Acoustics of the clarinet

A clarinet

E3

Music Acoustics UNSW


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 an A clarinet.
This impedance spectrum is for an A clarinet.


Impedance spectrum of an A clarinet measured using fingering for E3.
This compares with the impedance spectrum for a Bb clarinet.

Sound forte


Sound spectrum of an A clarinet played using fingering for E3 forte .
For more explanation, see Introduction to clarinet acoustics

Sound Clip forte

You can hear E3 forte played on an A clarinet.

For this note (and also for G4 and A6), we show spectra for different loudness or dynamic levels (f, mp and pp). Note that, as the player blows harder, the level of the fundamental actually becomes weaker. The main cause of a clarinet's note being louder is that more high harmonics appear and that the high harmonics already present become stronger. These extra and stronger harmonics change the timbre of the sound, making it brighter or less mellow: listen to the sound files. They are also very effective at making it louder, because our ears are most sensitive in the range 1-4 kHz. (See What is a decibel?) Note also that the base line for all spectra is a broad band 'noise' containing all frequencies. This is due to the turbulence of air passing through the reed opening, and it is an important part of the characteristic clarinet sound, particularly at the beginning of a note.

For a discussion of how the reed motion produces different timbre and dynamic levels, see Playing softly and loudly.


Sound mezzopiano


Sound spectrum of an A clarinet played using fingering for E3 mezzopiano.

Sound Clip mezzopiano

You can hear E3 mezzopiano played on an A clarinet.


Sound pianissimo


Sound spectrum of an A clarinet played using fingering for E3 pianissimo.
For more explanation, see Introduction to clarinet acoustics

Sound Clip pianissimo

You can hear E3 pianissimo played on an A clarinet.


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