Understanding Clarinet Dynamics and Pitch

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the dynamics of sound production in clarinets, focusing on the relationship between air speed, loudness, pitch, and the role of embouchure. Participants explore theoretical and practical aspects of sound generation in wind instruments.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant states that to change loudness, one should adjust the amount of air sent through the instrument rather than the speed of the air, as changing speed affects pitch.
  • Another participant agrees that more air must be sent faster to achieve greater loudness within the same volume of space over time.
  • There is a suggestion that the embouchure primarily affects the vibration speed of the reed, which influences pitch rather than significantly altering air speed.
  • One participant notes that the shape of the mouth can also change the sound outcome.
  • A later reply discusses the bottleneck created by the small opening between the reed and mouthpiece, which can vary in size and affect airflow.
  • One participant shares personal testing, indicating that the mental approach to blowing air (thinking about blowing fast vs. loud) alters breathing technique and may affect pitch perception.
  • Another participant reiterates that loudness is related to the volume of air moved, with sound pressure measured in decibels.
  • There is uncertainty about the embouchure's effect on air speed, with one participant suggesting it may have an impact.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express both agreement and disagreement on various points, particularly regarding the effects of air speed and embouchure on pitch and loudness. The discussion remains unresolved with multiple competing views on these dynamics.

Contextual Notes

Some assumptions about the mechanics of sound production and the role of embouchure are not fully explored, and there are unresolved questions regarding the interaction between air speed and pitch.

dingsbunnyranch
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As a clarinet student, i have always been told two things:

1.) to change your loudness, change the amount of air you send through the horn, not the speed at which you send air through it. if you change the speed, you will change the pitch.

1.) you can change your pitch by tightening or loosening your embochure (the way your mouth grasps the mouthpiece)

after learning about sound in physics, I am a bit confused about wuts going on.

if you blow air faster through the horn, do you increase the speed of sound since the medium through which it is propagating is in motion as well?

since the area of the opening of the mouthpiece doesn't change, to "send more air through the horn," wouldn't you HAVE to increase the speed of the air?

how does the embochure effect the speed of the air?
 
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Was a musician myself in high school, and was told the same things.

Yes, you have to send air through the intsrument faster to get more air through the same volume of spac in the same amount of time.

The embochure doesn't effect the speed of the air very much, but it does effect the speed at which the reed (or your lips, for a brass instrument) will vibrate. This gives you your change of pitch.
 
Another interesting thing about such an instrument is that one can change the outcome by changing the shape of ones mouth.
 
dingsbunnyranch said:
since the area of the opening of the mouthpiece doesn't change, to "send more air through the horn," wouldn't you HAVE to increase the speed of the air?
There's another bottleneck -- all of the air you blow has to go through the tiny hole between the tip of your reed and the mouthpiece, and that opening changes size quite a bit!


But it could just be psychology -- I did some testing here at my desk. When I thought "I want to blow lots of air", I breathed with my diaphragm, and my mouth/cheeks were fairly controlled. When I thought "I want to blow air fast", I breathed with my mouth, and my mouth/cheeks were fairly uncontrolled. (In fact, my cheeks puffed out)

I also tested on the recorder I have handy -- when I thought "I want to blow fast", I breathed differently than when I thought "I want to play loud"... and blowing fast was, in fact, sharp.

(I didn't want to put my clarinet together for testing)


Lurch said:
The embochure doesn't effect the speed of the air very much, but it does effect the speed at which the reed (or your lips, for a brass instrument) will vibrate. This gives you your change of pitch.
I'm not sure... but doesn't your mouth also act as part of the resonating cavity?
 
dingsbunnyranch said:
1.) to change your loudness, change the amount of air you send through the horn, not the speed at which you send air through it. if you change the speed, you will change the pitch.
Loundess of a sound comes from how much air is being moved pretty much. dB measure "sound pressure."

how does the embochure effect the speed of the air?
I believe that would be affect.
 

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