Woodwind Instruments7th Grade General MusicMusical Families Unit

Ancestors of Woodwind Instruments•Recorders

•Shawm

•Traverse Flute

Flute• Modern day flutes

made of metal

•Held side ways – with your left hand in front of the instrument and your right behind

•To make sound you need to blow over the mouthpiece like you blow over the top of a soda bottle.

Flute• Plays music written in

treble clef.

•Plays very high notes.

•Often used to portray birds or something flying in orchestra or band music

Clarinet•Modern clarinets are made of plastic

or wood. Wood clarinets sound better.

•Held in front of your body and played with both hands

•To produce sound air is blown througha mouthpiece that has a reed on it.The reed vibrates back and forth to produce the sound.

Clarinet

•Plays music written in treble clef.

•Can play both high and low notes.

•The sound is sometimes used to make you think of something sneaky or curious.

Alto Saxophone•Saxophones have always been

made from metal.

•Very similar to a clarinet by the way that it is held and played.

•Uses a reed mouthpiece just like the clarinet. Only a little bigger.

Alto Saxophone•Plays music written in the treble clef.

• It is not included in the orchestra, but it is included in concert bands.

•The Saxophones strongest type of music that is plays is Jazz.

Flute Cousins•Piccolo

•Alto Flute

•Bass Flute

Clarinet Cousins•Soprano Clarinet

•Alto Clarinet•Bass Clarinet

Saxophone Cousins•Soprano Sax •Tenor Sax •Baritone Sax