Title: The Woodwind Family | The MyMusicTheory.com Blog
Headings: The MyMusicTheory Guide to Orchestral Instruments; Part 2 – The Woodwind
The MyMusicTheory Guide to Orchestral Instruments; Part 2 – The Woodwind
Woodwind Instruments
What are the standard orchestral woodwind instruments?
Why are some metal and plastic instruments called “ wood wind”?
What’s the difference between “wind” and “woodwind”?
How do woodwind instruments work?
How do reed instruments work?
Why do woodwind instruments have metal keys?
Why do woodwind instruments come apart?
Why are clarinets “transposing” instruments?
Which is the easiest / most difficult woodwind instrument to learn?

Content: The cor Anglais is similar to the oboe, but has a more mellow sound. The clarinet has a little sister, the Eb clarinet, which has a bright chirpy sound, and a big brother, the bass clarinet which is deep and reedy. The bassoon also has a big brother, the contrabassoon, which provides solid bass notes when needed. The flute, oboe and bassoon have been around for many hundreds of years, although in a simpler form. They have been used in classical music since at least the 17th century. The clarinet, on the other hand, is a relative newcomer, and was first introduced into the orchestra by Mozart in the middle of the 18th century. Other woodwind instruments which are not normally found in orchestras are the recorder, saxophone and bagpipes. Why are some metal and plastic instruments called “ wood wind”? A Baroque flute player
In Bach’s time (around 1700 AD), woodwind instruments were very simple compared to the vast selection of technological wonders we have today, but the instruments used back then were the prototypes of our modern woodwind family. In Bach’s time, all woodwind instruments were made out of wood – hence the name! (