First contra gig!

[EllaRubin]

I did it. I did the impossible! Actually got a gig on contra. Get this. Latin jazz big band. 1 note. Pedal F. Fortississimo. Busted my lip.

So worth it.

[Digidog]

Cool! Congrats!

How many horns were in the section? I mean; to use a contra in a latin setting, I'd guess you'd have to have some other horns for that contra to complement, or?

Sometimes when I play many very low notes on bass - especially if I haven't played bass much beforehand - I usually get very tired in the corners of my cheek, and in the sides of my neck/throat and my lips feel like limp towels. Once after a very long and taxing repertoire, I had troubles closing my mouth and lips around the edges of my water bottle and spilled all over my suit.

[EllaRubin]

I was doubling bass and contra in a 4 bone section. Contra wasn’t actually called for in the chart but I asked the composer/band leader what he thought of me bringing my contra for it and he seemed pretty excited about it! There was a single pedal F with 3 f’s under it and I thought it would be way more fun to blast on the contra. It was glorious.

[Digidog]

I guess this is what it takes to widen the contra use: Someone owning a contra finds a suitable spot to fit the instrument in. The band leader would probably never have come up with using a contra in that setting, on that spot in the chart.

Great job, both musically and instrument beneficially!

I, myself, am not sure I ever will own a contra bass trombone, but I have half a mind of writing some big band scores using it; two are laid out for instrumentation, so don't be surprised if this little thread stimulated me into taking that step.

[sf105]

George Flynn doubles bass and contra in the Maria Schneider band. Sounds great.

[blast]

I've been playing contra for the last two months....and I snuck in a mini tuba for a couple of notes !! Go low