Resonator geometry shapes which harmonics appear in an instrument’s sound

Evidence

The saxophone spectrum contains all harmonics since its resonator is conical. The clarinet spectrum exhibits the odd harmonics clearly as its resonator is a cylindrical pipe closed at one end (see Figure 4.18), but there is also energy clearly visible in some of the even harmonics. Although the resonator itself does not support the even modes, the spectrum of the sound source does contain all harmonics (the saxophone and the clarinet are both single-reed Clarinet FIGURE 4. — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 1228

Categorization

• DEFINE: Explains why clarinets emphasize odd harmonics (closed cylindrical pipe) while saxophones show all harmonics (conical resonator).
• XREF: connects to: Resonator shape determines which harmonics a wind instrument emphasizes; A small resonator at an instrument’s throat shapes its whole spectral envelope — Eric J. Heller, Why You Hear What You Hear- An…, 1497; Instrument bodies act as coupled resonators that shape and radiate sound (+9 more)

Broader Connections

• Resonator shape determines which harmonics a wind instrument emphasizes #corroborates (0.97)
• Tube geometry determines which partials resonate and so shapes timbre #corroborates (0.95) — Eric J. Heller, Why You Hear What You Hear- An…, 1482
• A closed cylindrical resonator filters sound to odd harmonics #exemplifies (0.86)
• A small resonator at an instrument’s throat shapes its whole spectral envelope #exemplifies (0.85) — Eric J. Heller, Why You Hear What You Hear- An…, 1497
• Mouthpiece geometry permanently sculpts instrument tone via early echoes #expands (0.85) — Eric J. Heller, Why You Hear What You Hear- An…, 1603
• Tube end conditions determine which harmonic partials an instrument produces #expands (0.84) — Eric J. Heller, Why You Hear What You Hear- An…, 1461
• Brass instrument design transforms odd-only pipe modes into a near-complete harmonic series #exemplifies (0.82) — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 1250
• Instrument bodies act as coupled resonators that shape and radiate sound #expands (0.80)
• Helmholtz resonance shapes violin bodies, speaker designs, and car cabin noise #exemplifies (0.79) — Ville Pulkki, Matti Karjalainen, Communication Acoustics- An…, 160
• Even harmonics appear in clarinet sound despite its closed cylindrical resonator #qualifies (0.78)
• Early echoes determine the coarsest spectral shape of brass and flute instruments #expands (0.76) — Eric J. Heller, Why You Hear What You Hear- An…, 1101
• Organ pipe resonator shape follows construction convenience more than acoustics #complicates (0.74) — David Howard, Jamie Angus, coustics and Psychoacoustics, 1180