Woodwind Instruments Flute The flute is a very unique instrument, because instead of blowing into a reed to make noise, like most wind instruments, sound is produced by blowing across a sound hole at one end. The modern flute is held transversely, or across the player's face. To create different pitches, the flutist presses down keys on the instrument. Modern flutes are about two feet long, and come apart into three pieces for convenience. Theobold Boehm, a jeweler, engineer, and flutist in the 1800s, created a model of the flute that has hardly been improved on since. The modern flute has a range has a range of about three octaves, ranging from middle C (or the B one pitch below it) on the piano to three octaves above that. There are many different kinds of flutes throughout the world. The Japanese flute is known as the shakuhachi, and it is not held transversely, but it is held to the front, and the end of the flute is blown across instead of a sound hole as in the orchestral flute. Another interesting kind of flute is the nose flute, which is played in Hawaii and Melanesia. To play, the flutist must plug one nostril and expel air through the other nostril into the flute. Although this kind of flute doesn't have very many keys, it can play a wide range of melodies. Recorder The recorder is a woodwind that dates back to the 13th century. It is a relatively simple instrument with around seven finger holes and one thumb hole. To make a noise on the recorder, blow into the mouthpiece and move fingers over the finger holes to make different pitches. There are many different sizes of recorders, ranging from the bass to the soprano. Recorders are often used in schools to aid the teaching of general music. They are extremely easy to play regardless of hand size or embouchure. Early recorders were used mostly in ensembles with other recorders or other soft-sounding instruments, but by the 1600s the recorder was starting to be used as a solo instrument. Influential composers such as Johann Sebastian Bach wrote for the recorder. Eventually, recorders in orchestras began to replaced by the transverse flutes because they had a wider range and were louder. Clarinet The clarinet is a single-reeded woodwind that plays higher than the bassoon but lower than the flute. It can carry a melody or blend into the background chords. It has a presence in orchestras, chamber music, and concert bands. The clarinet was invented around 1700 by Johann Christian Denner. The clarinet has a narrow body that's about two feet long. It has finger holes plus a series of keys and levers along it's body. It's reed his held in place by a mouthpiece. The reed is placed between the lips to produce a tone. Opening and closing the levers and holes produce different tones. Oboe The oboe is a unique double-reeded instrument that can produce a mellow or emotional sound. It's name comes from the "hautbois" which is French for "high wood." The modern oboe was invented in Paris by a bagpiper named Jean Hotteterre. It has 15 or more levers or keys on it's body. Although the modern oboe was invented in the 1650s, forms of the oboe have been around for much longer then that. In Greek times, the aulos was a similar instrument played with double reeds. Sound is produced in the oboe through two reeds. Good oboe players are able to control their breath very well, so playing is not blowing into the instrument, but letting air escape into the instrument. The modern oboe has a small range of the Bb two tones below middle C on the piano to the G four lines above the staff. An instrument often associated with the oboe is the English horn, which is an alto oboe. Saxophone Patented in the 1800s by Adolphe Sax, the saxophone is a versatile instrument of varying types. Although it's body is made of brass, it is a woodwind instrument because sound is produced through a single reed. The highest pitched saxophones are straight, like a clarinet, and the bodies of lower pitched ones have a bell that is curved outward. Whatever the specific note-range of a saxophone is, all of them have a range of about 3 and a half octaves. The saxophone is not an instrument that many orchestral scores have been written for, but it is an important instrument in jazz bands. Bagpipe The bagpipe is the woodwind instrument most commonly associated with Scotland. It actually originated from India, although there are forms of the bagpipe found all over the world. The bagpipe consists of one blowing pipe attached to an airtight bag. The bag is then attached to several drone pipes and one melody pipe, known as the "chanter." To produce a sound from the bagpipe, the player has to blow through the blowing pipe, and squeeze the bag with her hand to cause the air to enter the drone pipes and melody pipe. The melody pipe has finger holes so the pitch can be controlled, but the drone pipes play a constant pitch that "drones" on. There aren't too many classical compositions for the bagpipes because two of it's notes are tuned sharp. However, the drone-like quality that bagpipes are known for is often imitated in woodwind pieces called "Musette" which is the French word for bagpipe. Learn More... About the flute -- http://www.phys.unsw.edu.au/music/flute/ The recorder homepage -- http://members.iinet.net.au/~nickl/torture1.html