Nicking the pipe edges smooths onset and suppresses high-frequency components

Evidence

Players are able to play a number of different notes on the same instrument by changing the effective acoustic length of the resonator. This can be achieved, for example, by means of the sliding piston associated with a swanee whistle or, more commonly, when particular notes are required, by covering and uncovering holes in the pipe walls known as “finger holes.” A hole in a pipe will act in an acoustically similar manner to an open pipe end ( pressure node, velocity antinode). The extent to which it does this is determined by the diameter of the hole with respect to the pipe diameter. When this is large with respect to the pipe diameter, as in the flute, the uncovered hole acts acoustically as if the pipe had an open end at that position. Smaller finger holes result acoustically in the effective open end being farther down the pipe (away from the flue end). This is an important factor in the practical design of bass instruments with long resonators, since it can enable the finger holes to be placed within the physical reach of a player’s hands. — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 1187 (#qualifies, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Organ pipes’ timbre arises from resonances cooperating with edge tone; Chiff-voiced open pipes briefly sound an octave high at onset; Molecular interaction prevents sound pressure from cutting off sharply at edges (+3 more)

Broader Connections

• Molecular interaction prevents sound pressure from cutting off sharply at edges #expands (0.85)
• Finger-hole diameters determine where a pipe’s effective opening lies #qualifies (0.75) — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 1187