Are All Woodwinds Instruments Made from Wood?

Woodwinds Instruments

Woodwinds instruments are those instruments which are made from wood and produce tones as a result of air, or “wind” directed through them.  Obviously, modern woodwinds instruments are made out of metal and other materials.  Saxophones are brass, flutes can be nickel, silver or gold, and clarinets can even be plastic.  These instruments are still considered “woodwinds instruments” because of their origins.

Flutes differ from the rest of the family members as they are not played with a reed.  Though being they were originally made of wood they are considered to be woodwinds.

Woodwinds instruments include:

• flute
• oboe
• alto sax
• tenor sax
• bari sax
• clarinet
• bass clarinet
• bassoon
• whistles
• harp
• crumhorn
• bagpipes

Woodwinds are the oldest family of musical instruments and produce a warm tone in the orchestra or band.