Bassoon

High school (ages 12+)
Art & Creativity

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/bassoon

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the instrument family?Woodwind instrument
2. What is the reed type?Double reed made from Arundo donax cane
3. How does a bassoon make its sound?The two pieces of cane in the double reed vibrate when you blow into it. Air travels through the conical tube inside the instrument, and the keys change the pitch.
4. Why is the bassoon shaped like a U?The U bend, called the butt joint, lets the long instrument fit in the player's hands. It helps the bassoon stay under 8 feet long when played.

Timbre: The unique quality or character of a musical sound, distinct from its pitch and loudness.
Conical Bore: A tube that gradually widens from one end to the other, affecting the instrument's sound.
Embouchure: The way a musician shapes their mouth and lips when playing a wind instrument.
Chromatic Range: The full range of notes an instrument can play, including all the sharps and flats.