Woodwind

Woodwind instruments belong to a family in that they have certain characteristics in common, but the five members of the family have very different and distinct sounds and characters. The common factors are that they were all (except one) made of wood when they were first invented, and you blow down or across a tube to make the sounds. They sound beautiful on their own but also blend well together in all kinds of ensembles. There is an enormous amount of music written for woodwind players suitable for all stages of learning, including many pieces with a CD accompaniment so practice at home is a real musical experience.

The Flute

The flute has a wide range of high notes that are written in the treble clef. It is a popular instrument as it can have a gentle sound, is not too expensive, and is easy to carry. It can also sound very exciting when you have mastered its highest notes. It is made of silver-plated metal and has keys which you press to change notes.

If you have learnt to play the recorder you will find the finger patterns used are similar, but the flute is held sideways and you blow air across a hole near the top of the instrument to produce the sound – rather like blowing across the top of a bottle. It sometimes take a little experimenting to make the sound, but within a short time you will be able to play simple tunes with 5 or 6 notes in them. There is plenty for a flute to play in orchestras, bands, jazz groups and wind ensembles. A good time to start playing the flute is from year 4 or 5, although there is a curved head flute available for smaller children. A good quality new flute for a beginner costs about £200.

The Oboe

The oboe is made of wood (or plastic for beginners) and has metal keys which allow the player to change notes. The finger patterns used are similar to the recorder. The sound is produced by blowing through two pieces of very thin bamboo cane bound together – this is called a double reed. The oboe is a melodic instrument that loves to play sad and melancholy sounds as well as bright and perky music. It plays a range of fairly high notes from the treble clef. It is a little more difficult to get started on the oboe than the flute or clarinet, but when you have adjusted to the small reed, you will soon be able to play interesting tunes. At about £600 for a new beginner instrument, fewer people choose to learn the oboe than the less expensive flute and clarinet so, if you persevere, you will be in demand for bands, ensembles and orchestras. A good time to start is in year 6 or 7 and because the Music Service would like to encourage more players to learn the oboe we do have some instruments to lend to pupils.

The Clarinet

The B flat Clarinet is one of the most popular woodwind instruments to learn after the recorder. Its contrasting low, mellow, and high, incisive tones makes it an instrument very suitable to a diverse repertoire including classical, popular, folk, jazz and world music. It is blown with a single bamboo reed attached to a mouthpiece and has seven holes that are covered with the fingers as well as a number of keys. As a single line melodic instrument playing in the treble clef it forms an important part of many ensembles including wind bands and orchestras. Year 5 or 6 is a good age at which to start. A new instrument suitable for a beginner will cost about £220.

The ‘Lyons’ C Clarinet

This smaller lightweight version of the standard clarinet makes an excellent instrument to begin on from year 3 onwards, or for the pupil of relatively small size. The instrument can later be upgraded to the larger clarinet or provide a starting point for taking up another wind instrument. Players can successfully join bands and groups after a relatively short time. A new instrument is about £180.

The Bassoon

The Bassoon is the largest and lowest instrument of the woodwind family. You read from the bass clef when playing its beautiful sounds. It is made of maple wood and has silver keys which the player presses to change notes. The bassoon is two and a half metres long but is doubled back on itself to make it comfortable to play. To make it possible to carry about, it takes apart into four connecting pieces. Like the oboe the bassoon is a more unusual instrument, and its low sound is made by blowing through a double reed.

The bassoon is used in orchestras, bands and ensembles and at beginner level you may be the only bassoon in your group! Until recently a good age to start was in year 7 or 8 as the bassoon is quite heavy to hold although this is made easier by the use of a neck sling or seat strap. Now a much smaller and lighter instrument, the mini bassoon, is available for players as young as those in year 3. The Music Service wants to encourage more players to learn the bassoon. We offer taster lessons and initially the free loan of an instrument.

The Saxophone

Although the saxophone is made of brass and has never been made of wood, it is part of the woodwind family because it is played in a similar way to the clarinet. It is a versatile instrument usually associated with jazz but equally at home in classical and contemporary music. It is blown with the aid of a single reed attached to a mouthpiece and is held with a sling.

The saxophone comes in various sizes although the ‘alto’ is usually favoured by beginners for its manageable size and availability of repertoire. Its holes are covered with the aid of keys and the fingerings are similar to that of the recorder. Being a single line melodic instrument the saxophone reads in the treble clef and is popular as a way of joining bands and groups of all ages and abilities. Year 5 to 6 is considered a good age to start. A new alto saxophone costs about £300.