Woodwind instruments produce sound by passing air through a column or tube. The three ways air enters the column are:

• Passing air across a hole, which vibrates the air inside the instrument. (flutes)
• Passing air through two curved reeds, creating a buzzing sound that creates fluctuations of the air pressure inside the instrument. (oboes, bassoons)
• Passing air between a single flexible reed and a fixed mouthpiece which vibrates causing fluctuation of air pressure inside the instrument. (clarinets, saxophones)
• Pitch is obtained by closing and opening tone holes on the instrument. Which holes to close or open is complex and non-linear. Non-woodwind players may need to view fingering charts to fully understand how a note is to be played.

The four primary woodwind instruments of the orchestra are the flute, oboe, clarinet, and bassoon. Even though it is not made of wood, the saxophone is also considered a woodwind instrument; however, it is not considered a primary woodwind instrument in the traditional orchestra.

As indicated above, the flute players blow across an embouchure hole, which is located at one end of the flute. Like other woodwind instruments, air travels down the flute's column and produces a tone. the volume of the tube "changes" when the player lifts or depresses keys along the cylindrical bore of the flute.

Unlike the flute, oboes and bassoons have a conical bore. That is, the tube of the instrument gradually changes diameter from one end to the other, which resembles a cone shape. Oboes and bassons are "double-reed" instruments because sound is produced when the performer blows air between two curved reeds made of cane. These two reeds create a good deal of air resistance, and are much more breath efficient than flutes or single-reed instruments.

Like the flute, the clarinet is a cylindrical bore instrument. The saxophone is quite similar to the clarinet in design except that the saxophone has a conical bore. Both instruments are "single-reed" instruments. Sound is produced when a player blows air between a flexible reed made of cane and a rigid mouthpiece. The reed vibrates creating a sound wave that travels through the instrument column, which results in a pitch.