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Re: Black Magic and the Art of Clarinet Playing

Author: Buster
Date: 2011-12-23 19:30

What we need is a computer/machine set-up to analyze all the frequencies (harmonics) present in any sounded note.

-Often referred to as a spectrum-analyzer (or sometimes, crudely, a Fourier Machine; an incorrect colloquialism of sorts I guess.)

What is seen on the "analyzer" is all the composite frequencies (harmonics in our case) that are present in a periodic wave. (A superposed standing-wave in our case.)

The "de-composed" frequencies that are seen are the integer harmonics present in the sounding wave; and can be mathematically predicted by Fourier transform equations. Also, they can be mathematically represented by the Fourier series. Fourier analysis/transform is a branch of mathematics that serves to break down wave functions into their composite frequencies. ---Thus the Fourier Machine reference.--- (The equations can be quite complex, and admittedly go beyond my realm of knowledge. They also apply to studies far beyond that of acoustics and actually grew from the study of heat dispersion if memory serves.)

What we can see with a visual analysis is the presence all the sounding harmonics; the more harmonics present, the more complex (or "full") the sound is said to be. With a spectrum analyzer, we could see exactly what effect any material placed on the outside of the clarinet body has on the complexity of the resultant sound. However, the difficulty would be removing the human element from the equation as the results could still be skewed by our input. It would be necessary to have a way to play to clarinet with a machine capable of true steady-state input..... a device which I do not have the funds to construct.

Thus if it works for your ears then by all means use it.

It didn't change anything for mine so I won't.

......or not