The cornamuse is a double reed instrument from the Renaissance period. It is an instrument with no keys made in varying sizes. The cornamuse is similar in many ways to the crumhorn and rauschpfeife, although unlike those instruments; the bell of the cornamuse is closed, resulting in a much quieter sound.
Their sound has been described as "quite similar to crumhorns, but quieter, lovelier, and very soft." However, there are no existing cornamusen from the period, and so all modern reproductions are based on paintings and descriptions.
Crumhorns are capped-reed instruments of the Renaissance. They produce a unique, buzzing double-reed sound. During the Renaissance, Crumhorns did NOT have any upper extension keys. Which is the reason they are refered to as Nine-Note Instruments. In our times, two upper extension keys are often mounted, extending the range to one octave and a half.
