Aerophones or wind instruments produce sound by the means of vibrating air. In free aerophones, the vibrating air is free, not in a closed tube or body. The rest of aerophones have an air tube or container and have different systems to activate it; flutes (with a bevel or sharp edge), aerophones with reeds (single or double) and lip vibration instruments (trumpet type) are distinguished.

In the classification of the German musicologists Erich von Hornbostel and Curt Sachs, aerophones make up the fourth of the five groups of instruments.

Aerophones in Basque traditional music

Flutes

Edge blown, fipple flutes:

One hand:

• Txistu
• Xirula
• Silbote

Two hands:

• Txilibitu

Traverse:

• Flauta
• Pífano

Others:

• Ocarina
• Txulubita (apricot kernel)
• Txulubita (tin)
• Txulubita (slide whistle)
• Castrator's flute, Pan pipe

Toys:

• Txulubita (with holes)
• Txulubita (without holes)
• Txulubita (cane)

Single reed

• Alboka
• Clarinet
• Cornet
• Turuta (wheat)

Double reed

• Dultzaina
• Gaita navarra (dulzaina)
• Sunprinu
• Tutubia
• Turuta (straw)
• Txanbela

Bagpipes (xirolarruak)

• Boha
• Bota

Free reed

• Harmonica
• Accordion
• Trikitixa
• Lapwing call

Lip vibration

Natural:

• Adarra

Chromatic:

• Euphonium
• Trumpet
• Trombone
• Tuba

Free aerophones

• Bullroarer (Burruna, Furrunfarra)
• Firringila
• Stick (Ziria)