So I recently started playing contrabass.
And some people don't even know what it is.
But it's pretty sweet.
I play the "tubed" version.
I love it.
I guess it's a pretty random instrument.
There's like...no parts for it in band.
But I also love my clarinet too :]
...and I was just wondering if anybody else shared this sweet interest in contrabas...

i played it for clarinet choir last year. it's pretty awesome.
"tubed"? im not sure what you mean by that, is it straight-bodied or paperclip shaped?
anyway, a girl plays it in our band (also we have a contraalto.) honestly, its pretty pointless for a concert band, unless your low section is lame and needs help. there aren't parts, so she plays our bass clarinet parts most of the time, but since its so low its not terribly audible and not flexible enough to play our higher or more interesting parts. also its too tall and she has to stand up or sit on a stool, which prevents people behind her from seeing. its good for small ensembles like a clarinet choir though!

yes i do mean the paperclip shape.
i play bass clarinet parts too.
i suppose it is kindof pointless.
i just tryed it for a clarinet choir.
and my band director told me i could play it for concert band if i wanted too.
i find that kind of funny that she sits ona stool or stands, i guess that's the advantage to a coiled model.

I'm jealous , I would love to have a go on a contra bass.

You could always have a go playing the rhythm parts.

Seems to be a few bits of music for it
http://www.contrabass.com/pages/dis-cbcl.html
http://www.contrabassclarinet.org/page2.html

http://www.malejo.com/arrangements_clarinet_choir.asp
http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/pages.html?cart=34097045082868257&target=smp_publishers2.html%26sk%3DAB&s=pages-no-referrer&e=/sheetmusic/publishers/AB.html&t=&k=&r=wwws-err5


http://bassko.blogspot.com/search/label/Contrabass%20-%20Pieces%2FSolo I don't know what music this is as I can't read Russian
http://bassko.blogspot.com/search/label/Contrabass%20-%20Etudes%2FExercises

http://www.contrabass.com/

So are you a contra bass maniac ?
http://www.contrabass.com/pages/maniac.html

I love playing contra, and teaching contra lessons is a blast as well. It can be such a challenging instrument to play up to the level required by even simple music. My school has several contra players (BBb and EEb) every year for UIL concert contest. I never fail to get comments about how impressive the low sounds are in my bands. It's like a secret weapon on stage. However, my contra players are trained to play extremely strong, and I set up their reeds for them and adjust their horns almost constantly. It's worth it!

All of my students can play the full range, up to high E and F above the staff, but the horns have to be well-adjusted and the reeds very well balanced for players to easily cross the break on a BBb contra clarinet.