in some pieces with a large orchestra a contrabassoon is used. this plays an octave lower than a bassoon, taking it right down to bottom b flat or c on the piano. some contrabassoons are made to play a note lower, i.e. the very lowest note of the piano (a). one might expect to see the contrabassoon sticking up high above all the other instruments in the orchestra, but in fact the tube keeps doing u-turns, making four parallel rows of tubing. they are usually made with the bell pointing downwards. the weight is supported by a peg to the floor. the contrabassoon used to be shaped like a bassoon.