In ancient times, musical instruments were usually made of wood. Their principle of operation was based on the passage of a stream of air through holes of various sizes, and the musician's fingers served as valves. Such instruments have not lost their popularity in the modern world and are widely used by performers of folklore and symphonic music.
The importance of wind instruments, both solo and in an orchestra of any type, is very high. According to music experts, they are the ones who bring together the sounds of strings and keyboards, even out the sound, despite the fact that their technical and artistic qualities are not so outstanding and attractive. With the development of new technologies and the use of new materials for the manufacture of wind musical instruments, the popularity of woodwind decreased, but not so much that they were completely excluded from use. And in symphonic and folklore orchestras, and in instrumental groups, various pipes and pipes made of wood are widely used, since their sound is so unique that it is impossible to replace them with something.
Types of woodwind instruments
Clarinet - capable of producing a wide range sound with a soft and warm timbre. These unique abilities of the instrument provide the performer with unlimited possibilities for playing with the melody.
The flute is a wind instrument with the highest sound. She is considered a unique instrument in terms of technical capabilities when performing melodies, which gives her the right to a solo part in music of any direction.
The oboe is a wooden instrument with a slightly harsh, nasal, but unusually melodious voice. It is most often used in symphony orchestras, for playing solo parts or excerpts from classical works.
The bassoon is a bass wind instrument that produces only a low sound. It is much more difficult to control and play it than other wind instruments, but, nevertheless, at least 3 or 4 of them are used in a classical symphony orchestra.
In folklore orchestras, various pipes, zhaleiki, whistles and ocarina made of wood are used. Their structure is not as complex as that of symphonic instruments, the sound is not so diverse, but it is much easier to control them.
Where are woodwind instruments used?
In modern music, woodwind instruments are no longer used as often as in past centuries. Their popularity is unchanged only in symphony and chamber orchestras, as well as in folklore ensembles. When performing music of these genres, they often occupy a leading position, and it is they who are given the solo part. There are frequent cases of the sounding of wooden instruments in jazz and pop compositions. But connoisseurs of such creativity, unfortunately, are becoming less and less.
How and from what modern wind instruments are made
Modern woodwind instruments only superficially resemble their predecessors. They are made not only of wood, the air flow is regulated not by fingers, but by a multi-level system of key-valves that make the sound shorter or longer, raise or lower its tone.
For the production of wind instruments, maple, pear, walnut or the so-called ebony - ebony are used. Their wood is porous, but resilient and durable, it does not burst during processing and does not crack during use.
