Running head: THE BASSOON

The Bassoon
Katie Messerla
Riley County High School

The Bassoon 1

Abstract

In this paper I will inform my readers on the many ins and outs of the bassoon. I will discuss the
tedious process of reed making, as well as why bassoon players make their own reeds. This paper
will also go over the parts and pieces of the bassoon, what makes them unique, and other names
they might go by. I will explain many myths about the bassoon, and why they are false. This
paper will include the characteristics of the bassoons appearance and its sound. This paper offers
a comprehensive view of all things bassoon.

The Bassoon

The Bassoon 2
The bassoon is a beautiful instrument that often is overlooked due to its rarity and
cumbersome appearance. It has a tone and sound as rich as its history dating back to the 16th
century. It is surrounded by myths and public skepticism, founded in many composers distaste
for the instrument. With its many pieces, the bassoon is one of the most complicated and
interesting modern musical instrument. The bassoon is a sophisticated instrument that grows
around its unique characteristics that does great justice to the double reed.
Sound and Characteristics
The bassoon has a rich sound that can be hard to describe. Though Mozart, Stravinsky,
and Beethoven composed for it, and symphony orchestras rely on it, the bassoon is considered
the clown of the orchestra because it honks in its lowest ranges and makes people laugh.
(Bassoon, as Possible) According to Johann Sebastian Bach, the bassoon sounded like a nannygoat, but many think the bassoon is one of the best sounds in an orchestra. In an interview,
Monica Ellis, the bassoonist in Imani Winds, says that, We do get to difficult things and its not
just this big, clumsy, cumbersome instrument, she said. It has this three-and-a-half or fouroctave range and the best pieces express themselves in all aspects of the instrument and not just
play bass lines and low burpy stuff." (WQXR) In pieces written to compliment or include the
bassoon one can immediately notice the deep, rich texture of the bassoon. The bassoon sound can
often imitate the sound of a cello, or a saxophone, but with a more prevalent vibrato.
Double Reeds
Bassoons have a very unique mouthpiece. Instead of a metal mouthpiece, like a trumpet,
or a single-reed with a plastic mouthpiece, like a clarinet, the bassoon looks like it had two reeds
placed together and warped to create a flat lens shape. Many collegiate and professional
bassoonists make their own reeds so that their reeds fit the exact specifications they need. "Every

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professional oboe or bassoon player makes their own reeds. It's part of how they create their own
signature sound." (Double Reed Instruments Show)The first step in creating a bassoon reed is
selecting your bamboo, using a profiler to correctly shape one stalk, and folding the thin,
profiled, middle section in half. After the cane reed is shaped it has three wires tightened around
it to keep its shape. The tip is clipped then string is strung around the bottom-most wire to cover
it. This covering is called the reed turban. Bassoons are not the only instruments using the unique
double reed. Contrabassoons, English Horns, and Oboes also use a double reed.
Parts
The bassoon is noted as being quirky and eccentric due to its appearance and unique
parts. According to the New World Encyclopedia, Folded upon itself, the bassoon stands 134
cm (4.4 ft) tall, but the total length is 254 cm (roughly 8.3 ft). When it refers to the bassoon
being folded in on itself, it means that the hollow part of the bassoon goes from the reed as well
as bocal to bell without stopping through the hollow boot joint that is hollow in a U shape
where it connects to the tenor and bass joints. The Bassoon weighs about seven pounds when
assembled. (Bassoon Resource)
The bell joint, is a cylindrical section that is even for about eight inches then flares out for
around an inch and a half before returning to its previous size. That size continues for an inch
before a sealing plastic rim. The rim is the top portion, the bottom of the bell joint sits on top of
the bass joint.
The bass joint is a straight cylindrical section that is around two feet long. It has primarily
thumb keys on it. The thumb keys it controls are for playing low notes. These keys are played
with the left thumb. Sometimes the bass joint is referred to as the long joint. The bottom of the
bass joint connects to the larger hole of the boot joint.

The Bassoon 4
The boot joint is the heaviest part of the bassoon. It usually has a metal catch on the
bottom with two holes for a seat strap to hook on to so that the bassoonist can play more
comfortably and naturally. The right hand is the only hand that plays on the boot joint, and the
boot joint is the only part that the right hand plays on. Like the bass joint, it has many thumb
keys that contribute to the bassoons lower octave. It has three holes instead of the keys that
control tone quality.(Bassoon) The boot joint also has three pinky finger keys that change the
notes. This joint must be swabbed after each use with a long, skinny, weighted cloth. If it is not
swabbed, the acidic moist buildup of saliva can rot the bottom of the bassoon.
The smaller hole of the boot joint connects to the tenor joint or wing joint. This joint
looks like it is melted around the bass joint as it is round on one side and has a round indentation
on the other side of the joint. It also needs to be swabbed after each use to remove moisture and
keep the bassoon clean. This joint controls the top keys as well as the flick keys. Flick keys are
used to assist notes in going to a higher octave when their base fingerings are the same. Like the
boot joint the tenor joint has holes to control tone and change notes, as well as two pinky keys.
Connecting to the top of the tenor joint is the bocal, or crook. It is a curved tube of metal
that connects to the reed. The length of the bocal can adjust the pitch, intonation and tone of a
bassoon, and different bocals can be purchased to solve those problems. The bocal connects to
the reed.
The bassoon is a gorgeous instrument that many take for granted in orchestras. It is for
that reason that funding for double reed informational days is being cut. (Double Reed
Instruments Show) It is also for that reason that bassoon players are becoming more of a rarity
in high school bands and orchestras. (Lloyd) Bassoon playing is an art. Bassoons have six main
parts, the bass joint, tenor joint, boot joint, tenor joint, bocal, and reed. The reed is a unique,

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double reed that offers a unique texture and sound. That reed can create a sound that is
displeasing to some, but once others realty listen to and enjoy the bassoon, they can grow to love
it. Bassoons are incredible instruments due to their uniqueness, and interesting characteristics.

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Annotated Bibliography
Anderson, B. (2014, February 9). Double-reed instruments, and those who play them,
show what they're made of at JSU event. Anniston Star, The (AL). (Newspaper)
Bassoon. (n.d.). Retrieved February 10, 2016, from
http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Bassoon(Web)
Bassoon. (2000). Making Music with Brass & Wind Instruments, 9. (Book) Gummings, I.
(2004).
Bassoon, as Possible. Indianapolis Monthly, 27(14), 72.(Newspaper)
Erin Lloyd (Band Teacher) in a discussion with the author, February 2016.
The Bassoon Resource Page. (n.d.). Retrieved February 10, 2016, from
http://bassoonresource.org/ (Web)
WQXR - New York's Classical Music Radio Station. (n.d.). (Web)Retrieved February 10,
2016, from http://www.wqxr.org/#!/story/101531-five-pieces-will-change-your-mind-aboutbassoon/