Double Reed

A “double reed” is a type of reed used to produce sound in various woodwind instruments, such as the oboe and bassoon. The term “double reed” comes from the fact that there are actually two pieces of reed fastened together and vibrating against each other. In a double-reed instrument, there is no mouthpiece as on a brass instrument or a single-reed instrument like the saxophone. The two parts of the reed are placed directly in the player’s mouth. Novice players may use a synthetic reed, but most advanced and professional double-reed players make their own reeds from cane. This allows the player to customize the response of the reed to their personal embouchure, air support, instrument angle, and so on.