For example, the contrabassoon itself does not like playing soft. I play pp, but to actually play ppp is imposible. There is a lot of pitch problems that I am working with going from the softest to the loudest dynamic. The conductor rags on everyone about intonation. Sometimes I get my fair share. In the piece Carmina Burana, I am supposed to play long tones in the 1st mvt, 2nd mvt, and some oompas, and then some more long tones and ......yeah. In mvt. 21 I am supposed to play a long tone middle D on the bass staff for 14 beats, then an E for 8 beats and so on so forth all at a triple pianissimo. But at that point the reed doesn't respond well and the contrabassoon starts to sound like its going to die from asphyxiation or blow the roof off the King (Concert Hall). The conductor wants me to play softer but I may need to drop that mvt and let the bass clarinet blow away. "Hey, could you play a little bit beefier and grainy-er?"

Hey, the great thing is that mvt. 12 the bassoon has a screeching high solo. Think about a swan singing and being roasted over an open fire. In that mvt. my sharpest not is the F# and I play in unison with the tuba, the problems are being Quiet! and in tune. I can whine around but intonation but an oboist told me he can't hear the notes being played on the contrabassoon at such a low register. He can't hear it, but! he can feel it. I told him about the high notes on the contra and that it sounds like something is dying.(Think large cat/moose dying together) But I can make that dying sound beautiful.(A moose singing while dying)

The instrument itself is physically and mentally challenging. Playing fast notes is a daunting task for anybody(who is not a pro). I keep hearing my teacher tell me how good I'm doing, that so and so came up to her and says "By Gosh she is doing so well!". I look at my teacher and she says "I have spies every where!". "Okay".

I have a gig with Southern-Tier Symphony, I'm playing the part to Brahm's 1st Symphony, and that is a beastly looking part. So I get to play fast notes using most of the instruments range from the earthquake register to the dying moose register. (Gig, May 09)

In the end I still like the contrabassoon, I'm the best in my school (so far). I can play mostly in tune, play softly, and play fast. 

Story Time: Dr. H said to the contrabassoonist during Wind Ensemble rehearsal "You should pretend you're cradling a baby". That contrabassoonist came to me and another bsn colleague and says "She told me to cradle a baby but every time I played it sounded like I was killing it." I said "I bet it sounded more like you were punching the baby in the face! HAHAHAHHAHAHAAAA!"