this post was submitted on 21 Sep 2023
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Mildly Interesting

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[–] [email protected] 106 points 1 year ago (5 children)

I have no idea if this is the same as the one at the Montreal Symphony Orchestra but for anyone else who was curious about the specs on this beast:

  • HEIGHT: 3.6 m (11.10 ft.)
  • LENGTH OF THE SOUNDBOARD (uppermost board): 2.06 m (6.76 ft.)
  • WIDTH OF THE SOUNDBOARD: 1.11 m (3.64 ft.)
  • LENGTH OF STRINGS: 2.18 m (6.56 ft.)
  • NUMBER OF STRINGS 3: (A-E-B)
  • DIAMETER OF STRINGS: 5/16 in. (7.94 mm). 1/4 in. (6.35 mm) et 3/16 in. (4.76 mm)
  • WEIGHT: 131,54 kg (290 lbs.)
  • NUMBER OF PARTS: There are hundreds of parts, of which 237 make up the complex mechanism of this precision instrument.
  • SPECIAL FEATURES: The octobass is the lowest-pitched and largest-sized instrument of the entire string family. The performer must climb up on a small stool in order to access the neck of the instrument, and it is only by means of levers and pedals - not with the hands that the strings can be reached and sounded. The octobass bow is longer and heavier than the bow of an ordinary string bass.

Apparently it can do as low as 25Hz. That would be badass to experience in person.

[–] Treczoks 17 points 1 year ago

Man, that's deep ;-)

I've seen a youtube video on that Octobass once, and it was amazing. Having to climb some stairs to play this absolute beast was something that shocked me. And the levers to play it.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Holy hell, I thought this was a joke at first.

[–] SkyezOpen 21 points 1 year ago (1 children)

It still can be, roll a bard that only plays it. Your party and dm will probably hate you but it's a funny one-off, or if they're fun you can try to work around the limitations together like making str/dex checks to get it through a narrow cave. Even better, make it a halfling that needs a step stool to play it.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

Basically as cumbersome as a one man band!

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago

Thanks for the stats

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago

The YouTube said 16 Hz, infrasound. You can see the vibration mode.of the string, super cool.

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[–] FlyingSquid 89 points 1 year ago (5 children)

May I present the contrabass saxophone:

[–] mack7400 50 points 1 year ago (1 children)

That's one whisper you shouldn't be careless with.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 year ago

Careful scream

[–] [email protected] 33 points 1 year ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 24 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Is this the instrument that does the dramatic horn sound that Christopher Nolan forced to use every 20 seconds in his movies?

[–] VindictiveJudge 4 points 1 year ago

Small chance it was used for the Reaper main cannon in Mass Effect.

[–] dangblingus 3 points 1 year ago

You know homie is absolutely PACKING.

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[–] [email protected] 45 points 1 year ago (2 children)
[–] nucleative 13 points 1 year ago

Here's another that's slightly less terrifying than the above sample https://youtu.be/jCEYPyUBDAU?si=4rhnEk6ZZhZrQgtq

[–] KuroiKaze 7 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Shit this is even the guy from the photo isn't it?

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[–] Treczoks 40 points 1 year ago (2 children)

The only string instrument that can save more than two people in a flood.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

They'd have to plug the holes though

[–] [email protected] 29 points 1 year ago

Keyboard players: hold my beer

1000007902

[–] Agent641 28 points 1 year ago

The violin she tells you not to worry about

[–] [email protected] 25 points 1 year ago (1 children)

That's awesome.

That one plays in the same league as the hammer.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 year ago

There's still hope I can fulfil my dream of playing in an orchestra!

[–] MBZzZzZzZz 22 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Don't drop that bass. It'll surely break apart.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

The bass drop would be unheard of though

[–] Madison420 22 points 1 year ago (2 children)
[–] MrPoopyButthole 8 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Of course Davie found the biggest base possible

[–] SkyezOpen 8 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Hopefully he gave it the biggest SLAP

[–] Madison420 4 points 1 year ago

Indeed he did.

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[–] [email protected] 20 points 1 year ago

Sad.

It's not being played by an octopus.

[–] FauxPseudo 15 points 1 year ago

Primus sucks.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 1 year ago

They could have been nice and put the levers a bit lower.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I don't think you can actually hear the fundamental of the lowest note. It's lowest note has a 16hz fundamental, and people can usually only hear down to around 60hz.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Overtones. Bowed string instruments have a lot of harmonics. I can't imagine it sounds very good, but I bet it's interesting.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Yeah exactly. I thought it sounded pretty cool from the recording, but you'd probably need to be there in person to get the full low frequency effect.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

Near where I grew up there are these caves on a cliff side on the ocean. At the right time of day, the tide is such that the water rushes in and creates these amazing subsonic booms. You can't hear them, but if you go down one of the walkways into the side of a cave, you can feel it. It's crazy. Probably a similar thing.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 1 year ago

The giga bass

[–] [email protected] 12 points 1 year ago (3 children)

And yet only three strings....

Seems strange they didn't make the key levers more ergonomic.

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[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 year ago

This is just little people with a normal double bass and violins.

[–] MrPoopyButthole 6 points 1 year ago

The guy she tells you not to worry about...

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago

Dick measuring. Pure dick measuring.

[–] uis 5 points 1 year ago
[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago

He got that super bass

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago

Big-ass bass

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago

Octobass, nobody suspects a thing 🎶

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago

Comically large cello

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

Octobass Traveler: Champions of the Concert

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