The subcontrabass flute is a member of the Western concert flute family. With the length of tubing ranging from 15 ft (when in G) to 18 ft long (when in C), it is the second largest instrument of the family after the hyperbass flute. Subcontrabass flutes are made either in the key of G (pitched a fourth below the contrabass flute in C and two octaves below the alto flute in G) where it known as the double contra-alto flute or in F (pitched a fifth below the contrabass flute in C). Another type of subcontrabass flute is in C (an octave below the contrabass flute) and is commonly known as the double contrabass flute or octobass flute. The subcontrabass flute is rarely used outside of flute ensembles. At present, the subcontrabass flute is only available as custom order from specialty makers such as Eva Kingma or Kotato and Fukushima. Higher quality instruments are made of silver- or chrome-plated metal, although polyvinyl is also commonly used.

Compositions

"And the Giant Began to Dance..." (2009) from the album Below: Music for Low Flutes by Peter Sheridan