Woodwinds Musical Instruments: The Overview And Types

By Author: victor12johnson
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Initially, the instruments of the woodwind family were carved out of wood. It explains the name on its own. However, today, due to advancements in technology, you will find woodwinds musical instruments in different types of materials, including wood, plastic, metal, or the amalgamation of multiple materials.

Parts of a woodwind musical instrument

Woodwinds are thin and narrow pipe-like structures that come with the following:

● Holes on the body
● A mouthpiece on the top portion
● An opening at the bottom

When you blow air through the mouthpiece (here comes the wind that you might be wondering for long) and open and close the holes on the body with the help of your fingers, you get to change the pitch. In most woodwind gears, you will find keys cover that secures the holes.

Many woodwinds musical instruments, such as bassoon, clarinet, and oboe, have a reed (a piece of thin wood). This reed vibrates when you play them. The clarinet comes with a single reed made up of only one piece of wood, while the bassoon and oboe are double reed woodwinds. ...
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Like string musical instruments, the woodwinds that are smaller exude higher pitches, while the large-sized gears almost always produce lower notes. Right from the highest sounding to the lowest sounding instruments, you have all the options. The names of the woodwind gears are here:

● Flute
● Bassoon
● Piccolo
● Flute
● Oboe
● Clarinet
● English horn
● Bass clarinet
● E-flat clarinet
● Contrabassoon, to mention a few.

If you are a musician and own any or many of the gears mentioned above, make sure to get yourself a Woodwinds Insurance policy for the ultimate protection from all the perils that may cross your way.

Now, let us learn a bit more about the different types of woodwind musical instruments!

An overview of different types of woodwind gears

Flute

When it comes to naming the oldest musical gear that not only produces rhythms but also pitches sounds, the flute always wins the race. Originally, flutes were made up of wood, clay, stone, or hollow things, such as bamboo. However, modern-day flutes are made from a wide range of materials, including gold, silver, and platinum. In an orchestra, the number of flutes can be 2 to 4. A standard size flute is a bit more than 2 feet in length.

Piccolo

If you are looking for the shorter avatar of flute, a piccolo makes the best choice. In the Italian language, piccolo means small. These musical instruments are half the size of a flute. And, they can produce the highest notes in all woodwind gears. You are likely to hear the high-pitched sound of the piccolo in marching bands and traditional drum troops.

Oboe

It is a 2-foot-long instrument that has a black cylinder with holes covered by metal keys. The mouthpiece of an oboe uses a double reed. The reed vibrates when the musician happens to blow through it. When the reed vibrates, it makes the air inside the body move. It leads to the production of sound. In a standard orchestra, there are generally 2 to 4 oboes, and they play different pitches. From warm and soft notes to haunting sounds, the oboe can produce various ranges of sounds.

English Horn

Although known as an English horn, this woodwind is not a horn. It is more or less like the oboe. However, it is longer and broader than the same. Due to its size, the English horn happens to produce a low pitch sound.

Clarinet

Apart from the mouthpiece that uses a single reed, one could easily confuse a clarinet with an oboe. These woodwind musical instruments come in various sizes. There are around two to four clarinets in an orchestra that play both harmonies and melodies.

Bassoon

The bassoon is made up of wood and comes with many keys. There is a bend in its pipe. It allows the musicians to play it in a comfortable manner. It is also a double reed gear that comes equipped with a rounded metal mouthpiece.

To sum up!

So, these are some of the most prominent members of the woodwinds musical instruments family. No matter which gears you own or intend to learn, make sure to buy a Woodwinds Insurance beforehand. An insurance policy will ensure that you keep creating good music, irrespective of any accident or mishap that may try to deter you in the days to come.