An Explanation of Octavia's Instrument · 10:35pm Nov 5th, 2012
Okay so, there's been a good amount of debate over whether Octavia plays a Cello or a Double Bass. The fact comes down to that you could argue either, but when you examine the facts there are more clues leading to the Double Bass. As far as I know it has not been indicated which was intended by the animators. The way they animated it leaves it up for interpretation though, either they intended it this way, or an animator made some artistic changes without realizing the implications these lead to.
Either way we'll start off with Octavia and her instrument from the show.
There are a few important things to consider here while looking at this picture.
-Look at the size of the endpin (the spike on the bottom)
-Compare the width of the two halves of the instrument's body
-Examine the shape of the top of the instrument's body is it pointed or round
-Examine the size in comparison to Octavia
-Look at the tuning pegs, are they to the side or pointing backwards.
-Consider how easily she would be able to play this instrument while sitting.
Okay so now we have the important part, the instruments themselves.
First look at the Double Bass
Notice a few things:
-The size of the endpin is generally quite small, though it can be extended or shortened based (heh) on the musician's preference
-The top of the body is pointed
-The bottom half of the body is noticeably wider than the top
-The size is hard to show in picture form, but take my word for the fact that it is considerably larger.
--The instrument is so large that almost all contemporary Bassists play while standing up
---it used to be convention that you played solo while standing, and in an orchestra while sitting. This has changed more recently, in that almost all bassists play while standing because it is difficult to play fully while sitting even on a tall stool.
-The tuning pegs point backwards.
Before we draw any conclusions consider the Cello
Notice a few things here:
-The endpin is generally considerably longer, and sometimes angled so that it can be supported while sitting.
-The top of the body is rounded
-The bottom half of the body is only slightly wider than the top half.
-The size is considerably smaller to the point where most Cellists prefer to sit for better access to the instrument.
--Some Cellists do prefer to play while standing, but when doing so the instrument is noticeably shorter than the cellist.
-The tuning pegs point out to the side.
Conclusions:
-Notice how completely exaggerated the bottom half of the body of the instrument is. It is much wider than you generally see even on a Busetto shaped Double Bass which is even wider than the more standard type. This very clearly points to the the Double Bass.
-The endpin is quite small, when playing a Cello standing the endpin is almost always quite large to make up for the size difference.
-The top half of the body is rounded like a Cello. This plus the fact that Cello is easier to say, is the only point which is definitely in favor of that side of the argument.
-The size when compared to Octavia is strongly in favor of the Double Bass, look at how far above her head it extends. She would need to be sitting on quite a large stool to make up for that size difference while playing seated.
-The tuning pegs point out to the side.
Basically even the argument of that fact that Octavia is standing isn't important, because of the fact that Double Bassists don't generally sit anymore due to the difficulty compared to the size of the instrument. In the past people have discussed that perhaps she is standing because it would be awkward to animate her sitting on a stool and playing, but for that merely refer to Frederic (the pianist) who is doing just that.
So when it comes down to it, 3 points are pointing to the Double Bass quite strongly. And two is pointing to the Cello, but are the easier ones to rerecognize. That last reason is most likely the reason why her playing a Cello is so prevalent, but basically what I'm saying is: she plays a Double Bass in my story for convenience, but it really doesn't matter what you say because it could be either.
I disagree, but there you go.
Then again, I'm biased.
Actually I think it's a combination of both. A Double Cello perhaps? Mind you Octavia would have the instrument custom made to suit her needs so it would make sense that her instrument of choice is Double Cello since it combines both attributes of a Double Bass and a Cello.
I thought the fandom agreed that it was a custom piece made for her?
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Yet I keep receiving messages about how she plays a Cello and how I'm wrong... Hence this post.
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Some people just like nitpicking
Just saw this blog post after reading the comments on chapter 10.
Thought you might like this from a long while back, based on the issue arising after Best Night Ever aired:
That said, Jayson Theissen originally said he thought it was a cello, and William Anderson has gone on record as saying the music the ponies were playing in the ball room at the Gala was written for and performed by cello.
Hence the older—and still quite popular—fanon established by Allegrezza that it is a bespoke hybrid instrument. But without a proper name, it becomes rather cumbersome rather quickly when having to refer to it all the time. I see no problem with calling it a double bass, as long as it's done consistently throughout the story, which I know wouldn't be a problem anyway.
Gosh, how smart. I'm sold!
all need be said is the tuning pegs are to the side the top is rounded and both the cello and double bass have a beautiful deep barrrotone octave he he wonder where the name came from hummm i play both and believe me either could be used in the right situation cello classical and or if good enough some ac dc or g n r i have always played the double bass as part of a jazz quartet and I PLAY STANDING UP
The size doesn't indicate that it's a double bass:
It's called my "little" pony for a reason - people have worked out, based on things like the size of twilight after transformation in EG, and the size of apples that the ponies are only 2-3 feet tall.
If octavia was playing a cello, she would need to stand to do so, and would not be able to use a long spike (the spike length isn't what defines a cello, it's just that it needs to be long for humans because of human height).
Also, in Rainbow Rocks, we see Octavia playing an instrument which is much more obviously a cello (implying, though not proving that the pony octavia also plays the cello, not the double bass).
One way to determine once and for all which it is is to have someone who is pitch perfect work out how it is tuned based on its sound in the show.
What's probable is that the instrument is actually NEITHER a cello nor a double bass, and that it's another instrument with intermediate features of both of them - why should we assume that equestria has identical instruments to our world anyway? It doesn't make much sense considering that ponies need to be able to play them.
Well..
Idk?
In the show it might be a bass,
But in the eqg movie it seems like a cello she's holding
(I can't show a pic through my phone, I think)
I can leave this link tho..
Here
It seems pony Octavia plays bass and human plays cello..?