Single-reed woodwinds: From physical modeling to sound radiation

Abstract

Single-reed woodwind instruments have been traditionally used in marching bands, along with brass and percussion instruments. However their sound is often covered by louder instruments, making them less audible to the audience and the members of the band. Indeed, the saxophone has been designed in order to replace the clarinet in military bands, making the woodwind section of the band more prominent. This study discusses the sound generation mechanism of single-reed woodwind instruments in an attempt to investigate which reed and mouthpiece properties significantly affect the amplitude of the radiated sound. To this end, transfer function measurements and numerical investigations using physical modeling are employed. The former may indicate how the use of different mouthpiece geometries and various types of reeds may have an effect on the sound magnitude. The latter can be used to systematically vary reed and embouchure related parameters while observing how changes in these parameters affect the radiated sound.