What are Woodwinds Instruments?
The woodwind family of instruments is a subset of the more general category of wind instruments. Woodwind instruments include all clarinets, flutes, saxophones, bassoons, oboes, and the English horn.
The reason woodwind instruments are identified as “woodwind” is based on the way they produce their sound. A woodwind instrument produces its sound when the player blows air against a sharp edge or through a reed, causing the air within the instrument to vibrate. The length of the tube determines to a large degree the pitch of the sound produced. The tube is made virtually longer or shorter based on the holes in the tube being covered or uncovered.
Many people are confused by the name “woodwind,” thinking that these instruments should be made exclusively from wood. Historically, most were indeed made of wood. However, today, they can be made of any material such as wood, brass, cane, silver, gold or platinum.
Most all of the woodwind instruments today have these things in common –
A mouthpiece or “head joint” the player places at their mouth to blow through, creating the sound.
A long tube through which different tones are produced.
Holes in that tube, which are covered by the fingers of the player.
Metal keys that are pressed that assist in covering the holes.
A very similar, although not identical, fingering system, called the Boehm system.
You can hear woodwind instruments featured in all types of music, from classical and orchestral pieces to jazz to blues to rock & roll and nearly everything in between.
