free-reed instrument
- noun
- Specialized
:
instrumento de caña libre
- The free-reed instrument family includes the accordion and the harmonica.
Examples
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The free-reed instrument produces sound when air flows past the vibrating reed.
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She enjoys playing a free-reed instrument because of its unique sound.
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Many Asian musical traditions feature some type of free-reed instrument.
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The free-reed instrument produces a unique sound.
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Many cultures use free-reed instruments in their music.
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He learned to master the free-reed instrument during his music studies at school.
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Various types of free-reed instruments can be found across different cultures.
Synonyms
1
8.1
A keyboard instrument that makes sound when air is pushed through thin metal strips using hand pumps
1
3.1
An instrument that makes sound when you blow air through it, like a flute or trumpet
1
5.6
A small flat instrument you play by blowing and drawing air through holes
1
5.6
A small wind instrument you play by blowing and drawing air through reeds
1
4.1
An instrument that makes sound when a reed vibrates, like a clarinet or saxophone
A Chinese instrument you play by blowing into vertical pipes
A small keyboard instrument you play by blowing air through it
A keyboard instrument that makes sound when air is pulled through thin metal strips, making a warm vibrating sound
Surface Forms
Morphology
free-reed + instrument
The phrase is compositionally built from 'free' + 'reed' + 'instrument' so its meaning — an instrument whose reed vibrates freely — can be directly inferred from the constituent words. Although it is a somewhat technical term, the modifier describes the reed's behavior in a straightforward, cross-linguistically transparent way, so a B1 learner who knows 'free', 'reed' and 'instrument' should be able to understand it.
Etymology
The noun free-reed instrument gets its name from a small flexible reed that is free to move in the air. When air passes the reed, it shakes without touching anything and makes the 'sound' we hear, so instruments like the harmonica and accordion are called 'free-reed' instruments.