Abstract: Tone holes are formed in a bell joint and a long joint for producing lower register tones Bb, B, C, C#, D and Eb and obliquely extend with respect to a center axis of an air passage formed in the joints in such a manner as to have inner ends closer to a tone hole assigned to a higher register tone than the outer ends thereof, and the oblique tone holes suppress undesirable sharpness in intonation and allow a player to smoothly produce the sounds.

Abstract: A bassoon equipped with a key mechanism is constructed by a tube which consists of a tenor joint, a double joint, a long joint and a bell joint. Herein, three sound holes corresponding to sounds of E, B.music-flat. and F.music-sharp. are located in the double joint. Three keys corresponding to E, B.music-flat., F.music-sharp. are provided to open or close the three sound holes respectively and are all manipulated by the fingering using only a thumb of a right hand of a performer. Herein, an E key which is the center of the three keys is specialized in construction. That is, the E key which is located to cover the E sound hole is constructed by a pad cup and a key body whose size is reduced as compared with the conventional one. Two recesses are formed at both sides of the key body respectively. In addition, two rollers are held by the two recesses above the pad cup.

Abstract: A piece of hygroscopic cloth is connected to a flexible string formed of non-hygroscopic material such as nylon for wiping condensate from an inner surface of a crook, and the flexible string advances through an air passage of the crook without clinging to the inner surface, thereby making wiping away the condensate easy.

Abstract: A German bassoon comprises a crook, other component joints connected to the crook and a pianissimo key mechanism closing a pianissimo hole formed in the crook without any keywork, and the pianissimo key mechanism allows the pianissimo hole to be open when a player manipulates, thereby causing a performance of the German bassoon to be easy.