The Woodwind Families

By: Katie Chapman

Which Family to Choose?

Saxophone Clarinet Double Reeds Flute Author Resources Video Concept Map

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The Saxophone Family

Soprano Saxophone Alto Saxophone Tenor Saxophone Baritone Saxophone

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Soprano Saxophone

This is the smallest member of the saxophone family.

Soprano Sax is typically used in some high school music, but mostly in upper level collegiate and professional ensembles

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Alto Saxophone

The Alto Saxophone is the most commonly used model in the saxophone family.

It can be played in almost any setting, but is not typically used in orchestral music.

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Tenor Saxophone

Tenor Saxophone produces deeper tones and the range of the instrument is lower than the alto or soprano saxophones.

It is also considerably larger than the alto or soprano.

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Baritone Saxophone

The Baritone Saxophone is the largest of the commonly used saxophones.

Its tone is deeper and lower than the other saxes and is most commonly heard in jazz ensembles.

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The Clarinet Family

B-flat Clarinet E-flat Clarinet A Clarinet Bass Clarinet Contrabass Clarinet

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B-flat Clarinet

B-flat clarinet is the first clarinet that students use, and continues through the musical career.

It is used in almost every musical ensemble.

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E-flat Clarinet

The E-flat clarinet is the soprano voice of the clarinet family.

It is most commonly used in upper level collegiate music and only some difficult high school band literature.

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A Clarinet

The A Clarinet is most commonly used in orchestral music.

Students typically do not play this clarinet until they seek to play at a professional level.

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Bass Clarinet

The Bass Clarinet is the most commonly used lower voice in the clarinet family.

The transition from B-flat to Bass clarinet typically takes place in high school after students understand the proper embouchure and finger placement on the smaller instrument.

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Contrabass Clarinet

The Contrabass clarinet is the lowest voice and the largest instrument in the clarinet family.

This instrument is only used in some pieces for band and orchestra, but not many.

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The Double Reed Family

Oboe English Horn Bassoon Contrabassoon

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Oboe

The Oboe is the soprano voice of the double reed family.

It uses a very small version of the double reed, which means that the two pieces of cane vibrate together to produce sound instead of one reed against the mouthpiece.

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English Horn

The English Horn is the middle voice of the double reed family.

This instrument is only used in higher level high school and college literature.

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Bassoon

The Bassoon is typically the lowest voice in the double reed family.

It is used in all settings, but not recommended for outdoor use in marching bands.

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Contrabassoon

The Contrabassoon is definitely the lowest voice in the double reed family with the biggest reed.

This instrument is called for in some higher literature for orchestra and even less commonly in orchestra.

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The Flute Family

Flute Piccolo Alto Flute Bass Flute

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Flute

The flute is the most commonly used instrument in its family.

It is the only woodwind that does not require a reed to vibrate in order to produce sound. The playing embouchure has the same effect as blowing across the top of a soda bottle.

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Piccolo

The piccolo is the soprano voice of the flute family.

It is typically used in high school and upper level literature.

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Alto Flute

The Alto flute is the middle voice of its family.

This instrument is not often called for in most arrangements for ensembles. It is used in a very few pieces.

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Bass Flute

The Bass flute is the lowest voice in its family.

It is not commonly used in ensembles and is very difficult to play because of the amount of breath control needed to produce a clean and clear tone.

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The Wonderful Sounds of a Woodwind Quartet

This is the TetraWind ensemble is a woodwind quartet comprised of flute, clarinet, oboe, and bassoon. They will be playing Scott Joplin’s Maple Leaf Rag, which was originally arranged for piano.

See all the fun and exciting things that can happen by playing a woodwind instrument?

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About the Author

Katharine Chapman is an instrumental music major at Grand Valley State University. She hopes to soon become a band director and eventually receive a masters in woodwinds.

For more information please contact Katharine via e-mail at: penguin_princess05@hotmail.com

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Resources

Woodwinds-Fundamental Performance Techniques by Gene A. Saucier

Pictures from the Woodwind & Brasswind site http://www.wwbw.com/

Video from the TetraWind website: http://tetrawind.googlepages.com/video

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Concept Map Quit