w

0

Instruments in the Woodwind Family – An In-Depth Guide to Woodwind

13/07/2023

Woodwind instruments are a flexible category. They can have reeds, but sometimes don’t. They can be operated by opening and closing keys over holes to get the correct note, but not always. They aren’t even consistently made of wood! It’s no shock that woodwinds are one of the more confusing categories, so to help out any beginner musicians, we’ve created a guide to the main instruments in the woodwind family.

Since there are so many instruments that can be classed as a woodwind, they can be heard in most music genres. To simplify things, we’ll focus on acoustic orchestral woodwinds – apologies to any diehard bagpipe or harmonica fans out there!

Woodwind in a nutshell

Orchestral woodwinds all produce sound by air being blown into the instrument. Traditionally, the instruments in this family were all made from wood, but as materials and manufacturing have diversified and advanced, modern versions of the originals have been created – as have completely new instruments, like the saxophone. However, the overarching name “woodwind” stays the same.

Woodwind instruments can be split into three categories: flutes (or reedless), single-reed, and double-reed instruments. 

Flutes/reedless woodwinds operate by vibrating air inside the instrument. This is done by the user blowing air across a hole (such as with a concert flute) or down a duct (like recorders and ocarinas).

Single-reed instruments comprise a reed held to a mouthpiece via a ligature. This creates a channel which the musician blows air into, vibrating the reed.

Reeds are most often made of Arundo Donax, a grass known as “giant cane”. In recent years, manufacturers have started creating synthetic reeds using a range of composites – this is so they last longer. As the tone of the instrument is influenced by the reed’s vibration, reed-makers will often want to have as close a texture to natural cane as possible.

All single reeds tend to have different hardness gradings. Generally, the harder the reed, the more focused the tone. They are, however, more difficult to play with, so a beginner will tend to use a softer reed, though what’s more important is how the mouthpiece tip opening and reed are paired. It’s recommended new learners try smaller reeds (1.5 and 2) with different mouthpieces to find the best option!

Double reeds use two pieces of cane vibrating against each other instead of one against a mouthpiece. Due to this, the sound is far more heavily influenced by the reeds’ shape and hardness. While synthetic versions are still available, cane is the most popular material.

Finished reeds can be bought, but most double-reeded instrument players cut or shave their own reeds to get the perfect sound.

Concert flutes

Type: Flute/Reedless

Pearl 525E Quantz FluteFlutes have existed in one form or another for thousands of years. Throughout history, bone, bamboo, and even lead crystal have been used to make different varieties, with each culture having its own version.

The most popular worldwide is the Western concert flute, and it’s commonly seen in orchestras. That’s not to say it’s only used classically! Flutes are also popular in folk and jazz and often feature in rap or pop tracks as a backing instrument.

They’re normally made from metal, usually nickel for beginners and silver for higher-level players, but they can be made of wood.

Tuned to C (with middle C being the lowest note), concert flutes have a range of three and a half octaves. This is sometimes extended by the addition of a B-foot, which adds a semitone to the low end.

Concert flutes are transverse wind instruments. This means that you blow across a hole in the head to produce a sound, then press keys to cover tone holes to change notes.

Just over two feet long (66 centimetres), flutes can weigh anything between 360 grams to a kilogram. This depends entirely on what materials have been used to make the flute and the build itself. Silver plating or the addition of a B foot adds extra weight.

When learning the flute, posture and embouchure (the mouth shape when playing) are important – both are essential for getting the best sound. A smaller player may want to start on a flute with a curved headjoint so that they can reach the keys easily too.

Learn more about the different types of flutes.

Our recommendation: The Pearl 525E Quantz Flute

Clarinets

Type: Single-reed

Student Clarinet by Gear4musicClarinets are thought to have been invented in Germany between 1698 and 1710. There are several sizes and tunings, though the Bb clarinet is the most common. They’re often used for classical music, particularly in concert bands, and they’re popular in jazz and klezmer music.

Traditionally, clarinets have been wooden with metal keys, however, there are now other materials available. Beginner instruments are often made of ABS resin, and ebonite (hardened rubber) is also popular as it won’t warp due to moisture.

Bb clarinets are 26 inches long (66 centimetres) and weigh between 600 and 800 grams, though a bass clarinet can be anywhere up to seven kilograms!

