The Woodwind Family

1. The Woodwind Family Introduction to musical instruments Prof. Hyde

2. Introduction • What is a woodwind instrument? • Sound production on the edge of a pipe • Single reeds • Double reeds

3. Flute • Made of metal: used to be made of wood • High pitched instrument • Played by blowing air across a tube • Other flutes include the piccolo, alto, and bass flute • Found in symphonic orchestras, bands, and jazz combos

4. Oboe • Made of wood and uses a double reed • High pitched instrument • Found in orchestras and concert bands • Similar models include: English horn (medium register) and the heckelphone (low register)

5. Clarinet • Made of wood (sometimes plastic) • Uses a single reed to produce sound • Mid to upper register instrument • Used in symphonic orchestras, concert, marching, and jazz bands • Different models of clarinets exist in various sizes and registers, i.e. bass clarinet

6. Bassoon • Made of wood and the tubing is about eight feet when extended out • Low in register • Uses a double reed to produce sound • Found in orchestras and bands • A similar model is the contrabassoon

7. Saxophone • Hybrid instrument made of brass but uses a reed and has keys • Common models include the alto and tenor (both are mid-register instruments) • Commonly found in concert, marching, and jazz bands but rarely in orchestras

8. Conclusion • Review • Q & A