The Classical Free-Reed, Inc.
The Free-Reed Family: A Brief Description
Taxonomy of Musical Instruments
By Henry Doktorski

Chordophones

Stringed Instruments
Bowed Violin
Viola
Cello
Contrabass
Plucked Guitar
Banjo
Ukulele
Harp
Harpsichord
Struck Hammered Dulcimer
Piano
Aerophones

Wind Instruments






















Aerophones

Wind Instruments
Pipe Aerophones

pitch determined
by pipe length
Edge Instruments Whistle Flutes Whistle
Recorder
Organ Flue Pipes
diapasons, flutes, mixtures, etc.
True Flutes Jug
Panpipes
Flute
Piccolo
Reed Pipe Instruments Single Reeds Clarinet
Saxophone
Single Reed Bagpipe
Double Reeds Oboe
Bassoon
Double Reed Bagpipe
Brass Instruments Without Valves Conch shell
Animal Horn Shofar
Didjeridu
Bugle
Trombone
With Valves
Trumpet
Cornet
French Horn
Euphonium
Tuba
Free Aerophones

pitch not determined by pipe length
Beating Reed
Instruments

reeds strike against another object
Single Reed Organ Reed Pipes
hautbois, fagotto, chalumeau, krummhorn, clairon, trompette, trompette en chamade, trombone, tuba, etc.
Double Reed Human Voice (*1)
Free-Reed
Instruments

reeds vibrate freely without striking anything
Unframed Reed Wind Blown Bull-Roarer
Aeolian Harp
Mouth Blown Leaf Instrument
Mouth Blown
& Plucked
Jew's Harp
Framed Reed Mouth Blown Shêng
shô
Khaen
Harmonica
Hand Blown
Concertina
Bandonéon
Bayan
Accordion
Indian Harmonium
Foot Blown
Harmonium
Reed Organ
Pedal Concertina
Mechanically Blown
Barrel Organ
Orchestrion
Pedal Reed Organ
Electric Chord Organ
Percussion
Instruments
Idiophones

body of instrument vibrates
Pitched Struck Triangle
Bell
Gong
Cymbal
Xylophone
Marimba
Celesta
Rubbed Prayer Bowls
Glass Harmonica
Plucked Music Box
Kalimba, Mbira
Unpitched Struck Slit Drum
Castanets
Shaken Rattle
Jingles
Membranophones

membrane vibrates
Determinate Pitch Struck Timpani
Roto Toms
Indeterminate Pitch Struck Snare Drum
Bass Drum
Bongos
Congas
Tambourine
Rubbed Friction Drum
Blown Kazoo
Electrophones Electric/Acoustic Instruments Electric Guitar
Electric Bass
Fender Rhodes Electric Piano
Electric Violin
Electronic Electromagnetic Instruments Theremin
Ondes Martenot
Electric Organ
Synthesizer
Digital Instruments MIDI Keyboard
MIDI Wind Controller
MIDI Drum Machine
MIDI Guitar
MIDI Accordion

The Free-Reed Family of Aerophones
By Diarmuid Pigott

Air supply PressurePlayed GroupScale Notes
Mouth Blown













Mouth Blown
+/- Fingers over holes Asian mouth organ Various:
Pentatonic
Diatonic
Chromatic
Chinese Shêng
Japanese shô
Laotian Khaen
Lips and Tongue Harmonica or Mouth-Organ Diatonic Marine Band ("Blues Harp")
Tremolo Harmonica, Echo harmonica
Chromatic Chromonica, Chromatitica
Hybrid Koch Chromatic Marine Band
Chordal Chord Harmonica
+ Lips Pitch Pipe Various Used as tuning note for choirs, etc
Flute-like Klui ? From Thailand: the only free-reed resonated flute
Trumpet-keyed Shalmei Diatonic Tyrolian Many Belled Trumpets - solo instrument
Chords Tyrolian Many Belled Trumpets - accompaniment
Buttons Symphonium Chromatic Predecessor of Wheatstone's Concertina
Lever Action Toy Instrument Diatonic Toy "Clarinet"
Keyboard Melodicas Chromatic Hohner Melodica
Hand Blown



















Hand Blown
+/-









+/-
Buttons Concertina Diatonic Single-Action German or "Anglo" Concertina
Various Single-Action Multi-Row Anglo Concertina
Chromatic Double-Action English Concertina
Double-Action McAnn System Concertina
Double-Action Triumph/Crane System Concertina
Bandonéon and
Chemnitzer Concertina
Diatonic Single-Action Bandonéon
Chemnitzer Concertina
Chromatic Double-Action Bandonéon
Melodeon Diatonic Melodeon
Diatonic Button Accordion Diatonic Organetto Abruzzese
Bi-Diatonic Cajun
Irish
Italian
Polka
Chromatic Button Accordion Chromatic Russian Bayan
R. H. Keyboard
L. H. Buttonboard
Accordion Chromatic Early Single-Action English and French
Standard Stradella-Bass Piano Accordion (*4)
Modern Free-Bass Piano Accordion
Reuther's Uniform Keyboard
Keyboard/Frets Melophone Chromatic Accordion in the form of a cello/guitar
+ Buttons Lap organ Chromatic James A. Bazin, U.S.A. 1836 (Early Models)
Keyboard Harmonium Chromatic Indian Droned Harmonium
Lap Organ Chromatic Bazin, U.S.A. (Later Models)
Foot Blown
+/- KeyboardPeaseleyChromaticAaron Merrill Peaseley U.S.A. 1818 (*5)
+
Keyboard Orgue ExpressifChromaticGrenie, Paris 1803
PhysharmonicaChromaticHaeckel, Vienna 1818
SeraphineChromaticGreen, London 1831
HarmoniumChromaticDebain, Paris 1840
VocalionChromaticFarmer, Harrow 1872
Foot ButtonsPedal Concertina DiatonicBelgian Instrument
- Keyboard ExperimentalChromatic Alexandre, Paris 1835
American Organ Chromatic
Melodion, US 1835
Mechanically Blown + Cogs in Barrel /
Punched Cards
Barrel Organ Diatonic/
Chromatic
Barrel Organ
+ Cogs in Barrel Orchestrion Chromatic Mälzel's Panharmonicon, 1804
+/- Keyboard &
Pedalboard
Pedal Reed Organ Chromatic Pedal Reed Organ
+/- R.H. Keyboard
L.H. Buttonboard
Chord Organ Chromatic Electric Chord Organ


Footnotes:

Part Three: Eastern Free-Reed Instruments
Part Four: Western Free-Reed Instruments


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