Woodwind Family

Woodwind Family Characteristics Originally made from wood Mouthpiece: fixed hole, single reed, double reed Single column Keys to cover holes in the body Bell

More About the Woodwind Family Woodwinds are any instrument that is played by forcing air past a vibrating reed or across an opening Woodwinds are made of all kinds of materials, but mainly wood and metal. A reed is a small piece of cane wood that is used on the mouthpiece Single reed Double reed is different in that both sides are cane, rather than part of a mouthpiece

Clarinet Popular woodwind instrument Can play a range of notes from high to low Single reed Held vertically Bell mellow expressive

Saxophone J A Z Z The saxophone looks like it ought to be a brass instrument, it’s in the woodwind family because the player uses a reed. Single reed instrument Used in jazz music Easier to play than the other woodwinds Bright sound Held vertically

Oboe high piercing Looks a lot like the English horn Snake charmers used this instrument Double reed Held vertically high piercing

English Horn melancholy Dreamy Double reed Held vertically Funny shaped bell “Egg Head” Look a lot like the oboe melancholy Dreamy

Bassoon lowest L A R G E S T Largest in the Woodwind family (Almost 8 feet long) Plays the lowest sound in the family and orchestra Held vertically Double reed lowest L A R G E S T

Flute Airy Clear Silvery High Pitches Flute Originally made from wood but is now made out of silver-nickel Played by blowing the breath across the opening Plays high pitches (but not as high as the piccolo) Held horizontal (to the side) Silvery Airy Clear

Piccolo piercing smallest Piccolo mean “little flute” in Italian High Pitches Piccolo mean “little flute” in Italian Smallest in the Woodwind family Plays the highest pitches in the Woodwind family and the entire orchestra Played horizontally (to the side) No reed just a fixed hole piercing Shrill smallest

Single Reed Clarinet Saxophone

Double Reed Oboe English horn Bassoon

No Reed Piccolo Flute

Woodwind Family Sound Woodwinds are played by blowing into them through the reed or across the top of a hole cut into the instrument. The noise comes from the vibrating air resonating inside the tube. To change the pitch, the player opens or closes holes cut into the instrument with his/her fingers or by pushing levers (keys) that cover the holes.