Music theory Your instrument
Woodwind
How flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, saxophone and recorder make sound, plus their clefs and transpositions.
Practise this on its own page: Reference pitch, Scale player, Transposer.
Three ways to make the sound
Woodwind instruments were traditionally made of wood, but many are now made of metal or plastic. What makes them woodwind is how the sound starts, not what they are made of.
Players cover finger holes or press keys to change the note.
| Type | How it works | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Edge (flutes) | A narrow stream of air is blown against the edge of a hole | Flute, piccolo, recorder |
| Single reed | Air passes a thin flexible reed fixed to the mouthpiece | Clarinet, saxophone |
| Double reed | A reed made of two thin blades | Oboe, cor anglais, bassoon |
Clefs and transpositions
Saxophones are transposing instruments too. The alto saxophone in E-flat sounds a major 6th lower than written, and the tenor saxophone in B-flat sounds a major 9th (an octave plus a major 2nd) lower. See the concert pitch page for worked examples.
| Instrument | Clef(s) | Sounds |
|---|---|---|
| Flute | Treble | As written |
| Piccolo | Treble | An octave higher than written |
| Oboe | Treble | As written |
| Cor anglais | Treble | A perfect 5th lower than written |
| Clarinet in Bb | Treble | A major 2nd lower than written |
| Bassoon | Bass, tenor and treble | As written |
Flute and piccolo
The flute's range covers about three octaves, and its lowest note is middle C (some flutes go down to the B below). Its metal keys and pads are known as the Boehm system.
The piccolo is a small flute with the same fingering. It sounds an octave higher than written.
The recorder
The recorder is a whistle (fipple) flute: a block in the head directs your breath against a sharp edge. It has seven finger holes on the front and a thumb hole at the back, which is partly opened ('pinched') to reach higher notes.
The common sizes are descant (soprano), treble (alto), tenor and bass. The descant sounds an octave higher than written, while the treble and tenor sound as written.
Practice tips
General tips teachers often give:
- Practise long, steady notes first to build good breath control and tone.
- Keep reeds and instruments clean and stored as your teacher shows you.
- Learn each new fingering slowly, then practise moving between notes smoothly.