To change the clarinet’s pitch, you can either press the palm keys or the rings around the tone holes, which then trigger other keys that cover the holes.

There are two fingering systems: Boehm and Oehler. Boehm systems are simpler to operate and what most people start with when learning. German musicians and instrument makers developed the Oehler system, hence its nickname the “German system”.

Learn more about the different types of clarinets. 

Our recommendations: The Buffet Prodige Bb Clarinet and the Student Clarinet by Gear4music

Saxophones

Type: Single-reed

Multiple saxophones line upSaxophones were invented in the 1840s by Adolphe Sax, a clarinettist and flautist. These instruments provide iconic riffs to pop songs and are a jazz staple. In fact, they’re used in most genres, and the iconic tone can be adjusted as you can change the reeds and mouthpieces.

While definitely a woodwind, saxophones are sometimes mistaken as part of the brass family due to their metal finish. Traditional brass is the usual material, however, a sax can also be made from other metals, such as nickel silver (copper zinc and nickel combined), sterling silver, gold brass, and bronze.

Saxophones have keys along the body which are operated using the fingers and occasionally other parts of the hand. Pushing these keys covers the tone holes, similar to a flute or a clarinet, and most are tuned to Eb or Bb.

The four main saxophones are soprano, alto, tenor, and baritone; the alto sax is the most popular. These tend to weigh around 2.5 kilograms and can be approximately 70 centimetres long. Players often attach straps to keep their instrument steady.

When learning to play the sax, you need to look at which mouthpieces and reeds would be best for you. And once you start playing, you’ll have a wide range of music waiting (though if we’re being honest, everyone will be aiming to learn “Careless Whisper”!).

Our recommendation: The Stagg AS215S Alto Saxophone

Oboe

Type: Double-reed

Student Oboe by Gear4musicThe word oboe comes from “hautbois”, which is French for “high wind”. They’ve been played since the 17th Century and are a mainstay of orchestras. Most commonly used for classical music, oboes are increasingly being used in other genres such as folk and pop.

Measuring just under 26 inches, an oboe is usually made from grenadilla, although student models are sometimes made from hardened plastics. The plastic models tend to be lighter and weigh around 400 grams – half the weight of a standard 800-gram wooden oboe.

As with many orchestral woodwinds, the oboe is operated by blowing into the instrument and letting the reeds vibrate while using the keys to play the necessary notes. Pitched to C, most orchestras use the oboe’s A to tune!

There are two oboe key systems. The thumbplate system (normally used in the UK, Australia, and Iceland) is often preferred by beginners and those transitioning from the clarinet due to its simpler fingering and the added thumbplate key.

The conservatoire system, on the other hand, is popular among advanced players and professionals for its additional trill keys and automatic octave venting.

Ultimately, the choice between the two systems depends on the player’s experience, preferences, and playing style.

Our recommendation: The Student Oboe by Gear4music

Bassoon

Type: Double-reed

Rosedale Bassoon by Gear4musicBassoons were developed in the early 1700s and are based on the Dulcian. They’re usually made from maple, though there are now ebonite versions on the market, and the lowest note is Bb1. Bassoons have a conical bore which doubles back on itself, meaning the bell is higher than the mouthpiece.

Players blow into the reeds, which are attached to a bocal or crook. They then use their fingers to press keys to close tone holes. A bassoon is around 134 centimetres long and weighs 3.5 kilograms on average – this means that people usually wear a harness or use a seat strap.

There are two main types of bassoon. French bassoons (also known as the Buffet system) feature a closed key system, fewer left-hand thumb keys, and ring keys. This setup allows for smoother transitions between notes and a simpler layout.

German bassoons (Heckel system) have an open key system, more left-hand thumb keys, and roller keys, offering greater control over tone and intonation and more technical capabilities. These tend to be the more popular variety for both beginners and orchestra professionals.

When learning the bassoon, you need to ensure you use the correct fingering to avoid difficulty later on. Lessons are recommended as a teacher can help you cut your first reeds and develop embouchure. You also need to make sure you put your bassoon together properly as there are a lot of parts!

