Table of Contents
Why is the woodwind family important?
They are important instruments for jazz and blues styles of music, but also have been incorporated into classical works. Saxophones can range in size and pitch from soprano to contrabass. Alto and tenor are the most popular types, but if you learn to play one, you can easily learn to play all of them.
Why are woodwind instruments called woodwind?
The Woodwind Family. The instruments in this family all used to be made of wood, which gives them their name. The mouthpieces for some woodwinds, including the clarinet, oboe and bassoon, use a thin piece of wood called a reed, which vibrates when you blow across it.
What is the highest-sounding member of the woodwind family?
Just as with the stringed instruments, the smaller woodwinds play higher pitches while the longer and larger instruments play the lower notes. The woodwind family of instruments includes, from the highest sounding instruments to the lowest, the piccolo , flute, oboe, English horn, clarinet, E-flat clarinet, bass clarinet, bassoon and contrabassoon.
What is the biggest member of the woodwind family?
The largest member of the woodwind family is the Saxophone. Saxophones, which are made of metal, come in four sizes. The appropriate size for beginners is called the “alto” saxophone.
What are facts about the woodwind family?
The Woodwind Family. The mouthpieces for some woodwinds, including the clarinet, oboe and bassoon, use a thin piece of wood called a reed , which vibrates when you blow across it. The clarinet uses a single reed made of one piece of wood, while the oboe and bassoon use a double reed made of two pieces joined together.
How are the sounds produced in the woodwind family?
The woodwind family consists of three instruments that are played in elementary band, the Flute, the Clarinet, and the Alto Saxophone. Sound is made by blowing over the top of a flute, and by blowing into the reed of a clarinet or saxophone. These instruments are a part of the band program, along with those of the brass and percussion families.