The Clarinet BBoard

The Clarinet BBoard The C4 standard

New Topic | Go to Top | Go to Topic | Search | Help/Rules | Smileys/Notes | Log In

Previous Message | Next Message

Re: Stopped pipe - is there an explanation?

Author: Burt
Date: 2019-02-15 18:33

The clarinet APPROXIMATES a stopped pipe with a sound wavelength APPROXIMATELY 4 times the physical length. It's not quite cylindrical, the holes are not big enough to accurately approximate the open end, and the mouthpiece tip is not quite closed. One source I read said that there is a very small amount of energy in the even harmonics, presumably because the approximation is not perfect, but I have not measured it.

At very high frequencies (short wavelengths) where the quarter-wavelength approaches the diameter of the bore, the approximation is not nearly so good. No clarinet fundamental tones are nearly that high, but overtones are.

Could the mouthpiece tip opening be a small factor in how good the stopped pipe approximation is? Should an open tip play flatter, or does the player squeeze the reed more with an open tip mouthpiece to produce the same size opening?

Reply To Message | Avail. Forums | Flat View

Newer Topic | Older Topic

Topics