TONGUE, LIP AND BREATH INTERACTIONS IN CLARINET PLAYING: A STUDY USING A PLAYING MACHINE

Articulation – the skilful control of transients – is one vital part of good playing of wind instruments. Another is the ability to control pitch, loudness and timbre independently. In the steady state, the frequency, sound level and sound spectrum depend on the steady pressure P in the mouth, the force F and its point of application to the reed by the lower lip. They also depend upon the details of the reed, mouthpiece and the clarinet itself. Initial and final transients often involve the use of the tongue to produce rapid pressure changes or to damp or to displace the reed. The interaction of these parameters is studied here using an automated playing system. For any combination of other variables, the boundaries of the region of the (P,F) plane that produce a note are history dependent: at a constant F, the minimum P is greater for increasing than decreasing P. In this hysteresis regime, initial displacement and release of the reed with the tongue can initiate notes at values of P below the minimum for increasing P alone. Sound files are at http://www.phys.unsw.edu.au/jw/clarinetrobot.html