Principles of sound production in wind instruments

Abstract

This paper presents an outline of the sound production mechanisms in wind instruments and reviews recent progress in the research on different types of wind instruments, i.e., reed woodwinds, brass, and air-jet driven instruments. Until recently, sound production has been explained by models composed of lumped elements, each of which is often assumed to have only a few degrees of freedom. Although these models have achieved great success in understanding the fundamental properties of the instruments, recent experiments using elaborate methods of measurement, such as visualization, have revealed phenomena that cannot be explained by such models. To advance our understanding, more minute models with a large degree of freedom should be constructed as necessary. The following three different phenomena may be involved in sound production: mechanical oscillation of the reed, fluid dynamics of the airflow, and acoustic resonance of the instrument. Among them, our understanding of fluid dynamics is the most primitive, although it plays a crucial role in linking the sound generator with the acoustic resonator of the instrument. Recent research has also implied that a rigorous treatment of fluid dynamics is necessary for a thorough understanding of the principles of sound production in wind instruments.

Aerosol emission from playing wind instruments and related COVID-19 infection risk during music performance

“…The breathing of the musician is the common source of both the loudness of a wind instrument and the aerosol emission. Specifically, exhalation determines sound generation 35 – 37 whereas inhalation determines aerosol generation 11 . Higher loudness is produced by greater exhalation flow rate 35 , 38 – 40 .…”

“…Specifically, exhalation determines sound generation 35 – 37 whereas inhalation determines aerosol generation 11 . Higher loudness is produced by greater exhalation flow rate 35 , 38 – 40 . A flutist can sustain a note in forte for 8 s without rebreathing, but for 40 s in piano 41 , so the exhalation flow rate increases by an approximate factor five from piano to forte.…”

Sounding Mechanism of a Flue Organ Pipe—A Multi-Sensor Measurement Approach

“…This can match the reality in many cases, but, especially the jet, it is sensible to many variables and can be influenced by asymmetries or irregularities along the width of the flue, as underlined by Rucz et al [31]. For example, it Moreover, it can also be claimed that, by the end of the 20th century, research was mainly developed in the following two areas: the theoretical approach based on physical theory and formulas [18][19][20][21][22] and a practical approach focusing more on measurements and the analyses of experimental data [23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30]. In recent years, thanks to a massive growth of computational power and the development of new software, the third thread of research became prominent, namely the numerical simulation and modeling of aerodynamics as well as acoustic and mechanical systems [29,31,32].…”

“…• The pipe wall is set into motion by the acoustic waves (vibration-mechanical system). Moreover, it can also be claimed that, by the end of the 20th century, research was mainly developed in the following two areas: the theoretical approach based on physical theory and formulas [18][19][20][21][22] and a practical approach focusing more on measurements and the analyses of experimental data [23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30]. In recent years, thanks to a massive growth of computational power and the development of new software, the third thread of research became prominent, namely the numerical simulation and modeling of aerodynamics as well as acoustic and mechanical systems [29,31,32].…”

Analysis of flow and acoustic radiation in reed instruments by compressible flow simulation

“…Reed instruments are composed of a single or double reed, a mouthpiece, and a resonator, where the reed acts as a valve that modulates air flow into the mouthpiece [1,2]. The acoustic radiation from the instrument is attributable to the complex aeroelastic-acoustic coupling between the air flow into the instrument, reed oscillations, and the acoustic resonance in the instrument [3].…”