Reed Instruments

Since there are no strings involved in wind instruments a different technique must be used to create a sound. In wind instruments, sound is passed through an air column. There are some differences in the physics of these vibrations. The motion in the air column is longitudinal rather than transverse like the motion of the waves in the string. Also, there is an open end and a closed end of the air column rather than the two closed ends of the string. In reed instruments such as the clarinet and saxophone, the sound is produced by the reed, a thin piece of cane that is placed on the mouthpiece in front of a slit that is slightly smaller than the reed. When air is forced through the instrument, the difference in pressure on either side of the reed causes it to move towards the slit. The reed's elasticity eventually causes the reed to move back to its original position causing a vibration. The pitch is determined by the length of the air column. The air column is lengthened on a wind instrument by covering the tone holes that are along the pipe with your fingers. The longer air column then produces a lower tone.

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