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Recorder multiphonics

Article  in  The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America · November 1983

DOI: 10.1121/1.2020894

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R. Dean Ayers
California State University, Long Beach
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 TUESDAY AFTERNOON, 8 NOVEMBER 1983
DEL MAR/HELIX/SANTA
Session P. Musical Acoustics III:
R. Dean Ayers, Chairman
Departmentof Physics-Astronomy,
CaliforniaState University,
Chairman's
ContributedPapers
3:40
P1. The effects of the flaring bell on the normal frequencies of a
trombone. J. Duane Dudley and William J. Strong (Department of
PhysicsandAstronomy,BrighamYoungUniversity,Provo,UT 84602)
As sinusoidalwaves encounterthe bell of a brasswind instrument,
they are effectivelyreflectedby the flaringpart of the bore.A givenfre-
quencyiseffectively reflectedfromthat partof thebellwherea significant
changein boreradiusoccurswithina wavelength. Hencethelongerwave-
lengthsreflectfrom pointscloserto the inlet end of the bell than do the
shorterwavelengths. A computercalculationof the equivalentlengths
corresponding to thenormalfrequencies showsthiseffect,andshowshow
thefrequencyshiftsdependon theshapeof thebore.Throughthiseffect,
the bell makesan importantcontributiontowardsmakingthe normal
frequenciesharmonic.
3:55
P2. Effect of the player'svocaltract on the tonequality of reedwoodwind
instruments.John Backus(PhysicsDepartment,Universityof Southern
California,LosAngeles,CA 90089-134l)
It hasbeenarguedby woodwindinstrumentplayersthat the configu-
ration of the player'svocaltract hasan effecton the tonequality of the
instrumentwhenplayed.This matteris beinginvestigated. The following
arrangementhasbeenset up: A "clarinet" is simulatedby mountinga
clarinetmouthpiece andreedona pieceof brasstubingof suchlengthasto
soundthe note D3 when blown, usinga foam neoprene"lip" with the
reed.A microphoneis attachedto the mouthpieceto monitorits internal
pressure.The openend of the brasstubeis sealedonto the endof a 4-in.-
diamtube l0 ft longfilledwith soundabsorbingmaterial.By attachinga
vacuum cleaner to the other end of the 4-in. tube, the "clarinet" can be
"blown,"asit were,in reverse,with the reedendout in the open.Various
systemscan now be attachedto the mouthpieceand their effecton the
internalwaveformof the mouthpiecedetermined.Resultssofar indicate
that the effectof the player'svocaltract on the instrument'stonequality
shouldbe negligible.[Work supportedby the NSF.]
4:10
P3. Edgetone spectra. A. W. Nolle (Department of Physics, The
Universityof Texasat Austin,Austin,TX 78712}
It iswell knownthat asthevelocityof anairjet impingingonan edgeis
increased,variousregimesof periodicoscillationare foundin which the
frequencyincreases with jet velocity.It will be shownthat alsothereare
narrow rangesin which the signalconsistsof two or more components,
not harmonicallyrelated,and variousintermodulationproducts.Ultima-
tely, asthejet velocityincreases,the signalbecomesa noiseband.Exten-
sivedataon thesephenomena will beshown.In the presentwork thejet-
S29 J. Acoust.Soc.Am. Suppl.1, Vol. 74, Fall 1983
Redistribution subject to ASA license or copyright; see http://acousticalsociety.org/content/terms. Download to IP: 198.50.226.136 On: Mon, 19 Sep 2016 18:23:08
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ß
FE ROOMS, 3:35 TO 4:55 P.M.
Wind Instruments
LongBeach,California90840
Introductions3:35
to-edgedistanceis4-12 mm, and thejet velocityliesbetween5 and 30 m/
s. In resemblanceto a commonpracticein organpipeconstruction, the
piecewhoseedgeis struckby thejet isunsymmetrical, consisting
of a 45ø
wedgemountedsothat onesideis parallelto the centerline of thejet.
4:25
P4. The conical bore in musical acoustics.R. Dean Ayers, Lowell
J. Eliason, and Daniel Mahgerefteh (Department of Physics-
Astronomy,CaliforniaStateUniversity,LongBeach,CA 90840}
A review of textbooks and research literature reveals that there is
roomfor improvement in thetreatmentof thissimplebut importantbore
shape.We useplotsof acousticpressurestandingwavesto showstudents
in a descriptive
coursethat a completeconeandan openpipeof thesame
lengthhavethe samenatural frequencies. Theseplotsalsopredictthe
qualitativebehaviorfor the frequencies
of a frustumclosedat the small
endand suggest a rigorousapproachto theircalculation.Incorporating
the openendcorrectionfor a straightpipeplusa correctionfor viscosity
and thermal conductivityin the calculationresultsin agreementwith
experimentalvaluesto within 0.5%. In order to understandthe inhar-
monicityof the frustum'sfrequenciesfroma differentapproach,we have
calculatedthepressureimpulseresponse for reflectionfrom itsclosedend.
We findthatthisconsistsofa deltafunctionplusaninverted,exponential-
ly decayingwake.Experimentalobservations confirmboththat shapefor
theimpulseresponse anditscontributionto theevolutionof thewaveform
through severalreflections.
4:40
P5. Recorder multiphonics.R. Dean Ayers, Lowell J. Eliason, and
David Forel (Department of Phys;,cs-Astronomy, California State
University,LongBeach,CA 90840)
A systematicstudyhas beenundertakento identify and analyzeall
possible
multiphonics
on a popularbrandof plasticrecorder(Aulos,alto
voice).The absenceof a bell at the endof the recordercombineswith the
open-holecutoff effectto guaranteestrong,nonharmonicbore reson-
ances,and many of the forkedfingeringsproducestablemultiphonics
whenblownsomewhat hard.The morestableandaurallyinteresting mul-
tiphonicshavetwo strongspectralcomponents, one supportedby the
fundamentalbore resonanceand the other by the fourth or fifth reso-
nance.Heterodynedescendants of thesecomponents are alsofound,but
rarelywith comparable strength.The lessinterestingmultiphonics have
just onestrongcomponent,oftenat the third resonance, with noticeably
weakercomponents beatingagainstit. Somefingerings will producemore
than one multiphonic,dependingon the breathpressureand/or attack
used.One factor that may be significantfor stabilityis the fact that the
edgetoneitselfgoesmultiphonicat the blowingpressures used,without
any feedbackfrom the bore.
106th Meeting:AcousticalSocietyof America S29