Shawm

 

The shawm is a forerunner of the modern oboe and originated in the Middle East. It is of a similar construction to the oboe with a long, thin body and a bell. Shawms come in a variety of sizes and pitches, from the small soprano to the large bass. Made from wood and played with a double reed, the shawm makes a distinctively bright, nasal sound. The collective noun is a consort of shawms.