A less popular member of the oboe family is the bass oboe or baritone oboe which is one octave lower compared to the oboe. Similar to this instrument is the heckelphone which is measured as more powerful and has a wider bore. The most uncommon are the piccolo oboe or musette which is the sopranino in the family and the contrabass oboe which is pitched two octaves lower. The difference is that it has a longer scale and it is tuned in a deeper pitch. It is primarily played with the fingers or with a plectrum or pick. It also has the same construction and appearance as an electric guitar but it has a longer neck, a larger body, and a longer scale length. The bass guitar could be fretless or fretted but fretted basses are more commonly used. Bagpipes mostly consist of one or more drones. It is a cylinder-shaped tube with usually a single reed. It has at least two parts and has a sliding joint or bridle which manipulates the pitch. Construction A constant air supply is provided by the bagpipe s construction. The air flow could be maintained in the chanter and drone pipes through using the left hand to squeeze the bag during breathing periods. Together with the flute, oboe, English horn, clarinet, and contrabassoon, it covers the role of the bass and tenor instrument of the orchestra. Bassoon history The 16th century ancestor of the bassoon was given many names: fagot for the French, dulcian for the Germans, bajon for the Spanish, curtal for the English, and fagotto for the Italians. Flute Categories The flute player blows directly across from the edge of the mouthpiece for most flutes. These are called end-blown. Another basic type is the side-blown flute. The hole in which the player blows is at the side of the tube. One more is the fipple flute which has a duct that maneuvers the air onto the edge. A lot of banjo players prefers to use titanium or model railroad spikes to keep the string pushed down on the fret. Modern Banjo There many variations of the modern banjo. Increasing its popularity is the six-string banjo which is played like a guitar. The modern banjo s body, sometimes referred to as pot, has a metal ring, circular wooden rim, and a stretched head.