WOODWIND FAMILY | INSTRUMENTS OF THE ORCHESTRA | LESSON #4 | LEARNING MUSIC HUB | ORCHESTRA

Summary

This video explores the woodwind family of instruments, including the flute, oboe, clarinet, and bassoon. It explains how these instruments produce sound, primarily through the use of reeds, and highlights their unique features. The flute is the only woodwind without a reed, while the oboe, clarinet, and bassoon use single or double reeds to create their tones. Each instrument has its own distinct characteristics, from the high-pitched piccolo to the deep, expressive bassoon. The video provides an engaging and informative introduction to these fascinating instruments in the orchestra.

Takeaways

• 😀 Woodwind instruments in an orchestra include the flute, oboe, clarinet, and bassoon.
• 😀 The woodwind family produces sound by blowing air through the instrument, with some using reeds.
• 😀 Reeds are made from cane or synthetic materials and are crucial for generating sound on many woodwind instruments.
• 😀 The flute does not use a reed and is made of metal, while the other woodwinds (oboe, clarinet, bassoon) use reeds.
• 😀 Single reed instruments, like the clarinet, use one reed, while double reed instruments, like the oboe and bassoon, use two reeds.
• 😀 The flute player creates sound by blowing across the mouthpiece, and pitch is adjusted with metal keys.
• 😀 The oboe, made of conical wood, produces sound through a double reed and is known for its distinctive, sometimes 'duck-like' sound.
• 😀 The clarinet has a dark, hollow tone and uses a single reed. It is played by covering tone holes with fingers or keys.
• 😀 The bassoon, a large double reed instrument, is known for its expressive range, which can be humorous or grumpy depending on the music.
• 😀 The bassoon and contra bassoon are closely related, with the contra bassoon being larger and capable of producing lower notes than any other orchestral instrument.

Q & A

What are the main instruments in the woodwind family of the orchestra?

The main instruments in the woodwind family of the orchestra are the flute, oboe, clarinet, and bassoon.

Why is the saxophone not considered part of the orchestra's woodwind family?

Though the saxophone is commonly found in bands and wind ensembles, it is rarely played in the orchestra, which is why it is not considered a part of the orchestra's woodwind family.

How do woodwind instruments produce sound?

Woodwind instruments produce sound by blowing air into them. The sound is created by vibrations from reeds or air columns within the instrument.

What is a reed, and how does it function in woodwind instruments?

A reed is a thin strip of cane or synthetic material that vibrates when air is blown through it. This vibration creates sound in woodwind instruments that use reeds.

What is the difference between single reed and double reed woodwind instruments?

Single reed instruments, like the clarinet, use one reed to vibrate against the mouthpiece, while double reed instruments, like the oboe and bassoon, use two reeds vibrating against each other to produce sound.

How does a flute produce sound without a reed?

The flute produces sound by blowing air across a mouthpiece at the cupped end of the instrument, without the use of a reed.

What are the different types of flutes in an orchestra?

The different types of flutes in an orchestra include the standard C flute, piccolo, alto flute (in G), and bass flute.

What is unique about the construction of the oboe?

The oboe is made of a conical wood tube with a double reed at the top. It is typically made from African blackwood (granadilla) and has a distinct, high-pitched sound.

What materials can a clarinet be made from?

A clarinet can be made from materials such as wood, plastic, hard rubber, metal, resin, and even ivory.

What is the difference in pitch between the bassoon and the contrabassoon?

The bassoon is 8 feet in length, while the contrabassoon is 16 feet long. The contrabassoon is able to play much lower pitches than the bassoon.