The Octobasse, An Enormous String Instrument That Can Play Frequencies Lower Than Humans Can Hear

The octobasse (or octobass in English) is an enormous string instrument built in 1850 by French instrument maker Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume that is capable of creating sound at a frequency of 16 Hz, which is lower than humans are capable of hearing. Curator Colin Pearson carefully demonstrates a playable replica tuned two octaves below a cello at the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix, Arizona.

Musicians took turns trying out their own versions of the theme from Jaws on the museum’s octobasse.

via The Presurfer