The "Color" Reeds are divided into three groups. The oboe family has slim, conical resonators. Oboe tone in an organ is often a softer version of trumpet tone, and therefore a good oboe stop, called Oboe, Schalmei, Hautbois, or Fagott, can be used as a solo but will also blend with flues. The clarinet family has cylindrical resonators and are called Clarinet, Krummhorn (Cromorne), or Dulzian. Very short resonators make a buzzy reed sound like that of early wind instruments and have names that reflect this: Rankett, Regal, Zink. The Vox Humana is also a short-resonator reed and is usually used with tremolo. A large romantic organ will often have reeds called English Horn, Orchestral Oboe, or French Horn.

Listen to the Reeds

How do organ reeds compare with other reed instruments?

Reed pipes on the organ make sound just like the saxophone does. The wind makes the reed vibrate against the shallot like the player's breath makes the reed vibrate against the saxophone mouthpiece.