This Roosebeck Straight Cromorne Medieval Pipe is 28 inches long. It is an alto, in key of "F" and has the same fingering as the recorder, with 8 finger holes.
The solid sheesham pipe is carved in three sections, with brass trim and a brass key. Included reed mounts on the inside the pipe.
The Medieval Pipe has a straight bore and the bell has an open end; giving it much softer sounding than the rauschpfeife, but louder than the cornamuse. The Roosebeck Straight Cromorne Medieval Pipe is very similar to the rauschpfeif and the cornamuse. There are important differences. The rauschpfeif is distinctive among Renaissance windcap instruments, as it has a conical bore giving it a loud voice. The cornamuse has a similar shape as the Medieval Pipe, but the bell on the cornamuse has a closed end. The cornamuse sound escapes through the side holes of the bell giving it a very soft voice.
The primary art in playing windcap instruments is in maintaining a strong breath pressure to keep the reed vibrating and the instrument in tune. The required breath pressure is very strong compared to flute and recorder.
