Woodwind

Despite its name, not all woodwind instruments are made of wood. The flute is made of metal, while the clarinet, bassoon and oboe all have metal buttons called ‘keys’.

The woodwind section of an orchestra includes flutes, bassoons, oboes and clarinets. There may be between two and four of each instrument, depending on the piece of music chosen. The bigger the woodwind instrument, the lower the sound. The piccolo makes a high-pitched sound, while the alto flute makes a mellow, softer sound.

Flutes come in different sizes. The smallest flute is called a piccolo – Italian for ‘small’ – and fits easily in a pocket. The medium-size flute is the most common. The largest flute is called an alto flute.

The clarinet also comes in three sizes: small (e-flat clarinet), medium (clarinet) and large (bass clarinet). The bassoon and oboe both have larger versions too – the contrabassoon and cor anglais.