Clarinet parameter cartography: automatic mapping of the sound produced as a function of blowing pressure and reed force

In simple models of a single-reed instrument mouthpiece, important control parameters include the air pressure in the mouth, the force applied by the lip on the reed, the position at which it is applied and the damping of the reed. In these simple models, position and damping are usually considered constant while pressure and force are regarded as the key control parameters. Pressure in the mouth is easy to measure during human performance. The lip force is harder to relate to the gesture of the musician because the range of forces applied by a player depends on several factors including the reed stiffness and profile, and the distribution of force on the reed. When the instrument is played by a mechanical device, greater independence and control of these parameters is possible. This study uses an automated clarinet playing system developed during a series of student projects involving NICTA and UNSW (hence the long author list). The mouth pressure is controlled, and two further parameters control the lip force and its position of application. The precision and short-term stability of this control allow a systematic study of the pitch and volume of the clarinet for a wide range of these three parameters and, in principle, up to 2 15 fingerings. This allows the mapping, in fingering, pressure and lip parameter space, of the regions that produce the intended note, poorly tuned notes, notes in another register, slowly starting notes, squeaks or no sound at all. Maps measured with different protocols are here compared with the predictions of theoretical models.