Instrument Families of the

Symphony Orchestra

Woodwind
Family
 Instrument Families of the
Symphony Orchestra

Click through this Power Point to learn

about the instruments of the
Woodwind Family

Do not complete any of the worksheets

yet, that will come later!
 Instrument Families of the
Symphony Orchestra
The Woodwind Family
- Woodwind instruments are usually made of wood

- Produce sound by blowing wind through instrument either

with a reed or over edge of mouthpiece

3 Groups of WW Instruments:

1. Non-reed: uses only a mouthpiece

2. Single reed: reed vibrates against

mouthpiece
3. Double reed: two reeds vibrate against
each other
 Instrument Families of the
Symphony Orchestra
The Woodwind Family
Reeds:
- Thin strip of cane
 Instrument Families of the
Symphony Orchestra
There are four main woodwind instruments and
a “cousin” to each instrument; that is, a similar
instrument to the main instrument, usually larger
or smaller in size that is played the same way.

The four main instruments are:

• Flute (“cousin” instrument is the piccolo)

• Clarinet (“cousin” instrument is the bass clarinet)

• Oboe (“cousin” instrument is the english horn)

• Bassoon (“cousin” instrument is the contrabassoon)

 Instrument Families of the
Symphony Orchestra
The Woodwind Family

Non-Reed Instruments:

Flute

(Made of metal)

Piccolo
Highest sounding ww
instrument
 Instrument Families of the
Symphony Orchestra
The Woodwind Family (continued)

Single Reed

Clarinet
- Made of wood
- Bell-shaped end
- Sound produced by reed
 Instrument Families of the
Symphony Orchestra
The Woodwind Family (continued)

Single Reed:

Bass Clarinet

- Larger than clarinet

- Plays lower
 Instrument Families of the
Symphony Orchestra
The Woodwind Family (continued)

Single Reed:

Saxophone

- The only woodwind instrument

not found in the orchestra
- Made of brass
 Instrument Families of the
Symphony Orchestra
The Woodwind Family (continued)

Double Reed:
Oboe
-Similar to clarinet but has
different mouthpiece

(provides the tuning note for the orchestra--A 440)

 Instrument Families of the
Symphony Orchestra
The Woodwind Family (continued)

Double Reed:

English Horn
- Larger and sounds lower than oboe

(Pear-shaped Bell)
 Instrument Families of the
Symphony Orchestra
The Woodwind Family (continued)

Double Reed:

Bassoon

- special mouthpiece
- has over 9 ft. of tubing!
 Instrument Families of the
Symphony Orchestra
The Woodwind Family (continued)
Double Reed:
Contrabassoon

- Largest and lowest sounding

ww instrument
 Instrument Families of the
Symphony Orchestra
1. Draw and shade in the placement of the Woodwind
Family in the symphony orchestra:
Shade in this section!
 Instrument Families of the
Symphony Orchestra
The Woodwind Family Worksheet

2. Name the four main woodwind instruments:

– Flute
– Clarinet
– Oboe
– Bassoon

air
3. Woodwind instruments are played by blowing _____
mouthpiece
into a __________________.

4. The sound from a woodwind instrument comes out

tone holes
of the __________________.

5. The flute is a member of the non-reed

__________ family of
woodwinds because you blow air across the opening to
make sound.
 Instrument Families of the
Symphony Orchestra
The Woodwind Family Worksheet

wood or ________,
6. Flutes were originally made of _______ cane
metal
but now are made of ________.

7. Piccolo means _________

little in Italian.

8. The highest sounding instrument in the orchestra

piccolo
is the __________.
 Instrument Families of the
Symphony Orchestra
A. The Woodwind Family Worksheet

9. The second group of woodwind instruments are

single reed instruments.
called the _________

cane
10. Reeds are made from _______.

11. The clarinet is used in _____________,

orchestras ________,
bands
and ________
jazz groups.
 Instrument Families of the
Symphony Orchestra
The Woodwind Family Worksheet

larger & plays lower than the clarinet.

12. A bass clarinet is _______________________

13. The third group of instruments are the _________

double reed
instruments.

14. All reeds __________

vibrate to produce sound in the instrument.
 Instrument Families of the
Symphony Orchestra
The Woodwind Family Worksheet

oboe has a very nasal sound produced by

15. An _______
the double reed. (This instrument also provides the
tuning note for the orchestra.)

English ______
16. The _________ Horn is a large oboe.

17. The English Horn has a pear-shaped ______.

bell
 Instrument Families of the
Symphony Orchestra
The Woodwind Family Worksheet

9 feet of tubing which is bent

18. The bassoon has ____
in order to allow the musician to hold it.

19. The lowest and largest of the double reed

instruments is the Contrabassoon
________________ (contra means to double)

18 feet in length.
20. The contrabassoon is ____
 Instrument Families of the
Symphony Orchestra
The Woodwind Family Worksheet

21. Name the three categories of woodwind instruments.

Non-reed

Single Reed

Double Reed
Instrument Families of the
Symphony Orchestra

• Be sure to also complete the other

Woodwind Family worksheet in addition
to the worksheet you just completed.

• Both are due at the end of the period!