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reed organ
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reed organ
reed organ

reed organ

musical instrument family
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History

reed organ, any keyboard instrument sounded by vibration of metal reeds under wind pressure. “Reed organ” commonly refers to instruments having free reeds (vibrating through a slot with close tolerance) and no pipes.

Such instruments include the harmonium and the melodeon (qq.v.) and are distinct from organs proper (i.e., pipe organs). A type of small pipe organ describable as a reed organ is the regal (q.v.), which has beating reeds (vibrating against a frame) and pipe resonators.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Amy Tikkanen.