Acoustics of the clarinet

Bb clarinet

D#4

Music Acoustics UNSW

index
E3 F3 F#3 G3 G#3 A3 A#3 B3
C4 C#4 D4 D#4 E4 F4 F#4 G4 G#4 A4 A#4 B4
C5 C#5 D5 D#5 E5 F5 F#5 G5 G#5 A5 A#5 B5
C6 C#6 D6 D#6 E6 F6 F#6 G6 G#6 A6 A#6 B6
C7 C#7

Conventional Fingering

Impedance

Fingering
a key depressed
a key not depressed
a hole covered
a hole uncovered
a part of the mechanism that is not normally touched
Details in fingering legend.

Acoustic schematic
a closed tone hole
an open tone hole

Non-specialist introduction to acoustic impedance
Non-specialist introduction to clarinet acoustics

Notes are the written pitch.
Frequencies are the sounding frequency, for Bb clarinet.
Unless otherwise stated, the impedance spectrum is for a Bb clarinet.


Impedance spectrum of a Bb clarinet measured using fingering for D#4.

Sound


Sound spectrum of a Bb clarinet played using fingering for D#4.
For more explanation, see Introduction to clarinet acoustics

Sound Clip

You can hear D#4 played.

Alternative Fingering 1

Bb clarinet

Impedance

Fingering
a key depressed
a key not depressed
a hole covered
a hole uncovered
a part of the mechanism that is not normally touched
Details in fingering legend.

Acoustic schematic
a closed tone hole
an open tone hole

Non-specialist introduction to acoustic impedance
Non-specialist introduction to clarinet acoustics

Notes are the written pitch.
Frequencies are the sounding frequency, for Bb clarinet.
Unless otherwise stated, the impedance spectrum is for a Bb clarinet.


Impedance spectrum of a Bb clarinet measured using an alternative fingering for D#4.

As we progress up the first register, more and more of the harmonics fall above the cut-off frequency. Here, only the first two resonances fall near harmonics, so the second harmonic in the sound spectrum is the only even harmonic that is clearly weaker than its odd neighbours.

Sound


Sound spectrum of a Bb clarinet played using an alternative fingering for D#4.
For more explanation, see Introduction to clarinet acoustics

Sound Clip

You can hear D#4 played with an alternative fingering.

Alternative Fingering 2

Bb clarinet

Impedance

Fingering
a key depressed
a key not depressed
a hole covered
a hole uncovered
a part of the mechanism that is not normally touched
Details in fingering legend.

Acoustic schematic
a closed tone hole
an open tone hole

Non-specialist introduction to acoustic impedance
Non-specialist introduction to clarinet acoustics

Notes are the written pitch.
Frequencies are the sounding frequency, for Bb clarinet.
Unless otherwise stated, the impedance spectrum is for a Bb clarinet.


Impedance spectrum of a Bb clarinet measured using a second alternative fingering for D#4.

Sound


Sound spectrum of a Bb clarinet played using a second alternative fingering for D#4.
For more explanation, see Introduction to clarinet acoustics

Sound Clip

You can hear D#4 played with a second alternative fingering.


Fingering legend
How were these results obtained?

Contact: Joe Wolfe / J.Wolfe@unsw.edu.au
phone 61-2-9385-4954 (UT +10, +11 Oct-Mar)
© 1997-2006 Music Acoustics UNSW