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A Comprehensive Guide to Contrabassoon Fingerings: German and French Systems Compared

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The contrabassoon is a large, double-reed woodwind instrument that is pitched an octave below the bassoon. It is the lowest-pitched member of the oboe family and is often used to add depth and richness to the bass line in orchestral and band music.

Contrabassoon: German and french contrabassoon fingerings.

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There are two main fingering systems used for the contrabassoon: the German system and the French system. Both systems use the same basic fingerings for the notes in the instrument's range, but there are some differences in the way that certain notes are fingered.

In this article, we will provide a comprehensive overview of the fingerings used for the contrabassoon, including both the German and French systems. We will cover all the notes in the instrument's range, as well as fingering charts and detailed explanations of the different fingerings.

German Contrabassoon Fingerings

The German fingering system is the most commonly used fingering system for the contrabassoon. It is based on the fingering system used for the bassoon, and it uses the same basic fingerings for the notes in the instrument's range.

Here is a fingering chart for the German contrabassoon:

| Note | German Fingering | |---|---| | C | 1234 | | C# | 1234# | | D | 123 | | D# | 123# | | E | 12 | | F | 1 | | F# | 1# | | G | 2 | | G# | 2# | | A | 3 | | Bb | 34 | | B | 4 |

Extended Range Fingerings

The contrabassoon can be extended down to a low B♭ by using a special fingering that involves the use of the left-hand pinky key. This fingering is notated as "B♭ pinky" in the fingering chart.

The contrabassoon can also be extended up to a high C by using a special fingering that involves the use of the right-hand thumb key. This fingering is notated as "C thumb" in the fingering chart.

French Contrabassoon Fingerings

The French fingering system is less commonly used than the German fingering system, but it is still used by some contrabassoonists. The French fingering system is based on the fingering system used for the oboe, and it uses different fingerings for some of the notes in the instrument's range.

Here is a fingering chart for the French contrabassoon:

| Note | French Fingering | |---|---| | C | 1234 | | C# | 1234# | | D | 123 | | D# | 123# | | E | 12 | | F | 1 | | F# | 1# | | G | 2 | | G# | 2# | | A | 3 | | Bb | 234 | | B | 4 |