woodwind family
Reeds and flutes
The woodwind family comprises musical instruments that produce sound when air is blown across an opening or through a reed, causing a column of air inside to vibrate.
Despite the name, not all woodwinds are made of wood—flutes are typically metal, and saxophones are brass, yet both belong to this family because of how they generate sound.
The family includes flutes, clarinets, oboes, bassoons, and saxophones, among others.
Players change pitch by covering or uncovering holes along the instrument's body, either with fingers or keys.
- oboeTwin-reed wind instrument
- clarinetSingle-reed woodwind instrument
- shawmMedieval double-reed woodwind
- panpipesGraduated tube wind instrument
- bassoonLow-pitched double-reed woodwind
circular breathing · flute · saxophone · grenadilla · overblowing · embouchure · single-reed · English horn · pad · double-reed · keys · bamboo · reed · tone · piccolo · concert band · orchestra pit · mouthpiece
woodwind familybrass family
Metal wind instruments
brass section · brasswinds · brass instruments · string section · percussion section
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