Stopped flue pipes sound their harmonics in a characteristic staggered order producing a chiff

Evidence

The stopped flue supports only the odd modes (see Chapter 4), and, during the onset phase of this particular example, the fifth harmonic sounds first, which is the second overblown mode sounding two octaves and a major third above the fundamental (see Figure 3.3), followed by the fundamental and then the third harmonic, giving a characteristic chiff to the stop. — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 1448

Categorization

• DEFINE: Explains what ‘chiff’ means in organ acoustics: the audible onset transient from staggered harmonic entry.
• CANDY: ‘Chiff’ is a fun, tweetable bit of organ terminology — the attack sound of flue pipes has a name.
• XREF: connects to: Chiff-voiced organ pipes begin with the second harmonic leading by about 30 ms — David Howard, Jamie Angus, coustics and Psychoacoustics, 1470; Unnicked organ pipes produce a sharper, clearer consonantal attack tone called chiff. — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 1148; Languid height determines whether a flue pipe speaks promptly, slowly, or not at all. — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 1149