Our recommendation: The Rosedale Bassoon by Gear4music

Piccolos

Type: Flute/Reedless

Student Piccolo by Gear4musicNo, a piccolo isn’t just a Dragon Ball Z character or type of coffee! A piccolo flute is a reedless woodwind instrument that’s half the size of a concert flute.

It’s an octave higher and, in orchestras, a flautist will often play both the flute and the piccolo. Until the 20th Century, they were often tuned to Db; now they’re normally in C.

Similar to the flute, you play the piccolo by blowing across the hole in the headjoint to vibrate the air in the instrument, closing keys to achieve your desired note.

A piccolo is usually made from wood, metal, or ABS resin, and they’re normally heard in orchestral pieces or traditional military music.

When learning any woodwind instrument, embouchure and breath control are important – this is especially true for a piccolo as it requires a good set of lungs and strong diaphragm control. Often, a flautist learns the piccolo after the flute, not the other way around!

Our recommendation: The Student Piccolo by Gear4music

Cor anglais

Type: Double-reed

Rosedale Cor Anglais by Gear4musicA cor anglais, also known as the English horn, is neither English nor a horn.

It’s actually part of the oboe family, but larger and with a belled end. As such, it’s made from the same materials.

Since cor anglais are longer and larger than a standard oboe (measuring around 81 centimetres in length), they’re lower and pitched in F with a darker tone. Due to the size change, they weigh approximately a kilogram on average.

The first English horns appear in records from the mid-1700s and refer to a curved instrument – this version had largely died out by the beginning of the 20th century.

A straightened cor anglais was first introduced in 1839 by French oboist Henri Brod.

Our recommendation: The Rosedale Cor Anglais by Gear4music

Recorders

Type: Flute/Reedless

Descant Recorder with Cleaning RodRecorders are a type of fipple flute – this means that the air blown inside is split by a sharp edge, causing it to vibrate. While you may associate recorders with childhood attempts at “three blind mice”, they have a rich musical history.

With records showing them existing as early as the Middle Ages, they’re most often heard in the classroom, historically accurate chamber orchestra performances, and recorder choirs. They’re not often heard in standard orchestras or modern chamber orchestras as they’re too quiet to compete with other more contemporary instruments.

Descant (or soprano) recorders are the most prevalent. Tuned to C, they can be made of a variety of materials but plastic and wood are the most popular thanks to their durability.

There are also two different fingering sequences: Baroque and German. With Baroque, the fifth tone hole is larger than the fourth tone hole, with German, it’s the other way around. This means that on German recorders the F is in sequence, which is why they’re recommended for beginners.

Our recommendations: The Aulos Descant 303A Dark Brown Elite Recorder and Descant Recorder with Cleaning Rod.

FAQs

What are the eight woodwind instruments?

The eight most common instruments of the woodwind family include a flute, clarinet, saxophone, oboe, bassoon, piccolo, cor anglais, and recorder. Though traditionally made from wood, advancements in manufacturing now mean that woodwind instruments can be made from materials like metal or ABS resin, giving us more woodwind instruments than ever.


Is a sax a woodwind?

Despite traditionally being made of brass, saxophones are a woodwind instrument. It’s not just brass that can make up their construction, however, but also nickel silver, sterling silver, gold brass, and bronze. They were invented in 1846 and use a single-reed to make their sound.


What are some uncommon woodwind instruments?

As well as the popular woodwinds you find in orchestras and chamber ensembles, there are some uncommon woodwind instruments, including harmonicas, bagpipes, pipe organs, and digeridoos. The tin whistle is another lesser-known woodwind instrument; it finds its place in folk music and is a great entry-level instrument.

Jupiter JAS700 Alto Saxophone with Styled Gig Bag Case

Final thoughts

Woodwinds are such a huge category, and their different ranges and tones can be adapted for any music style. Capable of piercing highs and haunting lows, woodwinds are found across all cultures, and orchestral woodwinds are a mainstay of many genres.

We hope that we’ve given you a comprehensive guide to the instruments in the woodwind family and you now know the main differences between the key instruments. Feel free to browse our range of woodwinds and accessories!

 

Imogen is a recovering violinist with a flair for the absurd. While she doesn't know what to write about in a bio, she knows the Old English word for "crossbeam".

RELATED ARTICLES

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Share This