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Introduction to Acoustics

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618 Part E Music, Speech, Electroacoustics<br />

Part E 15.3<br />

Input impedance<br />

Pipe alone<br />

Pipe plus mouthpiece<br />

0 1000<br />

2000<br />

Frequency (Hz)<br />

Fig. 15.86 Input impedance of a length of cylindrical trumpet<br />

pipe with and without a mouthpiece attached (after<br />

Benade [15.133])<br />

only enables the player <strong>to</strong> vibrate their lips over a wide<br />

range of frequency, but also provides a very important<br />

acoustic function in significantly boosting the amplitude<br />

16<br />

12<br />

8<br />

4<br />

0<br />

Equivalent length (cm)<br />

λp/4<br />

Vcup/Apipe<br />

fp<br />

1 <strong>to</strong>ne<br />

1 semi-<strong>to</strong>ne<br />

Trumpet mouthpiece<br />

Fig. 15.87 The amount by which a trumpet tube of length<br />

137 cm would have <strong>to</strong> be lengthened <strong>to</strong> compensate for<br />

the lowering in frequency of the instrument’s resonant frequencies<br />

when a mouthpiece is attached <strong>to</strong> the input (after<br />

Benade [15.133]). The changes in length <strong>to</strong> give a semi<strong>to</strong>ne<br />

and a whole-<strong>to</strong>ne change in frequency are indicated by the<br />

horizontal lines<br />

50<br />

45<br />

40<br />

35<br />

30<br />

25<br />

20<br />

15<br />

10<br />

5<br />

0<br />

100<br />

300<br />

500<br />

700<br />

900<br />

1100<br />

1300 1500<br />

Fig. 15.88 The calculated impedance of an 800 Hz<br />

Helmholtz mouthpiece (dark brown), an attached pipe<br />

(black) and the combination of mouthpiece and pipe (light<br />

brown)<br />

of the higher partials, helping <strong>to</strong> give brass instruments<br />

their bright and powerful sounds.<br />

Typical mouthpiece shapes are shown in Fig. 15.85.<br />

Mouthpieces can be characterized by the mouthpiece<br />

volume and the popping frequency characterizing the<br />

Helmholtz resona<strong>to</strong>r comprising the mouthpiece volume<br />

and backbore. The popping frequency can easily<br />

be estimated from the sound produced when the mouthpiece<br />

is slapped against the open palm of the hand (audio<br />

).<br />

By adjusting the tension in the lips, the shape of the<br />

lips within the mouthpiece (the embouchure), and the<br />

flow of air between the lips via the pressure in the mouth,<br />

the skilled brass player forces the lip <strong>to</strong> vibrate at the<br />

required frequency of the note <strong>to</strong> be played. This can easily<br />

be demonstrated by making a pitched buzzing sound<br />

with the lips compressed against the rim of the mouthpiece<br />

cup. The circular rim constrains the lateral motion<br />

of the lips making it far easier <strong>to</strong> produce stable high<br />

notes. A brass player can sound all the notes on an instrument<br />

by simply blowing in<strong>to</strong> the mouthpiece alone, but<br />

the mouthpiece alone produces relatively little volume.<br />

The instrument both stabilises the playing frequencies<br />

and increases the coupling between the vibrating lips<br />

and radiated sound.<br />

Figure 15.86 illustrates the enhancement in the input<br />

impedance around the popping frequency, when<br />

a mouthpiece is attached <strong>to</strong> the input of a cylindrical<br />

pipe, as measured by Benade [15.133]. Benade showed<br />

that the influence of the mouthpiece on the acoustical<br />

characteristics of a brass instrument is, <strong>to</strong> a first approximation,<br />

independent of the internal bore shape and

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