What type of instruments produce sound primarily through air?

Instruments that produce sound primarily through air are classified as wind instruments, which include both brass and woodwind instruments. Woodwind instruments generate sound by means of vibrating air through a tube, which can be achieved by blowing air directly through a mouthpiece or by using a reed. This characteristic of sound production is what distinguishes woodwinds from other types of instruments.

Brass instruments also rely on air, but they are classified separately due to the different mechanisms used to produce sound; specifically, they create vibrations through the player’s lips in a mouthpiece. While both brass and woodwind instruments utilize air to create sound, the question specifically focuses on woodwind instruments as the correct type producing sound primarily through air.

String instruments, in contrast, produce sound through vibrating strings rather than air, and percussion instruments typically create sound through hitting or shaking, which involves solid materials. Thus, in the context of the question, woodwind instruments are the clear and correct choice.