| User | Comment |
|---|
Zang  | | posted 18-Aug-2006 10:30am |
I'll put myself down for "Yes, but not competently". When I was in high school I took a course called Instrumental Survey 11. It was pretty cool. We basically spent a semester getting very basic training in every single instrument in the band. I think the bassoon is definitely one of the most fiendishly difficult instruments to play. Having mastered the double-reed, what makes this instrument particularly challenging is the fact that the fingering isn't very intuitive. Most woodwind instruments follow a pretty basic up and down (to go up and down the scale) with little keys for the sharps and flats. The bassoon has more of a random kind of arrangement that seems to defy logic. I'm sure there must be something to it, but I never figured it out.
Incidentally, I did this survey in response to the recent ones on waterskiing, changing your oil and riding a motorcycle, all of which I thought were pretty easy things to do. |
Melf   | | posted 18-Aug-2006 11:03am |
Nope. |
cerealkiller  | | posted 18-Aug-2006 11:38am |
Never heard of it. |
cloudhugger  | | posted 18-Aug-2006 11:54am |
No, but it is one beautiful instrament. |
| cloudhugger | | (reply to Zang) posted 18-Aug-2006 11:56am |
Anything is easy to do if you know how to do it. |
bill  | | posted 18-Aug-2006 12:24pm |
Wasn't the bassoon the instrument used in the Six Feet Under theme song? |
| BionicLips | | posted 18-Aug-2006 12:43pm |
Nope |
| Zang |
I don't think so. The examples: "waterskiing, changing your oil and riding a motorcycle" are things that any adult of average intelligence can learn to do with reasonable competence in a matter of minutes.
Playing the bassoon, on the other hand is something that would require considerably more instruction and years of practice to reach a level of reasonable competence. |
| Zang | | (reply to bill) posted 18-Aug-2006 1:23pm |
I don't know, I've never heard that tune. The bassoon could be described as sounding like a very deep bass duck call. Not the most complimentary description...it's actually quite a beautiful sounding instrument...
I think I've heard it used in some sort of TV theme song, but I'm thinking of a different show...some English detective show from the 1970s or something...Miss Marple?  |
| docgbrown | | posted 18-Aug-2006 1:43pm |
Where do you plug it in?...
No, I can't say I've ever touched one. |
| llamamama | | posted 18-Aug-2006 2:04pm |
I could blow a few notes...but it'd just sound like noise...
I tried to get to play it in the 7th grade but my teacher wouldn't let me.. |
| bill | | (reply to Zang) posted 18-Aug-2006 2:35pm |
deep bass duck call - that could be it, but I'm not sure...
If you're interested in trying to hear the Six Feet Under theme (it's a nice tune), you can get a sample off the amazon page:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000...
It's the first in the list, "Six Feet Under Title Theme - Thomas Newman ". I think a bassoon is used for the main melody of the tune (not the precusive strings in the middle of the sample, but at the start and end of it). |
| Enheduanna | | posted 18-Aug-2006 5:10pm |
Nope. |
| Enheduanna | | (reply to bill) posted 18-Aug-2006 5:12pm |
I'm not sure, but I would guess it was an oboe in the Six Feet Under theme. I think bassoons have a deeper tone than that instrument did. |
| ausfox | | posted 18-Aug-2006 5:20pm |
No |
| ultamate | | posted 18-Aug-2006 7:04pm |
nope |
paulyw  | | posted 18-Aug-2006 11:22pm |
No, and I haven't seen a bassoon in ages. |
| kitti723 | | posted 19-Aug-2006 12:01am |
No, I played clarinet for one year and after many years tried to pick one up and couldn't get anything other than a squeal. Woodwinds are difficult instruments to master in my opinion.
|
| Zang | | (reply to bill) posted 19-Aug-2006 2:10am |
Unfortunately I'm having a little trouble with sound on my computer right now...I haven't as yet figured out exactly what's wrong. I've narrowed it down to either my audio drivers disappeared (I've tried reloading them but that doesn't seem to work) or my sound card has bit the big one. I'm leaning toward the latter. It's about 7 years old now. I paid $350 for it. I guess I've gotten my dollar a week worth out of it...  |
| ROCKMAN | | posted 19-Aug-2006 7:17am |
Nope! Is this yours Zang?  |
| Zang | | (reply to ROCKMAN) posted 19-Aug-2006 4:05pm |
|
| Iseult | | posted 20-Aug-2006 5:19pm |
I could blow a few notes, got the technique from my saxophone days. |
gambler  | | posted 20-Aug-2006 9:58pm |
No |
| Enheduanna | | (reply to bill) posted 21-Aug-2006 11:16am |
Well, after hearing some bassoon music last night on the radio, I think you are right that the Six Feet Under theme used a bassoon. Clearly I know nothing about reed instruments and their sounds! |
| bill |
Hey, I'm no expert... bassoon just seemed right given the series (odd show, odd instrument)...
I'd kind of like to get some bassoon and oboe music now, but I have no idea where to look. I'm not so big on the whole classical thing, though the Six Feet Under theme is a nice piece of music (not classical, I think, though).... |
| Enheduanna | | (reply to bill) posted 21-Aug-2006 11:41am |
I love the Six Feet Under theme. The bassoon music I heard last night wasn't particularly good, but I think that may have been the selection of compositions, rather than the instrument. There was too much bassoon and not enough other instruments. Maybe you can find some nice pieces that feature bassoon or oboe solos, but that also have plenty of other instruments. I'm not really sure where to look, either, though--I guess amazon would be a good place to start. |
| mve17 | | posted 23-Aug-2006 6:10pm |
Simply, no. |
| Zang | | (reply to bill) posted 27-Aug-2006 3:57am |
Perhaps Francis Poulenc's "Trio for oboe, bassoon & piano"? |
| bill | | (reply to Zang) posted 27-Aug-2006 9:10am |
too much piano... not enough bassooon! |
| Zang | | (reply to bill) posted 28-Aug-2006 1:54pm |
I have a CD called "The Golden Age of Harp and French Bassoon". It's a collection of mostly fairly obscure French composers. It's also fairly old and I know most Classical stuff doesn't stick around very long. They aren't big on re-releases. |
| bill | | (reply to Zang) posted 28-Aug-2006 3:39pm |
Have you heard of any non-classical bassoon music? I think the issue may be that I don't so much care for they style of classical music. |
| Zang | | (reply to bill) posted 29-Aug-2006 11:23am |
Hmm...you mean like a rock band that features a bassoon? Nothing comes to mind.
How about jazz bassoon? "Give it Up" by Jimmy Lyons features bassoon. |
| judgescratch |
no |
| Enigma |
Uh... no. There's lots of things I don't play. |
| RGirl |
Can't play any instruments. |
| blondie20 | | posted 23-Feb-2007 9:32am |
No |
| Gianna |
Love It! |
