Wind Ensemble

I'm currently composing an Ensemble for 12 woodwinds. The work is scored for 3 flutes, fouroboes, 2 clarinets, and 3 bassoons. I have some questions about bassoons if anybody wants to help out.

Ask away.

Can Bassoons play three note chords? Another question is, what is a standard bassoons' highest note? I looked up the highest note on the internet and got a whole bucha diferrent things though.

I may as well answer in Mr.Galt's absence. It's only possible to play one note at a time on any single woodwind instrument, so no, you can't have a three-note chord unless it's split so one note is played by each of your bassoons (which is what I think you meant).

As for the highest note, in my experience it's anywhere from B3 to about F5. Experienced players can obviously go higher but I wouldn't write there unless you knew for certain your ensemble could handle it.

Good luck

I may as well answer in Mr.Galt's absence. It's only possible to play one note at a time on any single woodwind instrument, so no, you can't have a three-note chord unless it's split so one note is played by each of your bassoons (which is what I think you meant).

As for the highest note, in my experience it's anywhere from B3 to about F5. Experienced players can obviously go higher but I wouldn't write there unless you knew for certain your ensemble could handle it.

Good luck

Not entirely true for bassoons. It is capable of some multiphonics. Here is a list of multiphonic chords, although most bassoonists never use them.

Well I was trying to avoid getting into that kind of thing...I'm assuming he's just writing for standard playing. But yes, you're definately right :P

I'm assuming he's just writing for standard playing.

Yeah, anyone who writes multiphonics is asking for trouble, lol. Oh god, they sound so terrible, but the way they work is incredibly interesting.

it's all based on complex harmonic interactions, isn't it?

it's all based on complex harmonic interactions, isn't it?

Sort of. It's the mechanics of the tone-holes. In certain combinations, several tones sound at once, all relatively close to each other. It's like being able to play a Bb, B, C, and C# all at the same time. You can, if you know which fingering can mechanicly produce that.

cool...that sounds like something fun to experiment with.

For those interested I got all references for that written at :

http://www.youngcomposers.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4486

By experience... I find multiphonics rarely interesting... depending of what you are searching for of course. But some can really be cool... but I counsel rarity and efficiency ! :P

By experience... I find multiphonics rarely interesting... depending of what you are searching for of course. But some can really be cool... but I counsel rarity and efficiency ! :happytears:

Yeah, the multiphonics themselves aren't too cool. What is cool is the mechanics behind them. When you start to think about why the multiphonics work, it's pretty cool.

Yeah!... for those who wants to study in Montreal, Caroline Traube is giving a wonderful class about all that (acoustic and timber). She's a very beautiful (for those interested (which I don't much care)) AND very competent researcher and teacher (for which I praise her much). I should be teaching there next year in Open Music class too (Composition Aided by Computers).

Though, I guess either some don't have the age required to go to university or the opportunity to know french to attend the classes ! eheh

So for multiphonic... that's nice because I just right now writing a 'short' piece for an ensemble named 'Chorum' and the oboe has long sentences in 'double harmonics' which sounds very well though. So... if you choose well, some multiphonics sounds pretty nice. For the bassoon I really like those playing a very agressive fifth (if I remember well cause I don't have time to check the info now) in the lower register !!

Alrighty. I always thought that bassoons could play like thirds and stuff but i wasnt sure. I just assumed because it's a basso continuo instrument. Thanks guys!