Woodwind Family The sound clips do not work on the web version.

Woodwind Family Most of these instruments are made of wood, but can be made of other materials, such as metals or plastics. Wind is used to produce the sound on these instruments.

Recorder A simple wind instrument made of wood or plastic with a "whistle" mouthpiece. Recorders come in many sizes and have a gentle, hollow sound.

Flute A woodwind instrument shaped like a metal pipe. The player holds the flute sideways and blows across a mouthpiece. This is NOT a reed instrument!

Reeds

Reed Instruments Instruments that use a piece of wood to help produce sound. The wood is on the mouthpiece. Double reeds use two pieces of wood placed together to produce the sound.

Clarinet A woodwind instrument that has a mouthpiece with a single reed. When the player blows into the mouthpiece, the reed vibrates and makes the air in the instrument vibrate.

Saxophone A metal-bodied reed instrument with 18 to 20 holes controlled by keys. The saxophone family consists of baritone, tenor, alto, and soprano saxophones Uses a single reed

Oboe A slender, woodwind instrument with a double-reed. In its low voice, the oboe may sound mysterious. These are the notes children sing. When it goes higher, the sound is light and sweet.

Bassoon A large, tube-shaped, woodwind instrument with a double-reed. Lower notes on the bassoon can be gruff or comical. Higher notes are softer, sweeter, and gentler-sounding.

World Instruments

Sheng [shuhng] A Chinese mouth organ with a bowl-shaped wind chamber made of wood or metal. The sheng has 17 or 19 bamboo pipes of various sizes. The sound of the sheng can be shrill or pleasantly lyrical.

Shakuhachi - [shah-koo-HAH-chee] A Japanese wind instrument made of bamboo. The shakuhachi is a very well-known instrument in Japan. It is played with lots of pitch blends, clicks, and flutters.

Native American Flute A handcrafted wind instrument made from wood, cane, clay, bone, or hollowed-out stalk of a plant. The sound of a Native American flute is similar to that of a recorder. Traditionally a solo instrument used for courtship, healing, and ceremonial gatherings, it has become popular in ensemble performances.

South American Panpipes A wind instrument that consists of a set of hollow tubes of different lengths tied together. Sound is produced by blowing across the open upper ends. Each tube has its own pitch. The longer the tube, the lower its pitch.

Bagpipes Drone pipes and an air reservoir contained in an animal skin bag are the main characteristics of this reed instrument. The bagpipe is common in Arabic and European countries. Uillean [ILL-uhn] refers to Irish bagpipes.

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