Re: Re: Harmonics CC tuba


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Posted by Patrick on May 28, 2002 at 18:26:07:

In Reply to: Re: Harmonics CC tuba posted by Dave on May 24, 2002 at 21:44:46:

Hey, I think (Think being the operative word) you caould have a few mistakes in there. I've been reading a fair amount of physics lately, and though we never studied tubas, we did study open pipes, which can serves as a decent model. Open pipes, like those found in pipe organs, resonate with an antinode (in pressure waves, the point of greatest pressure) at each end, therefore it will resonate with a wavelenge that is twice the length of the pipe, the full length of the pipe, 2/3 the length of the pipe, 1/2 the length, or any other fraction of the length as determined by Wl=2/n, where Wl is wavelength, and 2 is the harmonic. The pedal C way below the staff is the first harmonic, and the Con the secon ledger below is the second, the G at the bottom is the third, and the c inthe second space is the fourth. Ttat way, every time you go from a C up an octave to the next C, the length of the wave halves, and since the speed of sound remains constant, the frequency doubles, producing a note which we perceive as one octave higher. THerefore I guess you could say the sound "lives" at you lips and the bell for the fundamental pedal C, at your lips and the bell and one point exactly halfway between for the next c, and at your lips, the bell and two points which split the difference between for the G at the bottome of the staff, etc. Hope that helps you out, I just knew I could never look at my physics teacher again if I didn't say anything.
Patrick Mayne


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