Wind #

TODO: I’d love to put a sorta of piano graphic up that shows the range of each instrument.

What is a Wind Instrument? #

Alright, I guess that’s sorta helpful. I mean, we’ve all made a loud sound down a cardboard tube as a kid, so it’s basically that.

Okay, so what about the difference between woodwind and brass?

So, uh, not super helpful. Reading a bit further though:

So, let’s just not give a shit, instead, let’s take a look at some of the main wind instruments and the defining features of their sounds.

[TODO]

List of Wind Instruments #

Free-Reed Instruments #

Accordion #

Accordians vary too much in pitch range to give anything useful here.

https://accordionchords.com/tutorials/types-of-accordions-and-their-distinctive-features/

Harmonica #

• Diatonic and chromatic harmonicas only plays one note at once.
  • Chromatic harmonicas typically have a metal slide to select sharp or flat notes.
• “Tremeolo” harmonicas have two reeds which are slightly out of tune of eachother that play together.
  • Similar-ish to what a 12-string guitar does.
• Bass harmonicas also exist, though are quite uncommon and are usually $1000+.

Melodica #

• Keyboard-operated free-reed instrument blown through a mouthpiece
  • The mouthpiece may be directly connected or connected via flexible tube to allow for more comfortable playing.
• Tonally similar to a harmonica.

Sheng #

• Chinese free-reed mouth organ with multiple vertical pipes.
• Capable of producing chords and polyphonic melodies.

Shō #

• Japanese mouth organ, similar in principle to the Sheng.

Flutes #

Flute #

• Side-blown instrument with a split airstream across an embouchure hole.
• Typically made of wood or metal.

Irish Flute #

• Wooden, keyless or keyed simple-system flute.
• Warm, reedy tone favored in traditional Irish and Celtic music.
• Often played with ornamentations like rolls and cuts.

Piccolo #

• Smaller, higher-pitched relative of the flute
• Requires precise embouchure control due to its small size

Recorder #

• Fipple flute with a simple finger-hole system.
• The bane of every parent of a 3rd grader.
  • Can actually sound good when not played by 3rd graders.
• Comes in different sizes: soprano, alto, tenor, bass, etc.

Whistle (Tin Whistle/Penny Whistle) #

• Simple fipple flute used in folk music
• Often made of metal or plastic, with six finger holes

Ney #

• End-blown flute used in Middle Eastern music

Single-Reed Woodwinds #

Clarinets #

• Single-reed woodwind instrument with cylindrical bore.
• Wide range, from deep chalumeau register to bright altissimo.
• I’m squidward. He’s squidward. We’re both squidward.

Saxophone #

• Single-reed brass-bodied woodwind instrument
• Comes in Alto, Tennor, Baritone, Bass, Soprano, and Traffic Cone
• The Venova is not a sax.

Double-Reed Woodwinds #

Oboe #

[TODO]

Bassoon #

https://bravingthebassoon.weebly.com/types-of-bassoons.html

Shawm #

• Predecessor to the oboe, used in medieval and Renaissance music.

Zurna #

[TODO]

sornā #

[TODO]

Duduk #

[TODO]

Kaval #

[TODO]

Pku #

[TODO]

Zhaleika #

[TODO]

Rhaita #

[TODO]

Suona #

[TODO]

Sopila #

[TODO]

Piffero #

[TODO]

Brass Instruments #

[TODO]

Trumpet #

• Brass instrument which uses valves for pitch changes.
• Ranges from the piccolo trumpet to the bass trumpet.

Trombone #

• Brass instrument with a slide mechanism for pitch variation.
• Requires precise slide positioning for accurate intonation

Tuba #

• Larg lowe pitch, brass instrument.

French Horn #

• Pitch is controled from a mix of breath speed, lip shape, and controling valves.
• Valves, if present, can be either rotary or piston

[TODO] single vs double horn

Serpent #

[TODO]

Miscellaneous Wind Instruments #

Bagpipes #

Bagpipes aren’t just for classical Scottish music, check out The SIDH - Iridium, it’s a basically EDM + Bagpipes and fucking amazing.

• Continuous airflow from an airbag supplies multiple drone and melody pipes
• Requires circular breathing technique for sustained sound

Didgeridoo #

• I digerididn’t know a 1000 year old instrument could make dubstep sounds.
• It kinda sounds like a big mouth harp.
• The didgeribone is a realated instrument, but can actually play multiple pitches, in a similar way the trombone.
  • Sold at Doug Dimmadome’s Dimmsdale Dimmadome.

Kazoo #

• Membrane-resonator instrument that modifies the player’s voice

Ocarina #

• Lets be real, you only know about this instrument becauze of Zelda. [TODO]

Blown Bottle #

[TODO]

Organ #

It would be easy to write an entire text book on organs, espicially given they can be either acoustic or electric and both have significant usage and are effectively their own instruments (Electric organs are not mere emulations of acoustic ones).

• Pipe organs can have multiple manuals (keyboards) and pedalboards for bass notes

Glissotar #

[TODO]

https://saxshop.com/products/glissotar?variant=45345885749485