Pipe is one of the oldest musical instruments. Pipes are the ancestors of the present pipe organ and all other wind instruments. According to Greek mythology, the god Pan invented pipes (see Pan). Prehistoric people fashioned bones into primitive pipes.
The flute is a pipe of the whistle type. In this musical instrument, air blown against a sharp edge sets in motion the air in a hollow tube. The oboe and clarinet are reed pipes. In these musical instruments, the movements of a thin piece of wood or other material set the air in motion. The trumpet operates on the principle of setting the air in motion through vibrations of the player’s lips.
