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Re: Reed cuts

Author: d-oboe
Date: 2007-02-02 13:00

"I'm not sure what you mean by air usage. The higher notes actually require considerably more air pressure. Low notes can be played with a very light breath. There is a great diagram in "The Physics of Musical Instruments" Fig. 15.9, pg. 483 (in the 2nd ed., 1998, by Fletcher and Rossing) which also shows air pressures over the range of the bassoon, clarinet and alto saxophone. A low C on oboe can sound with less than 4kPa blowing pressure while a 3rd octave note can be above 12kPa. (Around 15kPa, an upper limit is set by systolic blood pressure in the arteries of the neck. Blowing harder than this can cut off blood flow and lead to dizziness. pg. 456)"

High DO require more air pressure, but they don't require more air (quantity). It's how all wind instruments work: the lower the note, the more air is required. Some people misinterpret this as "blow harder" but this does nothing but increase the air pressure, and in some cases *decreases* air volume. Completely the opposite of what is necessary for a low note. High notes are played more "in" because less air (volume), but more air pressure is needed for them. Lower notes are played more "out" because less air pressure but more air (volume) is required for them.

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