Klarinet Archive - Posting 000548.txt from 1998/09

From: Bill Hausmann <bhausman@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] NEW THREAD!
Date: Thu, 17 Sep 1998 02:08:36 -0400

At 08:06 AM 9/15/98 -0400, Merlin Williams wrote:
Clarinets and >Saxophones are flat when cold, brass instruments are sharp
when cold (exchange pitch tendencies when hot.)
>
>Sorry, but the last statement is incorrect. Brass instruments are flat
when cold. The temperature of the air column has a greater effect on the
pitch than the contraction of the metal. I once saw this quite vividly
demonstrated on a British science program called "Don't Ask Me!" The host
of the show took two identical tubas, one at room temperature, and one that
had been placed in a large freezer. He had a tubist play both instruments.
The one in the freezer was very flat. As the tubist played the horn, you
could hear the pitch rising as the air column warmed up. It was a very
revealing demonstration!
>
Interesting. But was it the air column itself that was warming up, or the
tube expanding, thus changing the SIZE of the air column and affecting pitch?

Bill Hausmann bhausman@-----.com
451 Old Orchard Drive http://www.concentric.net/~bhausman
Essexville, MI 48732 http://members.wbs.net/homepages/z/o/o/zoot14.html
ICQ UIN 4862265

If you have to mic a saxophone, the rest of the band is too loud.

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