Stopped-pipe wind instruments: Acoustics of the panpipes

N. H. Fletcher*

*Corresponding author for this work

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    9 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    Stopped-pipe jet-excited musical instruments are known in many cultures, those best-known today being the panpipes or syrinx of Eastern Europe and of the Peruvian Andes. Although the playing style differs, in each case the instrument consists of a set of graduated bamboo pipes excited by blowing across the open tops. Details of the excitation aerodynamics warrant examination, particularly as the higher notes contain amplitudes of the even harmonics approaching those of the odd harmonics expected from a stopped pipe. Analysis shows that the jet offset is controlled by the fluid dynamics of the jet, and is such that appreciable even-harmonic excitation is generated. The theory is largely confirmed by measurements on a player.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)370-374
    Number of pages5
    JournalJournal of the Acoustical Society of America
    Volume117
    Issue number1
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - Jan 2005

    Fingerprint

    Dive into the research topics of 'Stopped-pipe wind instruments: Acoustics of the panpipes'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

    Cite this