How do reed instruments such as clarinets and oboes produce sound?

Reed instruments, such as clarinets and oboes, produce sound by using the player's breath to cause a reed—a thin blade typically made of cane—to vibrate. This vibration sets up a sound wave within the instrument's enclosed air column.12

The specific mechanism depends on the type of reed:

• Single Reeds: In instruments like the clarinet, a single reed is attached to a mouthpiece. As the player blows, the thin end of the reed vibrates, alternately opening and closing the space between the reed and the mouthpiece. These vibrations travel through the tone chamber and into the instrument's air column.2
• Double Reeds: In instruments like the oboe, two blades of cane are bound together. The player holds the reed with their lips, and the opening between the two blades rhythmically opens and closes under breath pressure, generating pulsations within the tube.2

In both cases, the length of the pipe determines the pitch, while the shape of the bore influences the instrument's timbre.1