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Octobass: The lowest string instrument (2016)
- sbf501 4y agohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12X-i9YHzmE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12X-i9YHzmE
- pcblues 4y ago
- uwagar 4y agowhen the physics of making sound in the real world gets monstrous this is where a computer synthesizer can shine, you can go as low as you want (even below 20hz) with ease. playing the notes is no problem with a MIDI keyboard.
- techdragon 4y agoI mean... this is why many early generations of synthesisers got called "electronic organs" and things of that ilk. It was able to reproduce ranges of notes that for keyed instruments would normally only available in a pipe organ.
- uwagar 4y agohowever, computer synthesizers can do better than a pipe organ too eg, produce waveforms < 20hz, even say 1hz aka low frequency oscillators. of course, they may not be audible but used for other things like volume control. i guess its impossible to produce such low frequencies in the real world or at least fit such an instrument into a concert hall. maybe an alpine horn or similar. would be nice to hear of such instruments in the real world.
- 6stringmerc 4y agoI think what draws me to great drum and bass artists like S.P.Y is their ability to make it feel like they’re playing with the entire huge range of digital sound. “Cold Wave” is what I use on headphones to show how it can be beautiful and growling aggressive at the same time.
- adql 4y agoStill need a big speakers to generate it, physics don't just go away. Smaller than the instrument but still. Also it's not about generating tone but all the modulations and harmonics physical instruments produce. While you can do just as complex sounds digitally, people like all the analog imperfections and inconsistencies
- vintermann 4y agoSure, on an abstract level, but then there's the question of what comes out of your speakers. I assume there are some sounds you can make with an actual 64' pipe which would be hard to do justice with most speakers.
- lmm 4y agoIf you're interested in such instruments you might also be interested in http://subcontrabassoon.com/ http://subcontrabassoon.com/
- aidenn0 4y agoAlso https://www.alexanderpiano.nz/page/the-alexander-piano https://www.alexanderpiano.nz/page/the-alexander-piano
- techdragon 4y agoThis sort of thing is why I need a shed... sigh
- tomcam 4y agoSpectacular-looking but pretty dumb. Technically a string bass but it can only play a few notes, slowly and with no nuance. You don’t press the fingerboard as you would other orchestral stringed instruments. It’s far too difficult and awkward. Instead you depress a huge lever that in turn pushes the string down, and there are only 8 or so levers. No vibrato, tremolo, or glissando for you!
- deleted 4y ago[deleted]
- 6stringmerc 4y agoI dunno man after 25 years of guitar I think it’s pretty dumb too. The tuning and chording are all insane. That said, i think the gimmick is neat but agree with you in ways - I bet a 3d printed from CF or something with good resonance could add in those music techniques and make something pretty fun. If anything it could add some tasty meat to synth soundtrack lines.
- tengwar2 4y agoIt's in an orchestra. Not every instrument has to have every capability - that's why they are used together. I had a weird error from the embedded YouTube link in that page, but I found a page which showed it being used realistically_ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v62YjjV-Roo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v62YjjV-Roo.
- DeathArrow 4y agoMy ears will always prefer very low notes over very high notes.
- Tokkemon 4y agoThis gets to the point of the largest pipes on a pipe organ, the 32' and 64' pedal stops. There's only two "true" 64' pedal stops in the world, one of which is in Atlantic City's Boardwalk Hall. You can hear it's helicopter-like sound here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7R2a4OxXp5A https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7R2a4OxXp5A
- batmanturkey 4y ago
- mastazi 4y agoIn the video embedded in the article, in addition to the musician playing the octobass, there are three other performers; they all seem to be playing some sort of double bass that seems to have perhaps 6 strings? The shape of the pegbox is unconventional. I've never seen such an instrument before, can someone explain what is it?
- tectec 4y agoIt's a C-extension. A regular bass goes down to E1, but the C-extension gives it a couple more notes down to a C1.
- mastazi 4y agoOh, thank you for explaining that! I found some pictures, and I now understand how it works, those are not extra pegs as I thought, they are basically something similar to a guitar capo.
- ttyyzz 4y agoMakes absolutely no sense at all to watch the YouTube Video of the Octobass in action on my phone because it most certainly can't even come close to playing the frequencies, but it still looks great :D