Aerophone

Shinobue and other flutes-3

Neolithic bone flute

Indian bamboo flute

Eight Flute1

Flûte a l' agnon1

Aerophones are a class of musical instruments that produce sound primarily by causing a body of air to vibrate, without the use of strings or membranes, and without the vibration of the instrument itself adding significantly to the sound. The term was first coined by Erich von Hornbostel and Curt Sachs, two ethnomusicologists who developed the Hornbostel-Sachs system of musical instrument classification. Aerophones comprise one of the four main classes in this system, alongside chordophones (string instruments), membranophones (drum-type instruments), and idiophones (instruments that create sound through the vibration of their own material).

Types of Aerophones

Aerophones can be divided into two main categories: free aerophones and non-free aerophones.

Free Aerophones

Free aerophones are instruments in which the air vibrates freely without the need for an enclosed resonating chamber. Examples include the bullroarer, the siren, and the whistle. These instruments produce sound by the movement of air itself, often by being swung through the air or blown directly into.

Non-Free Aerophones

Non-free aerophones, on the other hand, require the air to vibrate within a particular space. This category can be further divided into woodwinds and brass instruments, based on how the sound is produced.

Woodwinds

Woodwind instruments produce sound by splitting the air on a sharp edge or by vibrating a reed. They can be further categorized into flutes, where the air is directed against an edge, and reed instruments, which use a reed to create the vibration. Examples of woodwind instruments include the flute, clarinet, oboe, and saxophone.

Brass Instruments

Brass instruments produce sound through the vibration of the player's lips as they blow into a cup or funnel-shaped mouthpiece. The pitch is altered by changing the lip tension and by using valves or a slide to change the length of the tubing. Examples include the trumpet, trombone, tuba, and French horn.

Physics of Sound Production in Aerophones

The sound in aerophones is produced through the vibration of air. In free aerophones, the air itself is the primary vibrator. In non-free aerophones, the air column within the instrument vibrates. The pitch of the sound is determined by the length of the air column; longer columns produce lower pitches, while shorter columns produce higher pitches. The player can alter the pitch by changing the length of the air column through various methods, such as opening or closing holes on the body of the instrument or extending the length of the instrument with a slide.

Cultural Significance

Aerophones have been used in various cultures around the world for thousands of years, serving a wide range of purposes from entertainment and artistic expression to religious ceremonies and communication. The diversity of aerophones across cultures reflects the wide range of materials, designs, and playing techniques that have been developed to produce sound through air vibration.

See Also

• Musical instrument classification
• Wind instrument
• History of musical instruments