Bb clarinet

A#3

Impedance

Fingering a key depressed a key not depressed a hole covered a hole uncovered a part of the mechanism that is not normally touched Details in fingering legend. Acoustic schematic a closed tone hole an open tone hole Non-specialist introduction to acoustic impedance Non-specialist introduction to clarinet acoustics Notes are the written pitch. Frequencies are the sounding frequency, for Bb clarinet. Unless otherwise stated, the impedance spectrum is for a Bb clarinet.

We are now in the middle of the chalumeau register. Notice that the low even harmonics in the sound spectrum have been gradually getting more noticeable as we progressed up the scale: the 2nd and 4th are weak, but the 6th is almost as strong as its neighbours. This is because, above the cut-off frequency, the effective length of the instrument is rather longer than it is below that frequency. Consequently, only the first few impedance peaks are in harmonic ratios.

For general comments about the chalumeau register, see E3.

Sound

Sound spectrum of a Bb clarinet played using fingering for A#3.
For more explanation, see Introduction to clarinet acoustics

Sound Clip

You can hear A#3 played.