786
This is an Octobass (sh.itjust.works)
top 50 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[-] fiat_lux@kbin.social 105 points 11 months ago

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 11 months 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 11 months ago

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

[-] SkyezOpen@lemmy.world 21 points 11 months ago

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 11 months ago

Basically as cumbersome as a one man band!

[-] Pulptastic@midwest.social 7 points 11 months ago

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

[-] mhz@lemm.ee 7 points 11 months ago

Thanks for the stats

[-] SubArcticTundra@lemmy.ml 3 points 11 months ago

I wonder where they produce these things

[-] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 88 points 11 months ago

May I present the contrabass saxophone:

[-] mack7400@lemmy.world 50 points 11 months ago

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

[-] dodslaser@feddit.nu 9 points 11 months ago

Careful scream

[-] jana@leminal.space 33 points 11 months ago
[-] Rayspekt@kbin.social 24 points 11 months ago

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 11 months ago

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

load more comments (2 replies)
[-] sangriaferret@sh.itjust.works 45 points 11 months ago
[-] nucleative@lemmy.world 13 points 11 months ago

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

[-] KuroiKaze@lemmy.world 7 points 11 months ago

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

load more comments (1 replies)
[-] Treczoks@lemmy.world 40 points 11 months ago

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

[-] kool_newt@lemm.ee 14 points 11 months ago

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

[-] SubArcticTundra@lemmy.ml 4 points 11 months ago

They'd have to plug the holes though

[-] squirrel@discuss.tchncs.de 29 points 11 months ago

Keyboard players: hold my beer

1000007902

[-] Agent641@lemmy.world 28 points 11 months ago

The violin she tells you not to worry about

[-] toastus@feddit.de 25 points 11 months ago

That's awesome.

That one plays in the same league as the hammer.

[-] ElBarto@sh.itjust.works 11 points 11 months ago

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

[-] Madison420@lemmy.world 22 points 11 months ago
[-] MrPoopyButthole@lemmy.world 8 points 11 months ago

Of course Davie found the biggest base possible

[-] SkyezOpen@lemmy.world 8 points 11 months ago

Hopefully he gave it the biggest SLAP

[-] Madison420@lemmy.world 4 points 11 months ago

Indeed he did.

load more comments (1 replies)
[-] MBZzZzZzZz@lemmy.world 22 points 11 months ago

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

[-] SubArcticTundra@lemmy.ml 3 points 11 months ago

The bass drop would be unheard of though

[-] Kolanaki@yiffit.net 20 points 11 months ago

Sad.

It's not being played by an octopus.

[-] FauxPseudo@lemmy.world 15 points 11 months ago

Primus sucks.

[-] GCostanzaStepOnMe@feddit.de 14 points 11 months ago

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

[-] JohnDClay@sh.itjust.works 13 points 11 months ago

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 11 months ago

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 11 months ago

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 11 months 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 11 months ago

And yet only three strings....

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

load more comments (2 replies)
[-] mojo@lemm.ee 12 points 11 months ago

The giga bass

[-] IntergalacticZombie@feddit.uk 8 points 11 months ago

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

[-] ultratiem@lemmy.ca 6 points 11 months ago

Dick measuring. Pure dick measuring.

[-] MrPoopyButthole@lemmy.world 6 points 11 months ago

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

[-] _Gandalf_the_Black_@feddit.de 5 points 11 months ago

Comically large cello

[-] mo_lave@reddthat.com 5 points 11 months ago

He got that super bass

[-] uis@lemmy.world 5 points 11 months ago
[-] BrokebackHampton@kbin.social 5 points 11 months ago

Octobass, nobody suspects a thing 🎶

[-] Blizzard@lemmy.zip 5 points 11 months ago

Big-ass bass

[-] Maultasche@feddit.de 3 points 11 months ago

Octobass Traveler: Champions of the Concert

load more comments
view more: next ›
this post was submitted on 21 Sep 2023
786 points (99.0% liked)

Mildly Interesting

17028 readers
57 users here now

This is for strictly mildly interesting material. If it's too interesting, it doesn't belong. If it's not interesting, it doesn't belong.

This is obviously an objective criteria, so the mods are always right. Or maybe mildly right? Ahh.. what do we know?

Just post some stuff and don't spam.

founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS