The contraforte (German: Kontraforte) is a proprietary[citation needed] instrument with a range similar to the contrabassoon produced by Benedikt Eppelsheim and Guntram Wolf.

Wolf and Eppelsheim developed an accurate bore taper and precise key works in order to simplify fingerings despite the instrument's large size.

[2] As the soloist of the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra in February 2012, Lipnick also performed Kalevi Aho's extensive Contrabassoon Concerto on the contraforte, and as a solo instrument, it proved to be superior to the traditional contrabassoon, because of its very wide dynamic range, clear and focused intonation.

[3] In September 2021, Georg Friedrich Haas' concertante symphonic poem for violin, contraforte and orchestra was premiered during the annual Beethovenfest Bonn.

[4] The part of the contraforte was played by Lorelei Dowling, a member of Klangforum Wien,[5] who is conducting her artistic research at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz on the question, "How can the contraforte be exploited in the color palette of the 21st century ensemble writing".