this post was submitted on 21 Sep 2023
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Mildly Interesting

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[–] fiat_lux@kbin.social 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@lemmy.world 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.

[–] snooggums@kbin.social 11 points 1 year ago (1 children)

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

[–] SkyezOpen@lemmy.world 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.

[–] snooggums@kbin.social 4 points 1 year ago

Basically as cumbersome as a one man band!

[–] mhz@lemm.ee 7 points 1 year ago

Thanks for the stats

[–] Pulptastic@midwest.social 7 points 1 year ago

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

[–] SubArcticTundra@lemmy.ml 3 points 1 year ago

I wonder where they produce these things

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 89 points 1 year ago (5 children)

May I present the contrabass saxophone:

[–] mack7400@lemmy.world 50 points 1 year ago (1 children)

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

[–] dodslaser@feddit.nu 9 points 1 year ago

Careful scream

[–] jana@leminal.space 33 points 1 year ago (1 children)
[–] Rayspekt@kbin.social 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@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago

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

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[–] sangriaferret@sh.itjust.works 45 points 1 year ago (2 children)
[–] nucleative@lemmy.world 13 points 1 year ago

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

[–] KuroiKaze@lemmy.world 7 points 1 year ago (1 children)

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

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[–] Treczoks@lemmy.world 40 points 1 year ago (2 children)

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

[–] kool_newt@lemm.ee 14 points 1 year ago

I'd market it as the Safe-T-Bass

[–] SubArcticTundra@lemmy.ml 4 points 1 year ago

They'd have to plug the holes though

[–] squirrel@discuss.tchncs.de 29 points 1 year ago

Keyboard players: hold my beer

1000007902

[–] Agent641@lemmy.world 28 points 1 year ago

The violin she tells you not to worry about

[–] toastus@feddit.de 25 points 1 year ago (1 children)

That's awesome.

That one plays in the same league as the hammer.

[–] ElBarto@sh.itjust.works 11 points 1 year ago

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

[–] MBZzZzZzZz@lemmy.world 22 points 1 year ago (1 children)

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

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[–] Madison420@lemmy.world 22 points 1 year ago (2 children)
[–] MrPoopyButthole@lemmy.world 8 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Of course Davie found the biggest base possible

[–] SkyezOpen@lemmy.world 8 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Hopefully he gave it the biggest SLAP

[–] Madison420@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago

Indeed he did.

[–] Rhynoplaz@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago

Very cool! Never heard of that thing before. Very impressive to see it in action!

[–] Kolanaki@yiffit.net 20 points 1 year ago

Sad.

It's not being played by an octopus.

[–] FauxPseudo@lemmy.world 15 points 1 year ago

Primus sucks.

[–] GCostanzaStepOnMe@feddit.de 14 points 1 year ago

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

[–] JohnDClay@sh.itjust.works 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.

[–] Underwaterbob@lemm.ee 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.

[–] JohnDClay@sh.itjust.works 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.

[–] Underwaterbob@lemm.ee 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.

[–] Thisfox@sopuli.xyz 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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[–] mojo@lemm.ee 12 points 1 year ago

The giga bass

[–] IntergalacticZombie@feddit.uk 8 points 1 year ago

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

[–] ultratiem@lemmy.ca 6 points 1 year ago

Dick measuring. Pure dick measuring.

[–] MrPoopyButthole@lemmy.world 6 points 1 year ago

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

[–] _Gandalf_the_Black_@feddit.de 5 points 1 year ago

Comically large cello

[–] mo_lave@reddthat.com 5 points 1 year ago

He got that super bass

[–] Blizzard@lemmy.zip 5 points 1 year ago

Big-ass bass

[–] uis@lemmy.world 5 points 1 year ago
[–] BrokebackHampton@kbin.social 5 points 1 year ago

Octobass, nobody suspects a thing 🎶

[–] Maultasche@feddit.de 3 points 1 year ago

Octobass Traveler: Champions of the Concert

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