The bassoon is adouble reed instrument. The reed is attached to a bocal (or crook) which is slipped into the tenor (wing) joint. The body of the bassoon is wrapped around itself in the boot joint which holds the bass joint, the longest one. The bell joint is at the end of the instrument where the sound comes out. The bassoon has a total of 16 thumb keys, 12 for the left and 4 for the right.