At great feasts they are to play upon shagbut, cornetts, shawms and other instruments going with wind. Unlike the medieval shawm, the late Middle Ages and Renaissance shawm uses a broad cane reed controlled by the player's lips. With the smaller size shawms, the reed could be placed inside a pirouette, a funnel shaped protector against which the player places his lips. This pirouette not only protects the reed, but also helps avoid lip fatique.
All shawms have several vent holes between the hole for the lowest note and the end of the bell.
This section of the instrument is very long and contributes to the tone and carrying power of the instrument. The shawm band enlivened the palace courtyard and market square of the sixteenth century and added to the general din and confusion associated with them. Ay, marry, are they, sir. O. therey hangs a tail. Marry, sir, by many a wind instrument that i know.