Octobass: The lowest string instrument (2016) | Hacker News Reader

Octobass: The lowest string instrument (2016)

classicfm.com

57 pointszdw22 comments

This 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

If you're interested in such instruments you might also be interested in http://subcontrabassoon.com/

Also https://www.alexanderpiano.nz/page/the-alexander-piano

This sort of thing is why I need a shed... sigh

Makes 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

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12X-i9YHzmE

In 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?

It'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.

Oh, 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.

when 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.

I 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.

however, 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.

I 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.

Still 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

Sure, 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.

Which doesn't really matter as the ear can't hear them. If you want a room shaker a speaker isn't the ideal tool

What, you don't have a Rotary woofer[1]?

1: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotary_woofer

My ears will always prefer very low notes over very high notes.

Spectacular-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!

I 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.

It'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.

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