However, the basson had only a few keys and produced a low volume. The name “bassoon” derives from the French basson, an instrument that became widely used in orchestras in the latter half of the 17th century. All were low-pitched double-reed instruments. The modern bassoon was designed in Germany but its musical ancestors were developed in the 16th century in France and other European countries. Here are some interesting things you may not know about this intriguing instrument. The sound is not quite as good as that of a full sized bassoon but the mini bassoon helps the student to get used to the keys, the breath control and reading music, and start to play in a band or group from a young age.The bassoon is one of the more unusual woodwinds, with a distinctive shape consisting of a long tube that looks as if it has been folded in two. It has most of the key work of a standard bassoon, but it’s much smaller and lighter. The mini bassoon is a good option for children who are keen to start at an earlier age (from 7 upwards).
I would recommend the Schreiber S13 shown below – it’s not particularly cheap, but it’s incredibly well made and sounds lovely. Short reach instruments have the same tubing size as a full sized bassoon, but they’re often made of lighter wood and have modified key work (such as moving the third finger key higher for the left hand) to make them more manageable.
The large size and weight of the bassoon means that players usually have to wait until around the age of 10 or 11 to start playing.Įven at this age it can be tricky for small hands to reach all of the keys on the full sized bassoon, so younger students may be more comfortable with what’s known as a shortreach bassoon. Most full size bassoons weigh about 3.5kg.
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