Contrabassoons and Bocals

The contrabassoon has a deeper, lower pitch than the usual bassoon. The lowest note it sounds is comparable to the lowest black note on a piano.

The sound is first generated by air passing through a double reed – cane which is shaped so that the sides are closed but each end has an opening. One end of the reed goes in the player’s mouth and the other end attaches to the bocal. The bocal immediately gives a new quality to the buzzing of the reed and a good bocal goes a long way in producing acceptable musical sound.

The best bocals are made in Germany by the Wilhelm Heckel, GmbH. I will be working through Nielsen Music of Chicago, an importer of Heckel bocals. I will try several bocals on approval to discover the one that is best for my contrabassoon.

-- Pastor Van Horne