Hello!

I'm writing a bassoon quartet and would like to know how high high you guys can go....!! How hard is it to reach high E on the space if we talk treble clef? E5 I think is called.

Thank youuuuu!!!!!

Martino )))))

That is getting to the virtuoso level! For most normal humans the C is high enough.

Haha, what Contra said. My goodness, my bassoon teacher has to hit that note in one of her pieces. So yeah, for right now go with the high C(even though I've only played a high A).

Yes, I agree with the other two posters. Besides, if you write things that are in the stratosphere like that, your pieces will have more limited appeal and won't sell as well, because no one likes to play those very high notes.

And not only that, but that note, If I'm correct, isn't playable unless you have a couple of extra keys that only come on professional model bassoons.

Getting high E is more down to the player, reed & bocal than what hardware is on the bassoon. For many years the Rite of Spring was played on German style bassoons without these keys. (That solo is much easier on French system bassoons I hear).

Oh jesus....you're talking about unheard of notes. I've played Pomp and Circumstance (the typical high school graduation song), where the highest note is a G4, and that drained me so much....it was horrible. The timbre of the bassoon thins out substantially above G4, and you shouldn't expect that note to be loud. In fact, you shouldn't even assume that someone could play it, as I surely wouldn't even dare. If you want a high note, try not to go above C5. But beware, if you get someone like me, who hates all notes above D4, your piece won't be well accepted and circulated. If you wanted a reedy treble clef sound, opt for an oboe or an English Horn.

How these high notes sound is down to the experience of the player.

Giving those higher bassoon notes to oboe or english horn played low doesn't give the same effect as a bassoon playing high. Like a piccolo played in the bottom octave gives a different effect to that of a flute in its 2nd octave although the pitch is the same. Or bari sax in the second octave & alto sax in its low octave sound quite different.

Just as everyone else has said, I would stick to the high C until you gain more perspective on what bassoon can do. Also, if a bassoon will be playing a phrase in a higher range, I would seriously consider writing it in tenor clef as those who do play comfortably in higher ranges, have a harder time reading multiple ledger lines than tenor clef. An option to overcoming the high E obstacle is to write the parts lower (if possible) so that the high note for 1st(?) contrasts as you desire with the 4th(?) part.