The terms quart-bassoon (Quartfagott) and quint-bassoon (Quintfagott) are applied respectively to the instruments pitched a fourth above and a fifth above the normal bassoon.

A recently introduced alternative is the fagonello which is of similar size and weight to these smaller bassoons, but plays at the normal pitch, albeit with a slightly reduced range.

Such notable names as Carl Almenräder advocated the use of the smaller bassoons for teaching purposes and it is said that Jancourt would often perform solos on one during recitals.

In the late nineteenth century, several improved models of tenor bassoon were unveiled in Paris, but were not very well received, as the real need at the time was a working contrabassoon (and not the sarrusophone that was currently in use).

[Moosmann makes an instrument in F (a fourth higher than the normal bassoon) with simplified fingerings that descend only to low C and is intended for young children.

The company Bassetto in Switzerland produces instruments in G (a fifth higher) and has an added bonus of a model with an altissimo vent in the bocal, but no whisper key.

Bruno Salenson in Nîmes in France is producing a petit basson in E-flat with simplified French or German keywork, specifically for children.

Howarth of London markets instruments designed and manufactured by Guntram Wolf both in F and in G (respectively called by the company "tenoroon" and "mini-bassoon").

By far the most used of these would appear to be the Wolf instruments: the model in G or quint-bassoon is marketed more toward children as its slightly smaller size suits them better, while the F or quart-bassoon is more suited to older children or professionals due to its slightly bigger size as well as its feeling and sounding more like a full-sized bassoon, although in its basic children's model it has limited professional use due to the lack of full modern keywork and indeed some professional players using this instrument have opted to have alternative F♯ and G♯ keys added to Wolf's professional instrument (standard features on the regular bassoon) to facilitate the playing of more advanced music.

Due to the somewhat smaller size and abundance of cross-fingerings, technique on the octave bassoon may be somewhat challenging for a non-professional.

There is virtually no literature for the instrument aside from a few pieces written in the late Baroque by relatively obscure composers (namely a work by Frost).

Many times these smaller instruments are used for young children to begin on, as the normal-sized bassoon would be far too large for anyone under about the age of 10.

Most tenor bassoons have a somewhat simplified fingering system with most of the alternate keys on the butt joint removed for space reasons.