Measurement of vocal-tract influence during saxophone performance

The non-linear excitation of wind instruments generates higher harmonics of the playing frequency. These higher harmonics are coupled to resonances in the pipe. This is called mode locking. When the pipe modes are not harmonic, the playing frequency shifts away from the fundamental in order to maximize the output. It may go up or down, depending on the position of the modes and the amplitude. The effect is especially manifest for fork fingerings. Three fork fingerings on a clarinet were investigated. They were artificially blown between the threshold and extinction pressure. A time domain simulation was carried out based on a lumped model of the excitation coupled to an input impedance calculated from the instrument dimensions. At low amplitudes the fundamental frequency dominates and the playing frequency is governed by the position of the first peak in the input impedance spectra. At higher blowing pressures the playing frequency shifts. For both blowing and simulation this follows the same pattern. The frequencies predicted by the calculations are higher than the values found by blowing, which may be due to inadequacies in the model description, to uncertainties of the various parameters, as reed stiffness, moving reed area, and the properties of the slit flow.

Section: Theory Of Time Domain Simulationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mode locking effects on the playing frequency for fork fingerings on the clarinet

Nederveen¹,

Dalmont²

2012

“…The range of frequencies over which the vocal tract is used for pitch bending in the second register of the clarinet ͑well within the normal range of the instrument͒ is comparable with the range for which Scavone et al ͑2008͒ reported vocal tract effects for the alto saxophone ͑520-1500 Hz͒. This range is also comparable with that reported for vocal tract tuning in a study on tenor saxophones: To play in the very high ͑altissimo͒ range, saxophonists tune their vocal tract resonance ͑Chen et al, 2008͒, but they do not do so in the normal range.…”

Section: Vocal Tract Resonance In Normal Playing and Pitch Bendingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pitch bending and glissandi on the clarinet: Roles of the vocal tract and partial tone hole closure

Chen

Smith

Wolfe

2009

Clarinettists combine non-standard fingerings with particular vocal tract configurations to achieve pitch bending, i.e., sounding pitches that can deviate substantially from those of standard fingerings. Impedance spectra were measured in the mouth of expert clarinettists while they played normally and during pitch bending, using a measurement head incorporated within a functioning clarinet mouthpiece. These were compared with the input impedance spectra of the clarinet for the fingerings used. Partially uncovering a tone hole by sliding a finger raises the frequency of clarinet impedance peaks, thereby allowing smooth increases in sounding pitch over some of the range. To bend notes in the second register and higher, however, clarinettists produce vocal tract resonances whose impedance maxima have magnitudes comparable with those of the bore resonance, which then may influence or determine the sounding frequency. It is much easier to bend notes down than up because of the phase relations of the bore and tract resonances, and the compliance of the reed. Expert clarinettists performed the glissando opening of Gershwin's 'Rhapsody in Blue'. Here, players coordinate the two effects: They slide their fingers gradually over open tone holes, while simultaneously adjusting a strong vocal tract resonance to the desired pitch.

“…This was particularly observed in saxophones and clarinets during altissimo playing and for special effects such as pitch bending. [4][5][6][7][8]15,16 Regarding lip-reed instruments, experiments on the didjeridu 17 showed anti-resonances in the radiated sound induced by vocal-tract resonances. Wolfe et al investigated the influence of upstream resonances in the didgeridoo and trombone performance using an artificial lip reed player.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Acoustical interaction between vibrating lips, downstream air column, and upstream airways in trombone performance

Fréour

Scavone

2013

Self Cite

This paper presents experimental results on the acoustical influence of the vocal tract in trombone performance. The experimental approach makes use of measurements at the interface between the player and instrument, allowing a relative comparison between upstream airways and the downstream air column impedances, as well as an estimation of the phase of the impedance of the upstream and downstream systems. Measurements were conducted over the full traditional range of playing, during sustained tones with varying dynamic, as well as in special effects such as pitch bending. Subjects able to play over the full range demonstrated significant upstream influence in the higher register of the instrument. These players were categorized in two groups according to their ability to control the phase of the upstream impedance and their ability to generate powerful downstream acoustic energy. Sustained tones played with varying dynamics showed a general tendency of a decrease in vocal-tract support with increase in loudness. Although pitch bends did not involve significant upstream influence at f 0 , results suggest modification of the lip behavior during bending. Vocal-tract tuning at tone transitions was also investigated and found to potentially contribute to slur articulations.