Woodwinds

Woodwind instruments are aerophones in which the sound is produced by confined air set into motion within the instruments of the flute and reedpipe types. The player blows air into a tube or vessel directly through a mouth-hole or mouthpiece device, directing the stream of air against an edge (flutes) or a reed that vibrates (reedpipes). Different tones can be achieved by fingerholes and keys added to the instruments. Traditionally, woodwinds are made of wood, but this category is not restricted by material. The National Music Museum’s collection is particularly strong in European and American woodwinds, made between the 17th and 21st centuries, including but not limited to familiar orchestral and band instruments, like flutes, piccolos, clarinets, saxophones, oboes, and bassoons, as well as variations of these types, like fifes, flageolets, recorders, ocarinas, and whistles. There are also lesser known and historic variants, like musettes, cors anglais, rothphones, and sarrusophones.