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Most of the woodwind instruments were once of made entirely of wood, and because they
are played by blowing with air or wind, they are called woodwind. Now, they are
made from wood and metal. They are also known as aerophones, which mean they
use air to sound different notes.
All woodwind instruments are made out of a tube, usually with holes in it. When all holes |
are covered, air goes all the way to the end of the tube and makes a low sound. When the holes are open, the air goes only a little way and make a high sound. The woodwind instrument with the shortest tubing and the highest sound is the piccolo. To further increase their range of notes, most of the woodwind instruments come in different sizes (e.g. soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, etc.).
Woodwind instruments may make sounds in three different ways. Some, like the flute, make a sound by blowing air across a tone hole. Single reed instruments, like the clarinet and saxophone, use a single piece of cane and fiberglass, which vibrates, to produce a sound. Others use a double reed, or two pieces of cane vibrating against each other, to make a sound.
