| A wind instrument is a musical | | | | more accurate way to determine whether |
| instrument that contains some type of | | | | an instrument is brass or woodwind is to |
| resonator (usually a tube), in which a | | | | examine how the player produces sound. |
| column of air is set into vibration by | | | | In brass instruments, the player's lips |
| the player blowing into (or over) a | | | | vibrate, causing the air within the |
| mouthpiece set at the end of the | | | | instrument to vibrate. In woodwind |
| resonator. The pitch of the vibration is | | | | instruments the player either: 1. causes |
| determined by the length of the tube and | | | | a reed to vibrate, which agitates the |
| by manual modifications of the effective | | | | column of air (as in a clarinet or |
| length of the vibrating column of air. | | | | oboe), 2. blows against an edge or |
| Methods for obtaining different notes | | | | fipple (as in a recorder), or 3. blows |
| Changing the length of the vibrating air | | | | across the edge of an open hole (as in a |
| column, by changing the effective length | | | | flute). |
| of the tube through opening or closing | | | | For example, the saxophone, flute, and |
| holes in the side of the tube. This can | | | | metal clarinet are all typically made of |
| be done by covering the holes with | | | | brass, but are classified as woodwind |
| fingers or pressing a key which then | | | | instruments due to the method of |
| closes the hole. This method is used in | | | | vibrating the air column (except for the |
| nearly all woodwind instruments. | | | | flute these all use a reed). |
| Changing the length of the vibrating air | | | | On the other hand, the wooden cornett |
| column, by changing the length of the | | | | (not to be confused with the cornet, |
| tube, through engaging valves (see | | | | which is made of brass) and the serpent |
| rotary valve, piston valve) which route | | | | are both made of wood (or plastic |
| the air through additional tubing, | | | | tubing, in the case of modern serpents), |
| thereby increasing overall tube length, | | | | but belong to the family of brass |
| thereby lowering the fundamental pitch. | | | | instruments because the vibrating is |
| This method is used on nearly all brass | | | | done by the player's lips. |
| instruments. | | | | In the Hornbostel-Sachs scheme of |
| Changing the length of the vibrating air | | | | musical instrument classification, wind |
| column, by lengthening the tube using a | | | | instruments are classed as aerophones. |
| sliding mechanism. This method is used | | | | Parts |
| on the trombone and slide whistle. | | | | The bell of a wind instrument is the |
| Making the column of air vibrate at | | | | round, flared opening opposite the |
| different harmonics, without changing | | | | mouthpiece. It is found on horns, |
| the length of the column of air (see | | | | trumpets and many other kinds of |
| harmonic series). | | | | instruments. On brass instruments, the |
| Types of wind instruments | | | | acoustical coupling from the bore to the |
| Wind instruments fall into one of the | | | | outside air occurs at the bell for all |
| following categories: | | | | notes, and the shape of the bell |
| Brass instruments | | | | optimizes this coupling. On woodwinds, |
| Woodwind instruments | | | | most notes vent at the uppermost open |
| Although brass instruments were | | | | tone holes; only the lowest notes of |
| originally made of brass and woodwind | | | | each register vent fully or partly at |
| instruments have traditionally been made | | | | the bell, and the bell's function in |
| of wood, the material used to make the | | | | this case is to improve the consistency |
| body of the instrument is not always a | | | | in tone between these notes and the |
| reliable guide to its family type. A | | | | others. |