Oboe The oboe is member of the woodwind family and has a double reed. It is a soprano-range instrument with a length of sixty-two centimeters. It has a conical bore that widens into a flaring bell at the end. The origin of its name could be traced back to the English instrument hautbois or hoboy before 1770. It was constructed with two sections with an E-flat key during the Baroque era. It was established in the orchestra around the middle of 1700 but was usually used in performances with a military disposition. It was not used in symphonies until Beethoven wrote parts for it in his 5th symphony. Michael Janusch, a flute teacher, created the multi-key piccolo. The tangent of at least two notes hit the strings at varied lengths from the bridge and also produces varied tones. Fretting generally gives limitations on the playing range because it is impossible to produce the sound of the fretted notes at one time. There are times that the player has to cut a note by releasing a key just before it completes its full sound. The harpsichord family There are various members of the large harpsichord family archicembalo, virginals, ottavino, clavicytherium, spinet, folding harpsichord, and the regular harpsichord. The archicembalo had a unique keyboard design and was for the tuning systems of the 16th century. The virginals is a simpler and smaller harpsichord with only a string for every note while the ottavino are similar to virginals but are at four foot pitch. The first written citation of a banjo-like instrument is credited to Richard Jobson, an explorer. He mentioned it in the diaries or records of his journey in the Gambra River of Africa in the 1620. Minstrels in Virginia used two banjo players in a show in 1843. This started the spread of banjo s popularity in the United States. The neck is the tube that holds the mouthpiece through a layer of cork. The other end of the neck is attached to the body of the saxophone. Saxophones are expected to have a lacquer finish which means that it appears to be polished brass. Some are made in silver which gives it a sound that is brighter.