Double reed

Double reed (Fr.: anche double; Ger.: Doppelrohrblatt; It.: ancia doppia), reed made from 2 blades of cane (Arundo donax) or other material. In its early form a double reed was made of cornstalk, rush, etc., flattened at one end. Double reeds of antiquity were pinched flat and clamped to hold the tip in shape; they had long necks and were inserted directly into the pipe. Short reeds mounted on metal staples do not occur until postclassical times. The pinched type of reed is still in use in the…