Is a flute considered a woodwind?

The Woodwind Family. The instruments in this family all used to be made of wood, which gives them their name. 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 makes a woodwind?

woodwind, any of a group of wind musical instruments, composed of the flutes and reed pipes (i.e., clarinet, oboe, bassoon, and saxophone). Both groups were traditionally made of wood, but now they may also be constructed of metal. In double-reed instruments (oboes and bassoons), two thicknesses of reeds are used.

How is a flute different from other woodwinds?

The flute is different to the other members of the woodwind family as it does not use a reed, instead sound is produced by the flow of air across the opening, which makes the flute an aerophone instrument.

Why is it called a woodwind instrument?

Woodwinds are a type of musical instrument that make their sound when a musician blows air into or across the mouthpiece. They get their name from the fact that most of them were once made of wood. Today many are made of other materials such as metal or plastic.

Why does the flute belong to the woodwind family?

Despite nowadays it is made of metal or precious metal, it belongs to the Woodwind family because originally it was made of wood. The cylindrical body contains most of the tone holes and the keywork. The flute player produce the sound by blowing into the embouchure hole.

Is a recorder a woodwind?

The recorder is a family of woodwind musical instruments in the group known as internal duct flutes: flutes with a whistle mouthpiece, also known as fipple flutes. It is the most prominent duct flute in the western classical tradition.

Is a saxophone brass or woodwind?

Though the saxophone is made of metal, it generates sound with a single reed, and so it is classified as a woodwind rather than as a brass instrument.

Is an oboe a woodwind?

The oboe is a C woodwind, that is, a C major instrument. A lower pitched instrument is the A woodwind, the oboe d’amore, which is pitched in A major. Even lower is the F woodwind, the cor anglais (also known as the English horn), pitched in F major. Those are just two of the relatives of the oboe.

Is flute made of brass?

While there are many differences between brass and woodwind instruments, the main difference between the two is what they’re composed of. Woodwind instruments, such as clarinets and flutes, are made out of wood or metal, while brass instruments are made exclusively out of metal or brass.

Why is flute woodwind?

Within the woodwind family, there are two main types of instruments: reed instruments and flutes. The reason reed woodwind instruments are identified as “woodwind” is based on the way they produce their sound which is by splitting the player’s air stream on a sharp edge, such as a reed.

Why is the flute classified in the woodwind family?

Flutes are considered woodwind instruments because instruments are classified on the basis of how they produce sound and are played, not based on the material that they are made out of.

What kind of flute is considered the best?

The Piccolo is the highest-pitched flute (in the key of C) and plays very high notes which are considered the highest in the woodwind family. The sound of this flute is an octave higher than the concert flute and is used in orchestral scores and opera.

What is the best flute for beginners?

Both a beginner and student model flute will most likely be made out of a nickel and silver alloy which it is far more durable than silver alone. The most popular plating for a flute is silver because of its brilliance, while nickel-plated flutes are a more affordable option.

What is unique about the sound from a flute?

The sound on a flute is created by blowing across the hole, not down it, requiring considerable skill by the performer. For this reason, many flautists claim that it is more difficult to play than the other wind instruments, but this is most definitely a matter for debate!