof strange, however i still find the piece entertaining. Throughout the piece the musician continues the same kinds of techniques i described above, along with strings of notes which sounds somewhat like a squished together scale. Although this piece is very different and odd, i like it very much and i think the musician does a very good job.
Rachel Brymer !
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9Nz0UGuQyc&feature=related
This is a clip of a Sub Contrabass flute player named Stefan Keller. The piece has no name that I am aware of.
I always new that there were different types of flutes, but I never knew that they could get to be that big! I thought it was really interesting the way that the flute looked, the way that it was all twisted around itself, looking closer to a bass clarinet than to a flute. This particular flute is the largest in the world maed by a company named Kotato & Fukushima.
I also thought that the sound that the instrument gave waas really cool. It had a deep, throaty sound that sounded like a reed instrument but breathy at the same time. I loved how low the instrument could go, really breaking the steriotype that flutes can only play high.
Although the piece was not my favourite, I really like the way that he changed his rhythms constantly, going from fast, chopy rhythms, to some slower ones. He also used his articulation and dynamic changes amazingly. You're telling the truth when you always tell us that it's the dynamics that make the piece. It was so cool the amount of sound that he could get out of his instrument, especially to me because that is something that i really struggle with. I think that this instruent is not being used to it's full potential. Athough they must be hugely expensive, i think that the subcontrabass flute could do amazing things in an orchestra.
Haley Jones
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARqKIw3vV3E
I have chosen a clip of a Contra Bass Clarinet player. His name is Marco Mazzini and he is playing Alex Shapiro's "Deep" .
I Enjoy the large deep sound this instrument produces. The instrument sounds very eerie to me. It sounds like a fog horn that can change pitch. In this piece i enjoy the dynamics and how effectively they as used to create a certain mood or effect. I like how in this certain piece it is almost as if Marco is telling a story with his playing.
Marco's technique looks to be very proper and he looks very confident when he is playing. I wish i could see the instrument in person because it looks like a fascinating instrument. Overall i like this particular piece and i encourage you to check it out.
Nic Wilson
Contrabass Clarinet
Baile performed by Marco Mazzini.
I enjoyed listening to this piece because it is something you would probably never have heard before. It is a dark piece. It has more than just playing; it also involves Marco tapping the keys on the Contrabass Clarinet for more effects.
I did not enjoy the entire piece since it felt quite repetitive. I enjoy fast-passed songs higher up the octave.
I'm glad that I got to hear this instrument; it is really amazing what it can do!
Matt Sterner
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXitAt16meo
This is a clip of a Contrabass Trombone player. His name is Eric Budd.
I really like the sound of the contrabass trombone. To me, the sound was a mixture of a tuba and a trombone which i would personally love to play. What I really liked about this piece is that the two player were always together with each other. Also the contrabass trombone had a bass line throughout the entire song that was amasing to listen to.
I would like to find out where the instrument originated, and also why the sound is so low when the instrument itself is not that big.
Jake Adams
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtMxWvngDk0
"A Kind of water music" by Stefan Keller playing the Contrabass Flute
The notes that he makes in the start are very catchy and very smooth. I enjoyed the sound of the instrument very much because of its slick movements in your head. The instrument was low but Stefan Keller played it beautifully at house fast and moving he made the music seem like. The notes seemed like they were very fast at some points coming right after one another which made the song sounds very catchy and smooth, like how the name of the song implies "water music". Closer to the end of the piece Stefan Keller made the Contrabass flute sound like it was a part of a tribal dance with the repetition of notes and the speed the notes were moving. In the end i liked this piece it was very interesting
Justin Kim
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WKFG6UeOBo&feature=related
This is a video of Andreas Stahel playing the bass flute and contrabass flute. He is playing a piece called Circular Hocket which he composed and arranged.
When he played the bass flute he tied in vocals while playing, which I thought was really cool.
Both flutes sound amazing. I like how the performer creates different ways to play the flute by using vocals or humming into it.
Contrabass tuba player Robby Krieger plays a lick of Spanish Caravan by the doors, in this video.
It looks like the keys for his instrument are located lower than a normal tuba. It looks like it is requiring a lot of air for him to play, as you can hear him sucking in the air every few notes. It was really quite interesting to watch something different!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gO8bQb__jKg&feature=channel_page
The piece is called "Prospekt Mira" and is being performed by Tilmann Dehnhard on the contrabass flute.
I think that the contrabass flute is a very different instrument because of its size and how it twists in one spot. Overall, I think that this piece was played really well and i think that the sound of the contrabass flute is very neat.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZw0uESkY_8
I was not able to find the name of this player but I absolutely love this piece. The kid plays a contra alto clarintet and is only 5'3... pretty impressive. He is playing along to a song called "Everything Went Numb" by Streetlight Manifesto. The thing that amazes me the most out of this piece is the fact that he is not playing music he is doinng it all by ear and it sounds quite good. The only thing I do not like is the paused family guy episode in the background while he is playing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtOOyrGTIgM
The piece is called "PAD 5" played by Eva Kingma.
The sound of the Contrabass flute was not what i expected. Instead of a very low sound like all the other contrabass instruments, it delivered a very smooth, soft, and calm sound.
The piece "PAD 5" was very short but Eva Kingma conveyed the piece very well with the repetetive beat that continued througj out the whole piece.
If i get a chance to handle a new instrument, the contrabass flute will be defenitely my choice.
Jong
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