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What are aerophones and which instruments belong to this group?
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An aerophone is any musical instrument in which a vibrating mass of air serves as the primary medium for producing sound. This classification, established by the Sachs-Hornbostel system, categorizes instruments based on their acoustic principles rather than their material or cultural context.123
Aerophones are broadly divided into two groups:
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Wind instruments proper: These instruments contain a vibrating column of air within a tube. They are further classified by their method of tone production:3
- Edge instruments (flutes): Sound is produced by directing an airstream against a sharp edge, such as in transverse flutes, recorders, and ocarinas.3
- Reed instruments (reedpipes): A column of air is activated by a vibrating reed, including oboes, bassoons, clarinets, and saxophones.3
- Trumpet-type instruments: Sound is created by the vibration of the player’s compressed lips, such as trumpets and horns.3
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Free aerophones: In these instruments, the vibrating air is not enclosed within a tube. Examples include the bull-roarer, accordions, and the free-reed stops found in organs.32