1. Introduction to Woodwind Family: History of the Flute
5th Grade General Music
Miss Kresevic

2. Woodwind Family Flute, Piccolo, Clarinet, Oboe, Saxophone, Bassoon
The flute and piccolo are wind instruments that produce sound by blowing air over the mouthpiece
Other woodwinds like the clarinet, oboe, saxophone and bassoon have a reed that vibrates to produce a sound

3. Woodwind Characteristics
Typically the smaller the instrument the higher pitch it can produce
For example the piccolo can play the highest pitch in the woodwind family and the bassoon the lowest pitch
Woodwind instruments come in many different colors
For example clarinets and oboes come in black, whereas flutes and piccolos are silver, and saxophones are gold, bassoons are typically brown in color

4. Single Reed & Double Reed vs. No Reeds
Single reed instruments include the clarinet and saxophone, and the reed is connected to the mouthpiece to produce sound
Double reed instruments include the oboe and the bassoon, and do not have a mouthpiece, only a double reed connected to the body of the instrument using vibrations to create sound
Instruments that use no reeds to produce sound include flute and piccolo. The musician must blow air over the mouthpiece to create sound.

5. Piccolo Smaller version of the flute Half the size of the flute
Notes and fingerings are exactly the same
Only difference is that it produces a higher pitch

6. Flute Was first made of wood
Originally had only 5 keys, eventually developed into models with more keys
Now normally made of metal
Produces a very bright sound

7. Clarinet Single reed instrument Plays a wide range of music
Is capable of playing wide range of notes
Perfect instrument for many different types of music from classical to jazz

8. Oboe Looks similar to the clarinet
Used mostly for classical compositions
Only difference between clarinet and oboe is that the oboe is a double reed instrument
In a single reed instrument the reed is connected to the mouthpiece to produce sound
In a double reed instrument there is no mouthpiece, only a thick reed you blow on to produce a sound

9. Saxophone Single reed instrument
Depending on the musician can sound mellow or strong
Has a curved shape compared to other woodwinds
Gold in color compared to silver and black woodwinds
Capable of playing a large variety of music from pop to big band to jazz to classical

10. Bassoon Largest of the woodwinds Plays very low notes
“Backbone of the orchestra”
Black in color like Oboe and Clarinet
Double reed instrument

11. History of the Flute Oldest known wind instrument
First made 9th century BC
Has evolved, or changed over time
19th century marked great modifications for the flute

12. Theobald Boehm (1794 – 1881) Bavarian court musician
Designed new types of flutes in 1832 and 1847
Development of the 1847 model were also designed by French makers and copied by Americans & Japanese
This formed the basis for the modern flute

13. Eight Keyed Flutes (Before 1832)
Wooden body, one piece and 8 keys
Used mechanical means to alter flute fingering positions
Sound like a trumpet and not a flute
Included mechanics that required the motion of fingers to specific tone holes
These instruments allowed Boehm to create a flute with a model other than previous traditional designs

14. Boehm’s Second Model (1847)
Circular shape
Metal tube instead of wooden
Was the first commercial flute available
In Paris & London
Germans thought the new tone was less flute like than the older flute models
Partly for this reason this modernized flute was made with wood more often than metal

15. Benefits of the New Model
Easier to play
More pleasing to the ear
Able to produce broader range of notes
Easier maintenance/last longer
Commercially available to a wide range of flute players at many different levels
Comprised of three pieces which allows a musician to tune to other instruments in a more efficient manner

16. Fun Flute Fact Check . . . (according to today’s lesson)
Why is a flute a woodwind? Is it really wood?
True or false: Flutes were first developed with 5 keys
True or false: Flutes produce a higher pitch than piccolos
List woodwind instruments that use a reed to produce a sound.
List woodwind instruments that don’t use a reed.
Who was known for creating the modern day flute?
Which woodwind instrument is the oldest?
Which is the only woodwind instrument to have a curved body?
True or false: The largest of the woodwind instruments is the bassoon
True of false: Theobald Boehm was a Bavarian court musician who designed the modern day piccolo